Electronic balance recomendations

[Rick.45cal]

I was looking for advice and recommendations for electronic balances. I'm in the market for one that reads 2000g-3000g to a resolution of .01g. I would like it to be reasonably accurate but also not as expensive as a new car. (I understand that you pay for accuracy).

Any help/advice/personal experience/horror stories are welcomed! (Especially horror stories )

 

[GMay]

Check for kitchen scales on Amazon. There lots of options there but I don't think you will find one the will a resolution of 0.01g.

 

[GoVols]

I was looking for advice and recommendations for electronic balances. I'm in the market for one that reads 2000g-3000g to a resolution of .01g. I would like it to be reasonably accurate but also not as expensive as a new car. (I understand that you pay for accuracy).

Any help/advice/personal experience/horror stories are welcomed! (Especially horror stories )

Rick.45cal,
lol,
Tagging a long

 

[Rick.45cal]

Ok so maybe 0.01g resolution is maybe more than I need. I can get by with 0.1g resolution but the repeatability needs to be .1 g and the accuracy needs to be very high.

My next question, hopefully @Randy Holmes-Farley can clarify for me is whether I want to purchase and internally calibrated or externally calibrated balance? Could you please explain the advantage/disadvantage of and internal vs. external calibrated electronic balances.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I'm not that knowledgeable about balance calibration. At work we just always had a service that calibrated them. lol

There are tons of them available now, and I'm not really sure how to pick one (or if it really matters that much).

 

[Rick.45cal]

Thank you Randy, I guess I'll go back to doing research on them!

 

[GMay]

The one I have is a brand called Salter. I have had it for years and is battery powered. Never had a problem with it and I use it several times a week for weighing salt to mix dfor my tank, and baking bread.

 

[Velcro]

Whats your budget? The balances that I work with and educate about have a 0.01mg readability and cost 7-20K.

If I was serious about a balance for home use I'd be looking at something like this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ohaus-SPX22...584400?hash=item2120c33390:g:P4EAAOSw2gxYqQVt

As it is, though, I just use cheap jewelers balances from amazon

 

[Rick.45cal]

@Velcro that's one of the ones I've looked at. My problem is I don't know enough about them to know if I'm getting in over my head.

I don't want one that I have to worry about not being able to calibrate it myself. It needs to be one that has to be +/- 0.1 gram accuracy for 1500g. (I would like some additional range in weight for weighing other things) but it doesn't need to be more than 3000 grams.

Do you know advantages/disadvantages to internal vs external calibrated balances in this price range. (I realize you work with much much higher end devices and these are far below the standards that you would ordinarily deal with).

 

[Rick.45cal]

I'm trying to keep it below $500

 

[Velcro]

@Velcro that's one of the ones I've looked at. My problem is I don't know enough about them to know if I'm getting in over my head.

I don't want one that I have to worry about not being able to calibrate it myself. It needs to be one that has to be +/- 0.1 gram accuracy for 1500g. (I would like some additional range in weight for weighing other things) but it doesn't need to be more than 3000 grams.

Do you know advantages/disadvantages to internal vs external calibrated balances in this price range. (I realize you work with much much higher end devices and these are far below the standards that you would ordinarily deal with).

The only problem with the internal calibration, and this is especially a problem with used balances, is that the internal weight gets dirty and it no longer is an accurate self calibration. You're probably better off with a balance that you are able to calibrate with a 200 gram calibration weight, or just have one around to double check the accuracy of your internal calibration.

 

[Velcro]

The balance that I linked from ebay does have user calibration available using calibration weights btw.

 

[Rick.45cal]

@Velcro you've answered the questions I needed answered. I ordered one of the Ohaus balances and their masses required for their Linearity calibration (1kg, and 2kg). I never thought I would be excited to weigh things. Thanks for your help brother!

You gonna be participating in the all day 24 hour WWC mind blistering live sale coming up?

 

[Velcro]

@Velcro you've answered the questions I needed answered. I ordered one of the Ohaus balances and their masses required for their 3 point user calibration (0g, 1kg, and 2kg). I never thought I would be excited to weigh things. Thanks for your help brother!

You gonna be participating in the all day 24 hour WWC mind blistering live sale coming up?

Unfortunately not Making sure that Dinos are under control for a few months before adding stuff. Also have to fix a 0.00 phosphate 25 nitrate situation without doing water changes. See my thread about phosphate dosing haha.

 

[Rick.45cal]

Unfortunately not Making sure that Dinos are under control for a few months before adding stuff. Also have to fix a 0.00 phosphate 25 nitrate situation without doing water changes. See my thread about phosphate dosing haha.

I did notice your phosphate thread. i hadn't used that product specifically otherwise I would have chimed in. I use Brightwell aquatics NeoPhos when I have to. I also have a container of food grade TSP that I can make a solution if I need to. It works just go slow and dose daily and your nitrates will come down. (They are nice to have on hand to, just in case)

 

[Velcro]

I did notice your phosphate thread. i hadn't used that product specifically otherwise I would have chimed in. I use Brightwell aquatics NeoPhos when I have to. I also have a container of food grade TSP that I can make a solution if I need to. It works just go slow and dose daily and your nitrates will come down. (They are nice to have on hand to, just in case)

Currently testing twice a day. Once I get a dose dialed in I'll probably put it on a doser (next to the NO3-PO4-X)