jsr Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 (edited) Is it just me or is reading a refractometer hard? I can bearly see the blue/white balence. I have never used one of these but they seem simple. Could it be the CFL light that I am using? Should I use another light source? I bouth this thing for $21 of eBay and wonder if I should have got a better one. Edited March 7, 2008 by jsr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma13 Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 If you move to a slightly lower light area seeing the demarcation line should be easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Headless_donkey Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 I have to take my glasses off to read mind. Kind of ironic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Entropy Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 I just take mine outside. Natural light makes it super easy to read (well mine anyway). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsr Posted March 8, 2008 Author Share Posted March 8, 2008 Thanks. I was wondering if I bought a piece of junk. I will try other light sources. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmanning Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 Thanks. I was wondering if I bought a piece of junk. I will try other light sources. There is a teeny bit if a learning curve with these..experiment with the focusing ring, as well as trying different light sources. Since the thing works based on refraction (splitting) of light into wavelengths, the color content of the source light seems to make a big difference in mine's readability. While running around the house trying to read it, I found that a full spectrum (daylight) bulb gives better results than one that is tuned to only a certain wavelength. (Like entropy said - outside in the sun - you should get a razor sharp BLUE/WHITE difference. I finally found one set of light in my house to use that is my favorite for reading mine. . - It's one of those "Spiral" shaped PC's that's advertised as "natural daylight" (bluer than the regular ones). - Under the "regular" PC replacement bulbs (the ones which put out the yellower light) I can hardly read mine either. I would say if you can read it in natural sunlight - It's a keeper. - then just find a bulb around the house that provides same results for reading it at night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bananags Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 is there any focus setting at the eye viewer hole on yours? like on the camera, there is an adjustment for the viewer hole for the people with near/far sight problem w/o using glasses maybe your is set out of wack, I can see it clearly like black and white as long as there is a light source in the front/top of the refractometer it should look clear and crisp like looking out to the ocean horizon on a sunny day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsr Posted March 10, 2008 Author Share Posted March 10, 2008 Yeah, I can focus the eye piece to read the numbers clearly. I was having a hard time seeing the white/blue line. All is better now. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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