Hydrometer cracked, some balls fell in bottling bucket.

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by jivex5k, Sep 19, 2012.

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  1. jivex5k

    jivex5k Initiate (0) Apr 13, 2011 Florida

    Not while anything but sanitizer was in it thankfully. I didn't know they were in there so they've been in there for 2 weeks with sanitizer fluid.
    When I emptied it today to get ready to bottle I noticed them, and man did that bucket smell chemical or something.
    It was a very very unpleasant smell.
    So I've got it soaking in some oxyclean free right now, gave it a good wash with a cloth.
    I'm not sure what those balls are....why did they make it smell so damn bad?
    I'm hoping the smell comes out later tonight, and if not by tomorrow.
    Should I just toss the bucket? I don't wanna throw 20 bucks down the drain.
     
    #1 jivex5k, Sep 19, 2012
  2. JohnGalt1

    JohnGalt1 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,880) Aug 10, 2005 Idaho
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    The balls are just steel or iron balls... I forget.... I doubt the smell was actually from the metal. I am sure others will chime in with more educated info.
     
    #2 JohnGalt1, Sep 19, 2012
  3. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    What did it smell like?

    As an aside, how in the world do people get good hydrometer readings by putting the hydrometer in the bucket? It seems to me you need to get your eyes parallel with the meniscus.
     
    #3 VikeMan, Sep 19, 2012
  4. kjyost

    kjyost Initiate (0) May 4, 2008 Canada (MB)

    So long as you make the same error reading every time it will give you the change in gravity I suppose...
     
    #4 kjyost, Sep 19, 2012
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  5. jivex5k

    jivex5k Initiate (0) Apr 13, 2011 Florida

    Smelled like chemicals or something...just bad, like sulfury but it might have been my mind tricking me.
    I didn't take a reading in the bucket, it was just happenstance that I broke the hydrometer and some balls fell into the bucket. Crazy bouncing hydrometer balls I suppose lol.

    Anyways, I soaked it overnight and it smells fine now. All the little black spots are gone too.
    I'm gonna bottle tonight =D....well if I don't go to the bar.
     
    #5 jivex5k, Sep 19, 2012
  6. Danielbt

    Danielbt Initiate (0) May 4, 2012 Texas

    I use the hydrometer in my primary bucket because it's far easier to sanitize than a thief and doesn't waste beer. I don't need an exact reading when checking to see if fermentation has stopped, I just need to know that it has stopped. I can get an exact reading before I bottle.
     
    #6 Danielbt, Sep 19, 2012
  7. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Sulfury doesn't sound like anything that would come out of a hydrometer. I wonder if you were smelling stale hop aroma, which tends to accumulate in plastic buckets.

    Sounds good. Black spots can't have been anything good for your beer.
     
    #7 VikeMan, Sep 19, 2012
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