# Calibrating a refractometer **URL:** \ **Category:** Equipment\ **Created:** [December 12, 2018, 10:10pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/calibrating-a-refractometer/20206 "2018-12-12T22:10:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Peter48](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/peter48/32/14625_2.png) [@Peter48](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Peter48)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 10:10pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/calibrating-a-refractometer/20206/1 "2018-12-12T22:10:32Z")
I bought a refractometer and followed the instructions to calibrate it and all of my honey reads zero water content. I used water in the calibration adjustment. Am I missing something? Is there a refractometer that is just for use with honey?? Cheers ---
**Author:** ![liteceeper](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/liteceeper/32/17264_2.png) [@liteceeper](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/liteceeper)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 10:44pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/calibrating-a-refractometer/20206/2 "2018-12-12T22:44:39Z")
Hi Peter I have an refractometer model RHF-30/ATC its range is between 10% -30% water content in honey. Calibration is done using a calibrating oil but I believe virgin oil oil can be used and should read somewhere in the 21% range, I will check up and confirm with you. Edit: virgin olive oil Edit Edit: 27% for VOO ---
**Author:** ![liteceeper](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/liteceeper/32/17264_2.png) [@liteceeper](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/liteceeper)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 10:47pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/calibrating-a-refractometer/20206/3 "2018-12-12T22:47:42Z")
Check this site by Dave Cushman [http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/refractometercalibration.html](http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/refractometercalibration.html) ---
**Author:** ![liteceeper](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/liteceeper/32/17264_2.png) [@liteceeper](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/liteceeper)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 10:53pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/calibrating-a-refractometer/20206/4 "2018-12-12T22:53:12Z")
Just checked my refractometer with VOO and it came in at 26.5%. Dave’s site states 27%, so its around the mark. ---
**Author:** ![Peter48](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/peter48/32/14625_2.png) [@Peter48](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Peter48)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 11:05pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/calibrating-a-refractometer/20206/5 "2018-12-12T23:05:04Z")
Thanks for that info Anthony, I have just done a recalibration and all seems good now with a reading of 17%. Cheers ---
**Author:** ![Hurley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/cab0a1/32.png) [@Hurley](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Hurley)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 9:51am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/calibrating-a-refractometer/20206/6 "2018-12-13T09:51:46Z")
My refractometer instructions state that calibration is with distilled water. I cannot get it to zero (or even get any reading) with the deionised water that I bought from the supermarket. So I’m at a loss as to how to do so. I rang a local company that calibrates equipment here in Melbourne, but have not yet got around sending it in to be looked at. I suspect that it’s cheaper just to buy another refeactometer and hope that it works. ---
**Author:** ![Hurley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/cab0a1/32.png) [@Hurley](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Hurley)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 10:06am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/calibrating-a-refractometer/20206/7 "2018-12-13T10:06:46Z")
Have just done the cushman calibration with olive oil as above, and it works! My yellow box honey harvested a month ago is 17% water, so that’s probably about right. ---
**Author:** ![Hurley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/cab0a1/32.png) [@Hurley](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Hurley)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 10:09am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/calibrating-a-refractometer/20206/8 "2018-12-13T10:09:24Z")
My refractometer is marked as RHB-92C As well as ATC ---
**Author:** ![Peter48](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/peter48/32/14625_2.png) [@Peter48](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Peter48)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 10:54am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/calibrating-a-refractometer/20206/9 "2018-12-13T10:54:48Z")
Mine also said to use distilled water for calibration but it always read zero with honey, I have calibrated using virgin olive oil and adjusted to read 27% then tested it with honey that now reads 17% which sound right for capped honey. I had put my refractometer in the ‘too hard basket’ before it made me a basket case.😁 Cheers ---
**Author:** ![Hurley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/cab0a1/32.png) [@Hurley](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Hurley)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 11:23am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/calibrating-a-refractometer/20206/10 "2018-12-13T11:23:21Z")
Thanks Peter We have achieved the same outcome, so we are probably correct I guess Cheers ---
**Author:** ![Dawn\_SD](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/dawn_sd/32/15954_2.png) [@Dawn\_SD](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Dawn_SD)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 1:51pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/calibrating-a-refractometer/20206/11 "2018-12-13T13:51:45Z")
I have a very similar model: [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MMZVBFY/ref=oh\_aui\_search\_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MMZVBFY/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1) I believe if you calibrate it with water, you are meant to use the little refraction block. Mine came without the block, and I had to contact the sender to get one. I need not have bothered, the olive oil works just as well. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![JimM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a88e57/32.png) [@JimM](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/JimM)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 11:46pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/calibrating-a-refractometer/20206/13 "2018-12-21T23:46:37Z")
There are at least two versions of refractometers on sale, which have different ranges. Externally they are identical apart from the scales but one is suitable for honey and is calibrated with VOO, others are for juices and alcohols and are calibrated with water. These ones will not measure honey. On Ebay, I have seen the latter incorrectly advertised as honey refractometers.