
Milwaukee MA871 Digital Brix Refractometer: Precision Sugar Analysis:
The Milwaukee MA871 is an advanced digital Brix refractometer designed for precise, reliable, and rapid determination of sugar concentration in aqueous solutions. This instrument measures the refractive index of a sample and automatically converts it into percent (by weight) Brix concentration units. It eliminates the guesswork and uncertainty traditionally associated with mechanical refractometers, making it an indispensable tool for quality control and process optimization across various applications.
Key Features:
• High Accuracy: Measures sugar content across a broad range of 0 to 85% Brix with a precision of ±0.2% Brix.
• Rapid Results: Provides measurement results in approximately 1.5 seconds, ensuring efficient workflow.
• Minimal Sample Required: Requires only 100 µL (2–3 drops) of sample to cover the prism completely.
• Automatic Temperature Compensation (ATC): Ensures consistent accuracy by compensating for temperature fluctuations automatically between 10 and 40°C (50 to 104°F).
• Durable Design: Rated to IP65, meaning the unit is dust-tight and protected against water jets, making it suitable for field and industrial use.
• Easy Calibration: Features simple one-point calibration using only distilled or deionized water.
• Digital Display: Utilizes a clear digital dual-level LCD readout to simultaneously display measurement results and temperature.
Applications and Industry Use:
The versatility of the MA871 makes it valuable for professionals in numerous fields requiring precise sugar content analysis:
Winemaking & Brewing:
This refractometer is crucial for measuring the sugar content in grape juice (must) or brewing wort. The Brix reading helps professionals determine the potential alcohol content of the final product and monitor fermentation progress. It is also used by cider and mead makers, and helps winemakers accurately determine optimal grape ripeness for harvest timing.
Food & Beverage Industry:
Maintaining consistent sugar content is vital for product quality, taste, and stability. The MA871 allows manufacturers of soft drinks, juices, dairy products (like ice cream and yogurt), sauces, jams, syrups, and confectionery goods to quickly standardize formulations, optimize ingredient usage, and ensure regulatory compliance.
Agriculture and Horticulture:
Farmers, orchard managers, and fruit/vegetable growers use the MA871 to accurately measure sugar levels in produce like grapes, tomatoes, melons, citrus fruits, or berries. This helps determine the optimal harvest time to ensure peak flavor and maximize market value. It is also used in hydroponics and greenhouse cultivation to measure plant sap Brix levels, providing insight into overall plant health and nutrient uptake.
Industrial and Laboratory Settings
In research and quality assurance labs, the MA871 supports nutritional analysis, ingredient standardization, and consistency checks across various sugar-based solutions, chemical formulations, and pharmaceutical products, such as liquid medicines and syrups.
Design and Maintenance:
The Milwaukee MA871 is designed for reliability and ease of use. It features a stainless steel ring and flint glass prism that is easy-to-clean. The instrument operates via simple two-button operation and automatically shuts off after 3 minutes of non-use to preserve battery life, which can last approximately 5000 hours of reading. Calibration is quick and simple, utilizing distilled or deionized water applied to the prism surface.
Specifications Table:
Feature
|
Detail
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Model Number
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MA871
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Brand
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Milwaukee
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Type of Product
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Digital Brix Refractometer
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Brix Measurement Range
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0 to 85% Brix
|
Temperature Measurement Range
|
0 to 80°C / 32 to 175°F (or 176°F)
|
Brix Resolution
|
0.1% Brix
|
Temperature Resolution
|
0.1°C / 0.1°F
|
Brix Accuracy
|
±0.2% Brix
|
Temperature Accuracy
|
±0.3°C / ±0.5°F
|
Automatic Temperature Compensation (ATC) Range
|
Automatic, between 10 and 40°C / 50 to 104°F
|
Measurement Time
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Approximately 1.5 seconds
|
Minimum Sample Volume
|
100 µL (or 2 metrics drops)
|
Sample Cell
|
Stainless steel ring and flint glass prism
|
Light Source
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Yellow LED
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Display
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Digital dual level LCD
|
Case Material
|
ABS
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Enclosure Rating
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IP65 (Dust tight, protected against water jets)
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Battery Type
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1 x 9V AA (included)
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Battery Life
|
5000 hours reading / 5000 readings
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Auto-Shut Off
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After 3 minutes of non-use
|
Dimensions Meter (LxWxH)
|
192 x 102 x 67 mm (Approx. 7.5 x 4 x 2.6 inches)
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Weight Meter
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420 g (Approx. 14.8 – 15 ounces)
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