All the strain gauges I've had would drift in tenths. Even the cheaper strain gauges that will read to .02 are likely closer to .1 in accuracy if that. Then you factor in the zero drift which you plainly see if you remove the pan and watch the negative tare. With the pan on the zero will drift but you wont see it as many are programmed to stay at zero with the pan on and zeroed.
$300 scale advice
- Thread starter Hikinghunter
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I have an old ohaus that has the threaded knob on the end for the tenths. You can actually set it in 1/2 tenth. The scale will respond trickling a kernel or 2 of varget. It's slow. But I am retired. Time is not a thing.
Hikinghunter
Well-Known Member
What I'm getting from all this is that if you buy a strain guage, you'll need to periodically check for drift vs a known weight. How often probably relates to how cheap the scale is. I'd love to have a side-by-side of some $300-400 strain scale options, but it looks like that's not available.
For now I snagged a $150 gempro to keep me in the game. One of these days I'll justify dropping $700 on an electromagnetic. Just not today.
For now I snagged a $150 gempro to keep me in the game. One of these days I'll justify dropping $700 on an electromagnetic. Just not today.
After zeroing with the pan on remove the pan and watch the negative tare between loads. You will likely have to rezero the pan every few loads. It's also best just to leave it on 24/7 or at least set it up an hour or so in advance. I also find that if you are trickling and it's not responding bump the scale lighlty with your finger and it will update.
MarkInPA
Well-Known Member
Don't forget wind currents, drafts, and an un-clean power source.
MarkInPA
Well-Known Member
Maybe a set of these should enter the discussion somewhere along the line?
MarkInPA
Well-Known Member
I've tried both beam scales and the electronic scales. I can't see any benefit of using the electronic scale unless you pare it with an electronic powder dispenser. My experience with the dispenser / electronic scale was that it is slow with some degree of inaccuracy for all the reasons already mentioned. I had to seat bullets in-between powder dispenses just to get close to breaking even on time. I think the evidence of this is when I watch online videos showing guys running 3 powder dispensers at the same time. Currently, I'm back to using my 70's era RCBS 5-10 beam scale and I will put the accuracy of that up against any electronic scale designed for reloading. As a few have mentioned, I also like to put a camera close to the pointer and view it enlarged on my laptop computer screen. If you want to really get accurate, I have seen some modify their pointer by mounting a pin on the beam and extend the pin out toward the reference mark on the stand to give a real fine way to measure its precise location. Maybe some might find the following video interesting.
I tested the negative tare of the TRX-925. I can't find my spreadsheet but I used a fairly high sample number to calculate negative tare standard deviation. SD was tiny. Statistically 0. Extreme spread was tiny. Statistically 0. The TRX-925 comes with a set of 3 calibration weights. If it's plugged in the electronics are "idling in the background", the words in parenthesis are my words not theirs. Here's what they say about it. LINK scroll down. I've had mine for over a year and it hasn't ever let me down. I'll upgrade one day but it does what I need it to for now. There is one problem that will always be there when you have two ways to measure that same thing - which one is right. Confirmation bias is a thing.
You say electronic scales are slow, but then you use a beam scale?
MarkInPA
Well-Known Member
Well to be more precise, the electronic dispensers are slow. I can throw a charge with my manual powder measure and trickle it up to weight faster on my beam scale than using an electronic powder dispenser. Yes sir.
villagelightsmith
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Just get a beam scale. Be sure the pivots are perfectly clean and without blemish. Check your weights on it several times. As long as the readings are consistent - consistent - consistent, use it without fear. It may tell you the weight in dilithium crystals or cubes of latinum. You can grind a little off if in the gravest extreme you need to adjust the weights. But if they are absolutely consistent and you know what it's going to weigh your check weight, use it. I have scales from cheap to expensive; from old beaters to precision analytical laboratory balances that reside behind glass walls. If I start with one, I will use it for that series of loads ... forever. Unless the pivots are damaged and it reads inconsistently. They all work on gravity; and around here, that has been the same for a long, long time. We worry about too much, but that's the fun of it.
I had an A&D 123 for a few years. It did what I wanted it to do and never had any trouble with it.
nksmfamjp
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Interesting. I've not seen that with the TRX-925.
It probably has some type of programming to minimize it or so you can't see it. It's fairly inherent to the type of scale. I know the cheaper ones have programming to keep it reading zero. So if the pan is on and zeroed it may very well be drifting but the programming hides it by keeping the reading at zero.
