Scale problem

[DavidC]

. . . If the power goes out I can still load by candle light................

Now that's dedication!! Frightening but dedicated

 

[HorizontalMike]

Chief38 Got it Right! Magnetic Set Interference

The most common reason that scales fail is that owners leave them in the set up condition. This causes the contact points to "take a set' and cause inaccurate readings and non repeatability problems.
Call RCBS and I'll bet they will help you out!

Don't leave the scale set up (if you do it at all).

Bingo! I know this is an old thread, however, after leaving my 505 set up for several weeks(with ~20gr setting), it actually DID take a set. The magnetic plate on the pointer would actually touch the bottom/base and stay there. It was only after trickling and trickling and trickling, THEN it would suddenly move, swinging upward and against the top!

I recognized the appearance of magnetic attraction, and took the scale apart.

• I took the pointer plate and attached some rare earth magnets for a minute or so, and then removed them.
• Turned the scale base over and removed the OEM rare earth magnets (after removing a bracket held on with a screw).
• Removed those little bar magnets with needle nose pliers.
• Stuck each bar magnet between my stack of rare earth magnets for a minute or so.
• Re-inserted the bar magnets, making sure their polarity matched. Easy to tell because like poles repel ;-).
• Reassembled the scale and presto-change-o the magnetic set was/is gone!

 

[jake1945]

I now own a 505 scale. But the best scale I ever owned was the RCBS 10-10. Wish I still had it.

 

[jcelect]

Believe it or not Florescent lights can interfere with the magnetic field damping.

Use LED lighting! Less power usage, more light, and no magnetic field from the fluorescent ballast!
jcelect

 

[HorizontalMike]

Use LED lighting! Less power usage, more light, and no magnetic field from the fluorescent ballast!
jcelect

BTW, I had changed out my 18 8ft F-tubes for LED a few years back. That said, even back then my F-tubes were 6ft above my scale at its closest and never bothered the scale. But the plus side as you say is lower electric bills...plus less ambient heat gain from those transformers. And that comes in handy during the Texas Summer months when the AC works harder.

 

[Jounior]

Instead of all these vooduo antics, I prefer to press the ON button for my electronic scale and weigh enough charges to get 45 to 60 grains of powder. I use the average value as my charge weight.

Any electronic scale is only as accurate as the transducer is reliable and in as much as it's probably made in China, I still prefer a mechanical scale. I use an Ohaus triple beam myself.

 

[gwpercle]

The scale is " Sticking" .
Clean and dry all the contact points and make sure there are no burrs .
Smooth all contack points with a fine stone or light burnish .
Do not apply regular oil ...lube contact points with fine powdered griphite or " Dry Lube" the kind that contains Teflon , applied sparingly .
Oil makes sticking worse ... a dry lube , graphite of Teflon works much better ...apply sparingly ...the less the better .
Scale should work after that ... if not , add a little powder then touch beam with you little finger ... nudge it a little to get the pointer unstuck and moving ... then add more powder .
I had a Redding #1 Beam Scale that always seemed to need a nudge to get it off the bottom ... I traded it in for a RCBS 5-0-5 and was much happier.
Gary

 

[gwpercle]

The most common reason that scales fail is that owners leave them in the set up condition. This causes the contact points to "take a set' and cause inaccurate readings and non repeatability problems.

Call RCBS and I'll bet they will help you out!

Don't leave the scale set up (if you do it at all).

This is a big important tip !!!
Don't Leave your scale set up ... remove the beam !!!
Gary

 

[len917]

Love my 5 0 5. When done, I leave it set to "0" on both pointers. Never had a problem.
Once in a while I check the 5 0 5 with my Lyman digital always OK