Which scales ?

[S-Kippy]

When to change the batteries ? Most sets have some sort of indicator to show battery life. Alternatively....when your scales say that 5lb roach only weighs 1-4. Or when YOU think they need changing. Every year ? Every 5 minutes ?

I think most of use have a fairly good idea of what a fish weighs and when the scales say markedly otherwise then maybe its time to change the batteries or take your foot off the weigh sling !

I don't get why this is such a big deal. If you don't trust digitals then don't use them. Stick with your dial scales or carry a cheap back up. I don't understand why people still wax lyrical about Avons. Big as a suitcase, fit nothing & nowhere, hard to read with that stupid double circle thing, plastic face that gets scratched to hell but Hey....the batteries never run down !

Do people not use alarms for fear the batteries might run down ? No...they carry spare batteries.Like I said earlier...its not hard. What is with all this fridge testing lark ? Do you put your Delkims in the freezer or the bath to see if they still work ? No...I thought not. If you do then you need to get out more.

This is about trust. You either trust digital scales or you don't. TBH near enough is good enough for me.

 

[Philip]

My korums have a tiny image of a battery that gets smaller as it gets lower, not had reason to doubt its accuracy yet but will keep a close eye on it.
I will also be doing a winter / summer check by placing the scales in the fridge for a few hours then checking out the weight of a given object.
later when the scales have "thawed out" I will repeat the exercise with the same object.
I understand this as been done by other guys who really do need to know what a fish weighs as accurately as possible,

Thats it Flight..some proper bench tests to see if the scales are basically giving an accurate reading at different levels of battery life. I would be really interested in the results if you did it !

As far as I am concerned the point of a pair of scales is to tell you what a fish weighs. If your not that bothered about what a fish weighs then you dont need to carry scales digital or otherwise.

 

[S-Kippy]

I might be inclined to agree if absolute spot on accuracy is required....and if it was you'd be carrying more than one set I think. For most of us scales serve primarily to satisfy our curiosity if/when we get a decent fish. I've watched some people weigh every fish they catch...and I mean every fish....which I find bewildering. My scales only ever come out when I've got what I think is a better than average fish and I want to know roughly what it weighs. I'm not interested in pin point accuracy....if my scales say that roach is 1-15 then that's what it weighs.

I'm pretty good at estimating fish weights so I'd immediately know if my scales were way out. If they say roughly what I thought then I'm content.

I carry 2 sets of small, modestly priced digitals. one of them [the back up] has never been used yet but its there if I need it as are spare batteries for both. That's plenty good enough for me.

 

[john step]

Just a thought about batteries going flat in digital scales. It may be cold affecting them.

I have noticed that the batteries left in torches in my glove box or tackle bag have gone dead very quickly when the weather has been icy.

I have also noticed my camera battery showing a red/flat warning in the cold only to be perfectly OK when I took it indoors.

This possibly may be the achilles heel of digi scales and the reason some anglers have found they go flat quickly.

 

[robtherake]

Notwithstanding the zeroing problem, I tested my Flyweights using a quantity of known weights and found them to be wholly accurate through the full range, so as long as you don't mind having to re-zero before every weighing there is no real issue.

 

[fishface1]

I carry both types. My flyweights are almost impossible to accurately zero, so are the back-up. The digis sit in their own clip top box, with the batteries out (along with a spare set). I have also added a few of those absorbent silica sachets, as my first set suffered corrosion (although gentle application of a file made them work again.)

 

[peter crabtree]

I recently bought a set of Reuben flyweight scales for the big perch challenge and all that. After reading this thread I decided to try them out today. After zeroing them I suspended a 2k bag of sugar in a light plastic bag on the hook and it registered 4lb 12oz? The empty bag weighed 1oz.
I can't see any way to adjust them so rest assured when that massive perch comes my way I will deduct 8oz...

 

[robtherake]

I recently bought a set of Reuben flyweight scales for the big perch challenge and all that. After reading this thread I decided to try them out today. After zeroing them I suspended a 2k bag of sugar in a light plastic bag on the hook and it registered 4lb 12oz? The empty bag weighed 1oz.
I can't see any way to adjust them so rest assured when that massive perch comes my way I will deduct 8oz...

2kg should be 4lb 6,1/2oz. Just done the same with my own Flyweights using 1kg and 2kg bags and mine register bang on - even to the half ounce - and they've always been accurate on test weighings. In your position I'd be inclined to return them.

 

[john step]

2kg should be 4lb 6,1/2oz. Just done the same with my own Flyweights using 1kg and 2kg bags and mine register bang on - even to the half ounce - and they've always been accurate on test weighings. In your position I'd be inclined to return them.

I have measured my RH against my old Avons and a cheap digi. All bang on. I reckon yours need returning as Rob says.
They may be 8ozs out at 4lb but that would probably differ at say 3lb or 5lb, not 8ozs across the range??

 

[Philip]

Agreed. My flyweights also spot on.

Sure the suger bag weighed 2kg?

i went to Tesco once & asked the guy on the deli counter to weigh some weights for me to test against. ....obviously you need to ask the right person...if you ask the jobs worth you'll get nowhere...

 

[flightliner]

Ok, I did a weighing at both room temperature and another after the scales had been in the fridge and the temperature on the scales read 2degrees (equivalent to a cold winters day) , used a .1-- a .2 and a .4 kg weight from the kitchen scales .
All the readings were the same every time and mirrored those of the items being checked against. --- very rudimentary but it makes me happy that very cold weather doesnt seem to effect my scales.

 

[S-Kippy]

Of course all this is irrelevant if you have a set of Spider scales and a watch.

 

[Bob Hornegold]

I just received my set of Salter Digitals weighing up to 22lbs in 1/4ozs increments, excellent, even supplied a battery.

From ebay.

Bob

 

[binka]

I just received my set of Salter Digitals weighing up to 22lbs in 1/4ozs increments, excellent, even supplied a battery.

From ebay.

Bob

Blimey Bob...

Just how big do the perch run to down your way?

 

[fishard]

Rapallo has some nice ones. They have deferent weights scales