Do you need calibration for your digital scale? And this is what we’re getting into in this blog article.
Digital scales are widely used in business daily because most of the items in business are calculated by their weight for example, the cost of vegetables and fruits, and accurate measurements are very critical.
Technically, most digital scales in the market are calibrated by the manufacturer, although over time, you may get the scale reading to drift off slightly, and you’ll have to re-calibrate these scales in order to maintain their accuracy. Luckily, in this guide, we will help you to calibrate your digital scale in the easiest way ever.
What you'll need
- Calibration weight
- A stable surface
What is Calibration?
Calibration can be considered as the act of testing of a dedicated digital scale by comparing the same with a standard weight called calibration weight. Digital scales are more prone over time to wear, tear, or other variables and thus need to be re-calibrated monthly to ensure they are accurate. The digital scales come with their own instruction manual as to how to calibrate each digital scale, however the calibration protocol for a digital scale is the same for all digital scales.
When Should you Calibrate Your Digital Scale?
The frequency of use, environmental conditions, the weight of importance to your business, and the manufacturer’s recommendation or manual play a role in determining how much tighter the spring should be. Scales are normally calibrated weekly, biweekly, monthly, even yearly based on those variables. Even more importantly, if you constantly weigh the same items with your digital scale, you want to check it more frequently so it remains accurate. This is because the wear and tear may cause the digital scale to slightly drift. As with all of these items, always refer to the manufacturer’s manual and recommendations on when to calibrate your scale.
The environment that the scale is used in also affects the accuracy of the measurement if it consists of dust particles, the scale will be exposed to excess humidity that will in turn build up slowly and may interfere with the normal functioning of the scales, leading to reduced performance. Additionally, if the scale is used in places with vibrations, mechanical shocks, or static electricity, they may wear down the scale’s accuracy. Environmental factors like the air pressure surrounding your scales are frequent calibrations that ensure that your scales aren't affected.
If the digital scale is critical to your business, you don’t have the ability to afford even a tiny inaccuracy. A good example would be a pharmaceutical company or lab where an error in measurement could result in the lives lost due to overdosing or underdosing. Additionally, if you keep noticing your digital scale needs to be calibrated constantly, you might have a more serious mechanical problem that would require extra troubleshooting.
How to Calibrate a Digital Scale?
To calibrate a digital scale, of course it’s easy as long as you have the right calibration tools and … we will help you follow these easy steps. This is how to calibrate your digital scale.
- Make sure the calibration surface is firm and stable, as a wobbly surface may impact the accuracy of th4 calibration. Also, the location should be draft-free.
- Use a standard calibration weight, there is no point in calibrating your digital scale using approximation.
- Next, you need to locate the calibration button which is usually denoted as "Cal", "Mode", or "Cal/Mode".
- Press and hold down any of these buttons till the reading on the LCD screen reads "0", "Cal", or "000".
- Now the scale is in calibration mode
- Place your calibration weight at the center of the digital scale and not at the edge, as it would affect the reading accuracy. Also, this weight should not move or wobble during the calibration process.
- Enter the weight similar to the calibration weight on the screen and lock in the calibration button, if the weight is shipped with the scale, the weight is usually pre-programmed in the digital scale.
- Leave the scale to take in the measurement
- Press the calibration button to end the calibration session and the scale will display the following words, "End", "Cal", or "0".
- The scale will reset automatically in most digital scales models
- If it doesn't, you are advised to switch off the scale for about 2-3 minutes before switching it on again
- Your scale is now calibrated and rest assured that the next measurement will be accurate
Since most models require different calibration techniques, we are obliged to share another calibration technique as an alternative to the one listed above.
- Turn your scale on and leave it to stabilize till it reads 0.0g
- Hold down the mode button which is usually denoted as "M" in most digital scales
- The display should read "Cal" at this point
- Press the MODE button to confirm that the reading on the screen is 0.0g
- Place the calibration weight at the center of the weighing platform
- Most models are pre-programmed, so they will display the calibration weight shipped with the product
- If the calibration is successful, the words "Pass" will be displayed
What is the best digital scale for my kitchen?
After hours of research and testing, we were convinced that the Escali Primo Digital Scale is the best for your kitchen as it measures in increments of 0.05 ounces. Plus it has a maximum weighing capacity of 5 kilograms, which is good for a small to the medium-sized kitchen, and it takes up less space on your kitchen counter. Also, the user interface is pretty easy for beginners as it comes with only two buttons, one to power on/off the scale, and the other one to switch the measurements. Plus, it will only stay on for about 4 minutes before automatically switching off which saves on power. We highly recommend this digital scale for your small to medium-sized kitchen for all your weighing tasks like weighing your recipe ingredients.
How to calibrate my digital scale without a weight?
At times, the calibration weight can be lost or misplaced and may be expensive to replace. You have to calibrate the digital scale without a weight. In this case, we will show you how to calibrate your scale using items lying in your house like nickels or coins. Follow these steps;
- Make sure the scale is clean; remember dust and fluids inside the scale take a toll on the measurement accuracy
- Reset the scale reading to zero, make sure there is nothing on the weighing plate
- In most scales, the calibration weight is usually 100 grams, in the absence of this calibration weight, we can use a substitute like nickel coins
- Each nickel coin is 5 grams, so if you need to calibrate the digital scale with 50 grams you need 10 nickel coins
- Press the calibration button before placing the nickel coins on the scale
- The display will flash during calibration
- Once it stops, the calibration is complete
- Turn off the scale for a few minutes and test it again
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What coins equal 200 grams?
In this case, the best coins to use will be nickel coins. Each nickel coin weighs 5 grams and if you want to calibrate using 200 grams you will need 40 nickel coins.
2. How do you calibrate a Weighmax scale?
The package can be calibrated using its calibration weight or any object with a known mass. Once you have gone over 500 grams with the scale, it’ll be overloaded and the following words “OUTZ”, “EE”, and “EEE” will appear on the screen. Also, don't overload the scale if it would damage it permanently in the process of calibration. Below are the things you should do:
- Place the scale on a flat surface, devoid of draft and very firm and stable
- Turn on the Weighmax scale and let it stabilize till it reads "0"
- Press and hold the calibration key or button denoted as "CAL"
- The display should read 0.0g at this point
- Press it again and hold for about 4 seconds and the scale will display the full calibrating weight, in this case, 500 grams.
- Place a similar calibration weight on the scale, in this case, 500 grams
- Wait for the scale to stabilize, about 3 seconds before pressing the "CAL" button
- The display will now read "PASS" and it will show the mass of the calibration weight
- Calibration is now complete
Watch this YouTube video for more information.
3. Can low battery affect scales?
If the digital scale malfunctions, it is because of a low battery or an unstable power supply. The continuing readings and the slow screen is another sign that your battery is drained, thus leading to inaccurate measurements. For the most part, if you are troubleshooting your digital scale, you need to start with the batteries.
4. Does moving your scale affect its accuracy?
If you move your scale, then you affect its zero weight balance, and the weight fluctuates a lot, affecting the dependability and accuracy. When you move it, you need to re calibrate it to reset its internal parts.
Final Verdict
We've shown you how easy it is to calibrate your digital scale with calibration weights or without, and we also explained the factors affecting the accuracy of your scale. We also recommend the Escali Primo Digital Scale for your kitchen as it gives you accurate measurements when weighing ingredients for your recipe. Also, it is lightweight and it takes less space on your kitchen counter.
