CYCLOPS INSTRUMENTS Antifreeze Premium Refractometer for Automotive Antifreeze System, AdBlue, DEF, Battery Acid, and Windshield Washer Fluid | Measures Freezing Point Temperature and Concentration

This tester will check battery acid, DEF fluid, Windshield washer fluid as both Propylene and Ethylene Glycol based antifreeze. Very good instructions

Very Accurate instrument but must be initially calibrated. Delivers a more precise analysis of antifreeze condition and quality. A great value!

It says refractometer but it actually doesnt really give a refraction measurement. It just tells you what temperature range your liquids will freeze at. This is good for car maintenance, which is what it is designed for. Its pretty easy to use, just place the sample between the plastic slides and hold it up to the light. If you are having trouble seeing it through the eye piece just adjust the focus.

The instructions were very poor. I had to refer back to the item description on Amazon to get the information I needed. Once I had the info it was easy to use the item. I found it very easy to use and extremely accurate. There are several scales for different liquids so this tool is very useful. The antifreeze scale is marked in centigrade so I had to convert the reading to Fahrenheit for my local use. It would be handy if the instructions included a conversion chart. This tool gives much better results than the tube wilt floating balls . It is nice to get a tool that works well and doesnt require batteries. Just point it at the daylight and it works. I like that they included a dropper for getting the sample from the radiator to the tool. Overall very good tool , poor instructions, good value. I would get this again.

This instrument relies directly upon the optical properties of some common automotive fluids to reveal meaningful information. For me, the big questions were: Whats the charge state of the battery? At what temperature does the [antifreeze|washer fluid] risk freezing? A couple of drops of fluid on the instrument gave me instant, actionable answers. Prefect.

This enables you to buy a higher grade antifreeze and then add water to get it down to the level you want. I learned this trick from our Boat club yard manager. They buy -200 antifreeze and then water it down to the level they want. Good utility for this and a reasonable price.

These things can really save your vehicle come winter time. Know for a fact how protected your car is. Save money by buying concentrated and blending with distilled water to get the correct protection.

Im really impressed with the refractometer kit! It comes with clear instructions for calibration and use, a dropper for putting liquids to be tested onto the glass plate, a screwdriver for calibration, and a hard-sided case to keep this precision instrument safe amidst my other tools. Ive used it to check my antifreeze, which was very helpful. It also allows for testing of battery acid and washer fluid. The one note I would make is it was not clear exactly where the calibration screw is from the directions. Remove the rubber cap to reveal the hole where the calibration screw is, then turn the screw for calibration as clearly described in the instructions. Hope that helps!

This is an excellent way to ensure your coolant and windshield wiper fluid have enough antifreeze. Without a proper level your engine may overheat, your engine block may crack or a wiper fluid reservoir could crack. It can also be used to test battery electrolyte health. I first tested some distilled water and found it to test out right at the waterline with no additional calibration required. As others have indicated, this can be a bit finicky to use until you get the hang of it. While my distilled water reading was very easy, my first attempt at Honda coolant was more difficult. The Honda coolant had no distinct results line until I gave the tester some vertical inclination and the line clearly popped showing -40 degree Fahrenheit (had to convert from Celsius). You may want to visually examine your coolant or wiper fluid before testing to ensure it looks normal as contaminants in it would skew the accuracy of the refractometer (e.g. wiper fluid created with hard water rather than distilled water, oil contamination in coolant). A nice tool at a low price. While I wont use this every time I buy coolant Ill be sure to use it if I do a brand swap or if I am concerned antifreeze protection is waning.

Comes with the unit, a dropper, and instructions on how to use. Instructions were kind of hidden behind the padding inside the case, but they describe the procedure of how to calibrate and use it. It works well, though the calibration screw was a bit tight. They case is decent - a basic plastic case with some padding to keep it secure.