[Fire Rooster]

Tilt is displaying in large text a gravity of 1.007.
In small print above that, it displays
Gravity 0.983 (pre-calibrated).
What is this number indicating ?

Thanks

[tommymorris]

Tilt is displaying in large text a gravity of 1.007.
In small print above that, it displays
Gravity 0.983 (pre-calibrated).
What is this number indicating ?

Thanks

One is the calibrated measurement and the other is raw (uncalibrated).

[reverseapachemaster]

I don't have a tilt so I'm no expert but I believe the uncalibrated readings allows you to compare the tilt against a hydrometer and adjust its readings for better accuracy. Probably some good youtube videos explaining how to calibrate it.

I've had somebody explain to me that this helps with trub sticking to the tilt and throwing off the readings. IMO for the cost it shouldn't be defeated by a little trub.

[BrewBama]

I guess it is a question of how much is ‘a little trub’.




*Disclaimer*: Any comment I add is simply the way I brew beer. There are certainly other ways that can be equally effective which other brewers may contribute. This is what I’ve found that works for me using my equipment and processes so I offer this for your consideration. YMMV

[ynotbrusum]

I can't say that the readings on my Tilts are without accuracy issue after fermentation, but if I calibrate them with water just before sanitizing and adding to the fermenter, my initial readings are spot on.  I have a feeling that between the trub cap and fermenting under pressure, my final reading could be off a few points, but at that point I am just watching for a final, stable reading to know that fermentation is complete.  And since the beer is carbonated at that point, getting a good reading requires degassing the sample.  That hits my laziness level, so I can't recall when I last checked the final reading against a hydrometer, though I have a lab grade finishing hydrometer, so I should take a reading one of these times.

Good discussion again, guys.

[mabrungard]

With all the potential errors that these type of floating hydrometers can have in reporting, I don't rely on them to provide an accurate SG value.  But I do rely on them to show me how the fermentation is proceeding and when the gravity reduction is slowing or complete.  That's the real value in these instruments.  I almost always use a Tilt in my fermenter.

[BrewBama]

With all the potential errors that these type of floating hydrometers can have in reporting, I don't rely on them to provide an accurate SG value.  But I do rely on them to show me how the fermentation is proceeding and when the gravity reduction is slowing or complete.  That's the real value in these instruments.  I almost always use a Tilt in my fermenter.

+1


*Disclaimer*: Any comment I add is simply the way I brew beer. There are certainly other ways that can be equally effective which other brewers may contribute. This is what I’ve found that works for me using my equipment and processes so I offer this for your consideration. YMMV

[jjflash]

With all the potential errors that these type of floating hydrometers can have in reporting, I don't rely on them to provide an accurate SG value.  But I do rely on them to show me how the fermentation is proceeding and when the gravity reduction is slowing or complete.  That's the real value in these instruments.  I almost always use a Tilt in my fermenter.

+2 Explanation nailed it perfectly. Use it every batch.

[Richard]

Tilts are not perfect instruments for measuring specific gravity, but remember that specific gravity itself is only a proxy for what we really want to measure: sugar content.

[Drewch]

With all the potential errors that these type of floating hydrometers can have in reporting, I don't rely on them to provide an accurate SG value.  But I do rely on them to show me how the fermentation is proceeding and when the gravity reduction is slowing or complete.  That's the real value in these instruments.  I almost always use a Tilt in my fermenter.

+2 Explanation nailed it perfectly. Use it every batch.

+3 - I don't need precise absolute gravity as long as it's consistent relative to itself so I know when fermentation is done.  (But it's generally accurate enough for my homebrewing purposes anyway.)

[Joshua Hughes]

I use it as my hydrometer so I adjust efficiency and attenuation based on what it tells me. Simply my reference. I like it because I know when fermentation is at a point I can put in a spunding valve and to know when fermentation has stopped. After using it a few years I’m confident that what it gives me reading wise is useful to predict my brewing numbers. If it’s wrong I’m still drinking it I love it for the temperature readings just as much as gravity.

[Fire Rooster]

EMAILED TILT:

Recently purchased a tilt hydrometer (Green), used it twice, and possibly have a lower than expected OG.
The app on android phone shows in large print 1.032.  Smaller print on top of that displays (Gravity: 1.009 (pre-calibrated).
Do I add this number to 1.032 ?

Also, I calibrated in water, and selected calibrate in water on menu,
and was set to 1.000, is that it ?

RESPONSE:

It looks like there are some erroneous calibration points stored in the Tilt 2 app. Select the gear icon in the top left corner of the Tilt 2 app dashboard. Scroll down and delete calibration points.

When you calibrate, make sure that the Tilt hydrometer is free floating, not touching the bottom of the container and not touching both sides of the container simultaneously. If the Tilt hydrometer isn't free floating, and you calibrate it. The calibration will be off.

The pre-calibration is based on our factory calibration. The Pre-calibration and actual calibration shouldn't be off by more than a couple of points.

[tommymorris]

EMAILED TILT:

Recently purchased a tilt hydrometer (Green), used it twice, and possibly have a lower than expected OG.
The app on android phone shows in large print 1.032.  Smaller print on top of that displays (Gravity: 1.009 (pre-calibrated).
Do I add this number to 1.032 ?

