Jaltest JT3011 | Refractometer

Applications and functionality

A refractometer measures how light bends as it passes through a liquid refraction and this depends on what is dissolved in it dissolved Through the eyepiece you see a sharp dividing line between light and dark; where that line crosses the scale your reading appears. Since each working fluid has its own row, you read the same drop on the correct scale.

The five scales in view

• Battery acid: The density from 1.10 to 1.40 kg/l, with zones for RECHARGE, FAIR and GOOD, so you can see whether a cell is still charged or needs the charger.
• Propylene glycol (G/13): The freezing point of coolant, from -10 to -50 degrees Celsius.
• Ethylene glycol (G11/12): The freezing point of coolant, from -10 to -50 degrees Celsius, on its own row next to the propylene scale.
• AdBlue: The concentration of urea solution, from 30 to 35, with ADBLUE printed above the scale.
• Windscreen washer fluid: The freezing point from -10 to -40 degrees Celsius, with SRFI printed and a spray nozzle symbol above.

How to measure

• Clean the prism: Flip the cover plate up and wipe the glass dry before you start, as any residue from the previous reading will shift the line.
• Apply a drop: Use the pipette to place a drop on the prism and flip the cover plate back down, so the liquid spreads as a thin film.
• Read against the light: Point the instrument at a light source and turn the focus ring until the scale is sharp.
• Record the value: The dividing line between the light and dark field gives your reading; read from the row that matches your fluid.

What you use it for

The fluid is what matters, not the vehicle. This refractometer requires no diagnostic connection no power and no software, so it's equally useful on a commercial vehicle as on a tractor or a forklift. Below you'll find where it's most frequently used in the workshop.

Commercial vehicles and buses:

• Cooling system: Determine how well the coolant protects against frost, and whether there's excess water after topping up.
• AdBlue: Measure the concentration of fluid in the working tank before attributing a dosing module fault to the system.

Agricultural, terrain and construction machinery:

• Outdoor equipment: Machinery left outside over winter, where insufficiently concentrated coolant can freeze the engine block.
• Working tanks: Fluid that has been standing in a tank for a long time and whose concentration is no longer certain.

Workshop and battery maintenance:

• Battery testing: Check the specific gravity per cell to distinguish between a flat battery and one that won't hold charge.
• Windscreen washer fluid: The winter-grade strength of the fluid in the reservoir, before the pump freezes up in cold weather.

Package contents

• 1x Jaltest JT3011 | Refractometer
• 1x Plastic pipette
• 1x Small screwdriver
• 1x Blue storage case with foam insert, labelled PORTABLE REFRACTOMETER

Technical specifications