Milwaukee MA887 room temperature reading?

[Shirak]

Hi! Just received a new MA887. Turned it on and temperature reading was around 10c/50f TDS seems ok but the temperature thing causing me concern.

Shouldn't this thing display my room temperature?? It's been sitting all afternoon on my counter so it's not cold from being outside.

 

[Tahoe61]

Did you eventually calibrate and measure SG? My Millawkee MA887 did the same yesterday but temp was 67 F.

 

[Shirak]

Did you eventually calibrate and measure SG? My Millawkee MA887 did the same yesterday but temp was 67 F.

I will check today. I ran a quick test using the sample test solution they sent. It was 1 ppt higher than it should have been.

I have not tried to run a calibration yet. I will do that today.

 

[Tahoe61]

Mine was .02 higher than the calibration fluid, 1.027. But distilled was spot on.

 

[littlebeard]

Hi! Just received a new MA887. Turned it on and temperature reading was around 10c/50f TDS seems ok but the temperature thing causing me concern.

Shouldn't this thing display my room temperature?? It's been sitting all afternoon on my counter so it's not cold from being outside.

It should be the same temperature as the room. I would first put in a new battery and check to see if that changes the temperature. If not the unit seems defective and I would ask for a replacement.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It it reads the standard ok, I wouldn’t agonize over the temp reading. That said, I don’t know how this device normally reports temp and if and when it changes those readings.

 

[Shirak]

Update. Changed battery no difference. Still reading 49f indoors. Calibrated with the supplied water. Reads 0. Test with the supplied solution which says 1.025 sg on the bottle. Reads 1.024 sg, 33ppt
Test with the DIY refractometer solution 1.023sg, 31ppt. Check DIY solution with hand held 1.026ish sg, 35ppt looks to be. Testing the tank it's at 1.025sg, 33ppt with hand held, 1.023sg, 31ppt with the digital.

I guess it's technically within it's margin of error but this doesn't seem acceptable to me.

 

[Shirak]

Messaged BRS to see what they say.

 

[littlebeard]

Update. Changed battery no difference. Still reading 49f indoors. Calibrated with the supplied water. Reads 0. Test with the supplied solution which says 1.025 sg on the bottle. Reads 1.024 sg, 33ppt
Test with the DIY refractometer solution 1.023sg, 31ppt. Check DIY solution with hand held 1.026ish sg, 35ppt looks to be. Testing the tank it's at 1.025sg, 33ppt with hand held, 1.023sg, 31ppt with the digital.

I guess it's technically within it's margin of error but this doesn't seem acceptable to me.

I've never had mine off by that much. I do find that water/salt crystals can get stuck on the glass/lens (I suspect between the glass and metal) I generally clean off the lens every time I use it and flush it off several times with the water I'm testing. I then press the button about 5 times in a row to validate it doesn't change (and that i've cleaned off all the residue).

I check the device about once a month with a reference solution and have not seen it change in the 5 years I've owned it.

Regardless if it's brand new and the temperature is off... why put up with a working piece of equipment when you ordered a fully working one. I personally use the temperature feature all the time to know what the room temp is, or the temperature of the water i'm testing.

 

[Shirak]

I've never had mine off by that much. I do find that water/salt crystals can get stuck on the glass/lens (I suspect between the glass and metal) I generally clean off the lens every time I use it and flush it off several times with the water I'm testing. I then press the button about 5 times in a row to validate it doesn't change (and that i've cleaned off all the residue).

I check the device about once a month with a reference solution and have not seen it change in the 5 years I've owned it.

Regardless if it's brand new and the temperature is off... why put up with a working piece of equipment when you ordered a fully working one. I personally use the temperature feature all the time to know what the room temp is, or the temperature of the water i'm testing.

Thanks @littlebeard for the excellent feedback on your unit! I agree about it being a brand new unit and the wonky temperature. I will have to be more careful about making sure it's flushed properly if you suspect possible residue between the glass and the metal ring!

 

[Patx]

I have one and I used my "TM high precision hydrometer" to calibrate it.

Like you, several standard solutions bought and diy.

my refracto and the 887 gave inconsistent different results no mather what. Nothing was stable.

so i got enough of that... i bought the tm hydro....
I prepared water for a water change at 25c⁰ and 1.025 with the TM hydrometer and simply calibrated the 887 so that it reads the same result.

(ro/di water and a few mini drops of normal water) for the 1.001 that I had difference.

For 2 years I monitor TM vs 887 from time to time and it is always spot on.

If TH reads 1.0255 the 887 can read 1.026 or 1.025 it is the margin of error i get.
no matter the temperature just wait for it to stop changing before testing.

 

[Shirak]

BRS customer support which is top notch BTW. Contacted me back with a RMS sticker to send the unit back and as soon as tracking is live they will ship another. Also wanted to see a photo with the weird temperature being displayed. 50f at my desk ...

TY @Patx for the comments. Interesting idea to calibrate so it gives the correct reading. I have at TM hydrometer so I can get an accurate measurement. As long as it is consistently inconsistent I can make a correction like you have.

Will see what happens when the new unit arrives next week. It would be nice if it was at least correct reading it's own standard test fluid after calibrating! That worried me more than the temperature thing..

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Will see what happens when the new unit arrives next week. It would be nice if it was at least correct reading it's own standard test fluid after calibrating! That worried me more than the temperature thing..

That fact suggests to me that it likely was functioning properly, just not reporting the temp properly. If it really thought the temp was that low, I would have expected a much more inaccurate reading.

 

[Shirak]

New unit from BRS. Room temperature is right on. Reading 1ppt higher than the standard so looks good to me.