Lubing the old Refracto

[Capt_Cully]

I bought a pretty nice Milwaukee refractometer and it already is rusting at the little pins that hold the clear top plate.

What can I lube it with to prevent this and return its nice "action"?
Don't feel comfortable with the likes of WingDing 40 around my tank water. Besides the interface is metal and plastic, so I'm not sure it would even help.

 

[windyridge]

I thought it was me and that no one else had this problem. I am tagging along.

 

[pascal32]

Try to keep water out of the pin. since you have some rust see if the pin is held in with a screw, if so remove and sand lightly, you might need to use emery cloth.

To prevent in the future, not sure. how about some of the silicone lubricant I recommended you for the skimmer? just a touch, you don't want it getting onto the lens.

I have a Sybon which is fantastic, I do make it a point to only put 3-4 drop on and keep it out of the hinge.

 

[Sophie10]

A little late now, but I rinse mine after every use. I dry with whatever is handy (usually my shirt!). Don't store it salty an wet, even stainless will succumb. Mine is 2 years old and like new. Maybe ask Milwaukee or go to Fastenall and see if you can get a replacement pin.

 

[BlackLagoon]

I suppose vegetable/olive/canola oil would be a safe lubricant if you were going to try anything. You'd only be using a drop anyway. Also how would a substance of any kind when applied to your refractometer get back into your system? I agree with Sophie10 though, replacement is probably the only solution you'll be happy with.

 

[block head]

I wouldn't lose much sleep over it. The screw doesn't do much. Its just a set screw . Really simple "train track" inside the tube that holds the graph. I rinse mine with tap water and dry after use. Calibration keeps things reasonably "loose". The only thing I'd really worry about is the screw completely deteriorating or water eentering the tube via the lense seal.

 

[iamwrasseman]

WD-40 is what i use

 

[Atela]

Any recommendations for those of us who are in the market for a refractometer? What to buy, what not to buy to avoid issues like what the OP is experiencing.

 

[iamwrasseman]

i have a $300 Milwaukee unit and it too rusted but i have been lubing it with WD-40 for the past few years and it works just fine .mine gets used 10 -30 times a day so its wet all the time . the best thing you can do is control where the water goes ,be careful not to get the pins wet but it will happen from time to time . keep it away from your fish tank unless you are using it so it wont be wet . do not store it under the tank stand as they are usually wet either from your sump or other daily used objects like top off buckets etc. my first suggestion is to lube the pins before they get wet but you have to be very careful so you dont get lube on the glass window or plastic flapper .

 

[pascal32]

Any recommendations for those of us who are in the market for a refractometer? What to buy, what not to buy to avoid issues like what the OP is experiencing.

my 2 cents on refractometers: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16313846&postcount=7

 

[block head]

I'm using the cheap blue one from brs. I have zero issues. I had a sybon that i liked, but it broke. Water entered through the seal that holds the lense. I took it apart. It really doesn't get any simpler inside. On my serch for a replacement, i only found cheap,chinese products. Imo Chinese quality goods can fluctuate wildly. You never know what you'll receive. That said, i don't think it matters much. If you ever played with a prism , a refractometer is quite simliar. On one end of the hollow tube you have a fixed prism that you place water on top of. inside the tube, there's a clear piece of plastic with a graph printed on it. The graph can be moved back and fourth on a tract. Think metal pipe clamp. The adj screw on the refractometer is just like the screw on a pipe clamp. When light is sent through the tube, it creates the blue line. Just like the rainbow you see when light passes through a peep hole in your door. Or a prisum. The graph is adj so that "the rainbow" hits the graph. The basic design, with minimal moving parts, is what makes refractometers acurite. Old school physics keeps things honest

 

[Atela]

Thank you.

 

[madbomber]

i put olive oil on mine, just a tad. but I dont dip the end into the tank either.