Also, I calibrated in water, and selected calibrate in water on menu,
and was set to 1.000, is that it ?

RESPONSE:

It looks like there are some erroneous calibration points stored in the Tilt 2 app. Select the gear icon in the top left corner of the Tilt 2 app dashboard. Scroll down and delete calibration points.

When you calibrate, make sure that the Tilt hydrometer is free floating, not touching the bottom of the container and not touching both sides of the container simultaneously. If the Tilt hydrometer isn't free floating, and you calibrate it. The calibration will be off.

The pre-calibration is based on our factory calibration. The Pre-calibration and actual calibration shouldn't be off by more than a couple of points.

I calibrated with a hydrometer in the 1.050 range to help improve OG accuracy. 

For FG, I have had periods where it was matching the FG from a hydrometer but I think that was chance. It’s usually off several points and I ignore that except to know fermentation is over.

This is what mine shows via the web interface.  You read the big number. The “Uncal.” number is a raw reading (not adjusted based on calibration data).

[Fire Rooster]

EMAILED TILT:

Recently purchased a tilt hydrometer (Green), used it twice, and possibly have a lower than expected OG.
The app on android phone shows in large print 1.032.  Smaller print on top of that displays (Gravity: 1.009 (pre-calibrated).
Do I add this number to 1.032 ?

Also, I calibrated in water, and selected calibrate in water on menu,
and was set to 1.000, is that it ?

RESPONSE:

It looks like there are some erroneous calibration points stored in the Tilt 2 app. Select the gear icon in the top left corner of the Tilt 2 app dashboard. Scroll down and delete calibration points.

When you calibrate, make sure that the Tilt hydrometer is free floating, not touching the bottom of the container and not touching both sides of the container simultaneously. If the Tilt hydrometer isn't free floating, and you calibrate it. The calibration will be off.

The pre-calibration is based on our factory calibration. The Pre-calibration and actual calibration shouldn't be off by more than a couple of points.

I calibrated with a hydrometer in the 1.050 range to help improve OG accuracy. 

For FG, I have had periods where it was matching the FG from a hydrometer but I think that was chance. It’s usually off several points and I ignore that except to know fermentation is over.

This is what mine shows via the web interface.  You read the big number. The “Uncal.” number is a raw reading (not adjusted based on calibration data).

It made no sense to ask if I add .009 to .032 and get 1.041, it was a stab in the dark, something didn't make sense.
Tilt already in use, will try to calibrate as suggested for next batch.
I now see why many use tilt to detect when fermentation is finished, and not actual reading.
Unrealistic as it may seem, I still have high hopes.

Fully aware the big numbers is what to read, had a career that included extensive software analysis with many systems.
I recall in the 1980's when we converted to 3 1/2 floppies from 5 1/4, we thought we were high tech, lol.

How I currently understand it your calibration is off.

(I calibrated with a hydrometer in the 1.050 range to help improve OG accuracy)
How did you do this?

Thanks

[tommymorris]

EMAILED TILT:

Recently purchased a tilt hydrometer (Green), used it twice, and possibly have a lower than expected OG.
The app on android phone shows in large print 1.032.  Smaller print on top of that displays (Gravity: 1.009 (pre-calibrated).
Do I add this number to 1.032 ?

Also, I calibrated in water, and selected calibrate in water on menu,
and was set to 1.000, is that it ?

RESPONSE:

It looks like there are some erroneous calibration points stored in the Tilt 2 app. Select the gear icon in the top left corner of the Tilt 2 app dashboard. Scroll down and delete calibration points.

When you calibrate, make sure that the Tilt hydrometer is free floating, not touching the bottom of the container and not touching both sides of the container simultaneously. If the Tilt hydrometer isn't free floating, and you calibrate it. The calibration will be off.

The pre-calibration is based on our factory calibration. The Pre-calibration and actual calibration shouldn't be off by more than a couple of points.

I calibrated with a hydrometer in the 1.050 range to help improve OG accuracy. 

For FG, I have had periods where it was matching the FG from a hydrometer but I think that was chance. It’s usually off several points and I ignore that except to know fermentation is over.

This is what mine shows via the web interface.  You read the big number. The “Uncal.” number is a raw reading (not adjusted based on calibration data).

How I currently understand it your calibration is off.

(I calibrated with a hydrometer in the 1.050 range to help improve OG accuracy)
How did you do this?

Thanks

Regarding my calibration being off. Maybe so. Tilt told you this, “The Pre-calibration and actual calibration shouldn't be off by more than a couple of points.”  After you change the battery it may not return to such close calibration. You can re-perform the pre-calibration, but mine has always been 10+ points off at OG. But, after calibrating at OG in a 1050-ish beer the calibrated reading is always within one point of of my hydrometer at OG. So, from my perspective the instrument is performing as expected.

Your Tilt can use multiple calibration points. You can calibrate at OG and near FG.

https://tilthydrometer.com/blogs/news/adding-calibration-points-within-your-tilt-app

PS. I don’t use the app. I use a Rasberry PI. There is a web interface when using a PI. But, it is similar to the app.