Hydrometer, Specific Gravity/ Beaume, General Purpose

Quick Answer: This General Purpose Hydrometer carries a dual scale printed on the same stem — Specific Gravity and Baumé — letting you read a liquid’s density both ways from a single measurement, useful when your process or paperwork uses one convention and a customer or supplier uses the other.

Product Description

Rather than choosing between a specific-gravity hydrometer and a Baumé-scale hydrometer, this general-purpose instrument combines both scales on the same glass stem. It works on the same buoyancy principle as our other hydrometers: it floats at a depth that reflects the liquid’s density, and you read off whichever scale suits your situation at that point on the stem.

What Makes This Instrument Distinct

The dual-scale design is what sets this hydrometer apart from our single-scale specific-gravity and Baumé instruments. It is intended as a general-purpose, cross-reference tool for chemical processing and pharmaceutical production settings that may need to communicate a density reading in either convention, rather than being optimized for one specific industrial process like our Twaddle-scale hydrometer.

Care & Maintenance

• Rinse thoroughly after each test liquid to avoid cross-contamination and residue buildup on the stem.
• Handle carefully — as a glass instrument, it can chip or crack from impact against hard surfaces.
• Store upright in a padded holder or case when not in use.
• Avoid rapid temperature changes between storage and the test liquid, which can stress the glass.
• Periodically verify accuracy against a known reference standard on both scales.

Why Choose LabEquip

LabEquip supplies hydrometers across single-scale and dual-scale designs to fit different industrial and analytical needs. Browse our Measuring Instruments category, see our Industrial Specific Gravity Hydrometer or Brass Baumé Hydrometer for single-scale options, or visit our homepage for our full catalogue.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “dual scale” mean on this hydrometer?
It means the stem is printed with two separate scales — specific gravity and Baumé — so a single reading of the float depth can be read off in either convention.

Why would I need both scales on one hydrometer?
It is useful when your own process records use one convention (for example specific gravity) but a customer, supplier, or industry standard elsewhere uses Baumé, avoiding the need for separate instruments or manual conversion.

How does this hydrometer work?
Like other hydrometers, it works on the buoyancy principle — it floats at a depth that corresponds to the liquid’s density, read against either printed scale.

Is this as accurate as a single-scale hydrometer?
It follows the same buoyancy measurement principle as single-scale hydrometers; its accuracy depends on the instrument’s calibration rather than on having two scales printed on the stem.

What industries typically use this hydrometer?
Chemical processing and pharmaceutical production settings that need general liquid density analysis across varying viscosities commonly use this type of instrument.

How should I care for this hydrometer?
Rinse it after each use, handle it carefully to avoid chips or cracks, and store it upright in a padded holder.

Last Updated: September 2026