Hydrometers, Brass, Beaume

Quick Answer: The Brass Baumé Hydrometer is a heavy-duty, corrosion-resistant hydrometer with a brass casing, built for measuring density on the Baumé scale in demanding industrial settings such as brine, acid, and syrup processing where a fragile all-glass hydrometer would not survive.

Product Description

This hydrometer reads on the Baumé scale, a density scale historically developed for industrial and chemical use and still widely used for brines, acids, syrups, and similar process liquids. Like our glass hydrometers, it works by buoyancy — the instrument floats at a level that corresponds to the liquid’s density — but its brass body gives it far greater physical durability than glass for rough factory-floor handling.

What Makes This Instrument Distinct

The defining feature of this hydrometer is its brass construction rather than glass. In busy chemical processing and pharmaceutical manufacturing environments, an all-glass hydrometer is vulnerable to breakage from routine handling; a corrosion-resistant brass unit is built to withstand that daily wear while still delivering a readable Baumé-scale density result. This makes it a better fit for continuous batch-production quality control than a delicate glass instrument, at the cost of the higher precision that a slim glass hydrometer can offer for laboratory-bench analytical work.

Care & Maintenance

• Rinse after each use, especially after contact with acids or brines, to prevent residue buildup and corrosion over time.
• Dry thoroughly before storage, particularly if used with corrosive process liquids.
• Inspect the scale markings periodically for wear from repeated handling in a factory environment.
• Store in a dry location away from strong acids or oxidizing agents that could attack the brass surface over time.
• Periodically check accuracy against a known reference standard, particularly after heavy or continuous use.

Why Choose LabEquip

LabEquip supplies hydrometers for both laboratory-bench precision work and heavy industrial process environments. Browse our Measuring Instruments category for related density instruments, see our clinical-use Urinometer, or visit our homepage for our full catalogue.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Baumé scale used for?
The Baumé scale is a density scale historically used in industry and chemical processing, commonly applied to liquids such as brines, acids, and syrups.

Why is this hydrometer made of brass instead of glass?
Brass construction makes it far more durable than glass for repeated handling in busy factory or processing-plant environments, where a glass hydrometer would be more prone to breakage.

How does this hydrometer work?
Like other hydrometers, it works on the buoyancy principle — it floats at a depth that corresponds to the density of the liquid being tested, and the Baumé scale is read at the liquid surface.

Is this hydrometer suitable for corrosive liquids like acids and brines?
Its brass construction is corrosion-resistant and suited to these process liquids, though it should still be rinsed and dried promptly after use to maximize its working life.

Is this as precise as a glass laboratory hydrometer?
It is built for durability in industrial process settings rather than fine analytical-bench precision; for laboratory-grade analytical accuracy, a glass hydrometer is typically preferred.

How should I maintain this hydrometer?
Rinse and dry it after each use, especially after contact with acids or brines, and store it away from strong corrosive agents when not in use.

Last Updated: September 2026