Today I had just completed my reloading session and had shut my Dillon digital scale off when my iPhone rang. I answered my phone and after about a minute looked down at my scale and the digital display was flickering, turning off and then back on, getting dim them bright and basically convulsing like there was a short circuit.

I attempted to shut the scale off by pushing the power button but the scale didn’t respond. To shut it down I had to pull the power cord. All of this occurred while I was talking on the phone.

The phone was plugged into a wall outlet and my phone was about two feet or less from the scale while I was talking.earlier I had my phone within two feet while listening to streaming and had no issues. The only issue was when talking on the phone.

I’ve seen a similar event a few years ago. I’m a pilot and was flying from east Tn across the mountains to North Carolina. I was navigating with a Magellan aviation GPS mounted in the instrument panel. I took along my Garmin aviation GPS to compare to and about thirty minutes into the flight the Garmin went psycho. I wound up shutting the Magellan off and my Garmin resumed normal navigation. I wound up calling Garmin and describing the situation and shipped my unit to them to be checked. Garmin stated there was no issue found.

Garmin stated that they believe the circuitry (oscillator) in the Magellan interfered with the receiver circuitry in the Garmin causing it to shut down.

I’ve also experienced similar with another handheld device with an LCD screen creating interference with an audio system.

Our cell phones have radio transmitters, receivers and oscillators that can interfere with other sensitive and poorly shielded devices like our electronic scales. So in the future I will not be using my cell phone in proximity to my scale for fear of causing inaccurate readings.

I have noticed that w my Hornady digi scale. Cell has to be totally off for the scale to work.

Digital scales appear to be poorly shielded and are known to have issues if within the field of some fluorescent lighting, so it wouldn't surprise me at all to find a cell phone creating interference.

Does your phone support the newer 5G protocol?

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

I have had a Lyman DPS scale/dispenser since 2003. I keep my cell phone at least 8 feet away.

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Front sight and squeeze

I’ve got an RCBS digital scale, but I think I’ve only used it once.

I have a lot more confidence in my RCBS 5-10 and 10-10 balance scales. I also have a set of check weights to verify the accuracy.

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"I also cook."

No phones allowed in my shop when reloading. I sometimes take mine with me but turn it off when I sit down in front of my press...

But My wife and I have two way radios to communicate between the house and the shop. They will cause quite a bit of interference in my Lyman DPS II

I agree Chad, I mostly use my 1010 but mine is labeled Ohaus before RCBS had them. Super accurate and never a worry...

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

Yes it’s 5G. I don’t remember ever having an issue with my old 4G iPhone.

Thanks for that. Makes sense to keep the electronic devices away from each other, but I admit I hadn’t really considered it with the scale/dispenser that I use. I will now.

That’s a very good idea.

Yes. I have a couple balance beam scales as my primary tools, one is an early Redding from the 1950s. I have a couple of digital scales. But, they are for non-critical uses. I doubt they'll last a fraction of the time/use of a good mechanical tool. Similarly, all my measuring tools are mechanical: vernier calipers, dial micrometers, etc. by Starrett, Brown & Sharpe, etc. They are all lifetime use tools, built by and for those who appreciate craftsmanship. The digital/electronic equivalent tools are all built to be disposable: use, break, toss, repeat. Even Dillon only gives one yr warranty on electronics.
I don't understand the concept that "using technology" unilaterally equates to superior results or process.

But, I'm sure the profit margins of the electronic digital stuff, with offshore production and built-in planned obsolescence, is very much in the retailer & manufacturer's favor.

No phone, No close air ducts and a perfectly level table.
Jim

I should be safe I have a old fashioned rotary phone hanging on the wall next to my gun area! Yes it still dials out!

As far as you said pilot. A large welding shop I worked for was directly under the landing path going to Albany airport. Planes were low enough they had wheels down at that point

One day a couple official cars showed up at the shop and FCC type people with some sort of device invaded our shop. It seems like a brand new TIG machine was wired wrong and under some circumstances totally messed up some electronics in the overhead planes. We were not aware of any problem at that time!

We shut the TIG machine down and called the company that sold the machine and they came out and fixed it. ( As a bonus that also fixed the problem we had on occasion of the shops answering machine loosing its settings and messages)

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14 S&W Revs none with locks!

When I was attempting to get digital scales to work reliably in my shop, I turned off everything except one 100 watt desk lamp. I have fluorescent lighting, off. Cell phone, off. radio, off. CD player, off. Jes me, a desk lamp and a digital scale. (tried 3). Still had problems. Digital scales are so-so, especially when I'm doing a load work up. Maybe if I took it /them up in the hills they may be more useful...

Just an FYI. My computer speakers pick up some interference if I have my cell phone near the wires.

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Who are those guys?

And to the contrary, I used a known weight (230 JHP .45 bullet) with my cell phone in the house....230 on the digital scale, brought cell phone to the bench about 3 feet away.....230 on the scale.....put the cell phone beside the scale and touching the case....still 230 on the scale.

Checked it on my Dillon balance beam scale....230.

Guess in MY case the presence of a cell phone means or does nothing.

Randy

I have read that phones with 5G which is a very high frequency sends out EMI that can effect many electronic devices including airplane navigation. I'm sure it's the 5G that's interfering with your digital scale, that's why I asked about your phone.

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

I haven't tried a digital scale in years.

I have used an electronic scale since 1994 with no problems whatsoever. I was an NRA high power service rifle shooter for 10 years and I used a Pact/RCBS electronic scale with great success. I still have that scale but I upgraded it to an RCBS rangemaster 2000 and I use check weights every 10th round and it is very accurate and precise. I always have my IPhone 11 in my pocket and I have had no problems whatsoever. It is a non-issue with me

my phone is a 4g Samsung....perhaps that is why there is no interference....

Randy

Interesting to know.

When you're streaming music the phone is only transmitting periodic low power pings to the cell tower but once a call comes in it transmits at a higher power, dependent on how close you are to the tower, which of course creates the potential for interference.

Thankfully my RCBS Charge Master 1500 has not experienced any issues related to cell phone usage & mine are normally less than three feet apart when I'm reloading & I've received calls many times.

.

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Waiting for the break of day

One way to cut down on RFI, at least thru the power supply, is to install ferrite beads on the power wire(s).
This has helped me with florescent interference but obviously won't correct direct radiation into the scale.
I have since retired this Lyman digital scale in favor of a GemPro 250 but the ferrites did help with stability of both.
Worth a try especially if you have dimmers anywhere in the house.
These create harmonics throughout the local power wiring.

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NEMO
"Everything 44"

It isn't just the RF in your loading area. If the scale is corded it also gets EM interference from noise on that circuit. I might try Nemo's invention above. I have an older Pact scale that used to be satisfactory but in my current house it's unreliable.

I'd love to claim inventing that but did not.
Those may be older than I am and I am nearing 3/4 of a century.
I don't know when the ceramic ferrite material was invented,
but the idea of the inductive choke goes back to the very beginning of radio and electronics.
Many electronic appliances these days have ferrites on the power wires to prevent RF going either into or out of said device.
Most cheap switching type power supplies as in many wall-warts produce a lot of hash and RF garbage that is not well filtered.
This alone could cause your scale to be unstable if not cleaned up.
You will see ferrite beads on USB, video and other cables as well to try and keep the signals inside from getting out and vice-versa.
This is the factory ferrite on the power cord for the external monitor on this laptop.
Ferrite bead - Wikipedia

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NEMO
"Everything 44"

Never a worry is right… Beam scales last for a long time and aren’t affected by fluorescent lights, cell phones or other electronic interference. As you mentioned, they’re also extremely accurate and repeatable. I bought the 5-10 about 45 years ago and got the 10-10 in the late 90’s. Both still work great!



Here’s a 1960’s vintage Lyman/Oahus M5 that I recently got for under $20 at a swap meet. I couldn’t pass up the deal and though it would make a good back-up, but I can’t imagine my 5-10 or 10-10 ever having a problem.

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"I also cook."

RCBS 5-0-5 will not be affected by any electronic transmissions .
I promise you !
Gary

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Certified Cajun
NRA Member

I am of the belief that reloading is a solitary undistracted endeavor! That means no TV, no radio, and NO CELL PHONE! When ANY of these distractions happen, you walk away, come back later, dump everything, and start over! This MIGHT prevent a double charge causing a catastrophic failure and/or injury!
IMHO jcelect

I bought an RCBS 5-0-5 many many years ago. I wanted the Ohaus 10-10 but couldn't afford it. I finally got a 10-10 from an old gun shop who took in a lot of reloading equipment from a window and I got the 10-10 for only $30. Like I said above, never a worry...