Do You Have To Spend Big Bucks For An Accurate Scale?

[Master Bait'r]

I bet the company that certifies all our pressure gauges for the shop could do scales too.  I wonder if they would notice if I slipped one in there...  

[Racerx]

I bought one of these little "luggage scales" at DSG in the fishing department, last year.  While it's pretty accurate, it DOES turn itself on, for some reason, so normally, when I go to use it, the d**n batteries are dead.  I've taken to keeping it stored with one battery popped out, but now I have to fudge with a friggin' battery and compartment to USE the d**n thing, each time?

 

Anybody ELSE having this issue with theirs?  If I had hair, I'd pull it out!

[Goose52]

1 hour ago, Racerx said:

I bought one of these little "luggage scales" at DSG in the fishing department, last year.  While it's pretty accurate, it DOES turn itself on, for some reason, so normally, when I go to use it, the d**n batteries are dead.  I've taken to keeping it stored with one battery popped out, but now I have to fudge with a friggin' battery and compartment to USE the d**n thing, each time?

 

Anybody ELSE having this issue with theirs?  If I had hair, I'd pull it out!

Thanks for the report - good to know.  I stuff this scale in a pouch on my belt pack and I can see how the "On" button could get pushed if the scale shifted around in the pouch. It should then auto-off but after a number of on and auto-off cycles I can see how the battery could die.

As I mentioned earlier, I was also wondering about general battery life of the 2 AAA batteries as compared to the 9v battery in the Rapala scales.

Anyway, so far, so good for me but I've only been carrying it around a few weeks and have only weighed a few fish with it...

[blckshirt98]

I use a 15lb BogaGrip because I use it in saltwater too (halibut have some f'ing fangs on them), and also because that style seems to harm fish less.  For the people that use hook-type scales - do you just punch that thing through the fish's jaw and leave a big hole or do you hook it on the side of the jaw by the gillplate?

[WRB]

Not all scales can be certified, the scale needs to have a means of calibration.

Digital scales tthat use battery power are only as accurate as the power source / battery used. If you keep the batteries up to date with full power, no corroded contacts, the  inexpensive sport/ luggage digital scale should be accurate enough for recreational use.

Tom

 

22 minutes ago, blckshirt98 said:

I use a 15lb BogaGrip because I use it in saltwater too (halibut have some f'ing fangs on them), and also because that style seems to harm fish less.  For the people that use hook-type scales - do you just punch that thing through the fish's jaw and leave a big hole or do you hook it on the side of the jaw by the gillplate?

Put the fish in a plastic bag and weigh it.

Tom

[Paul Roberts]

Dunno. But whatever you get, and whatever it costs, you should calibrate every now and then. I picked up a 2.5lb and two 5lb barbell weights at Goodwill. Popped in a plastic grocery bag they'll check 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10lbs. 

[Racerx]

7 hours ago, Goose52 said:

Thanks for the report - good to know.  I stuff this scale in a pouch on my belt pack and I can see how the "On" button could get pushed if the scale shifted around in the pouch. It should then auto-off but after a number of on and auto-off cycles I can see how the battery could die.

As I mentioned earlier, I was also wondering about general battery life of the 2 AAA batteries as compared to the 9v battery in the Rapala scales.

Anyway, so far, so good for me but I've only been carrying it around a few weeks and have only weighed a few fish with it...

Here's the thing:  It's not even the power button that's getting bumped. I've been able to replicate it, where I simply jostle the unit, sometimes just the hook, and it comes on. I've never seen anything like it. Weird.

[Goose52]

3 hours ago, Paul Roberts said:

Dunno. But whatever you get, and whatever it costs, you should calibrate every now and then. I picked up a 2.5lb and two 5lb barbell weights at Goodwill. Popped in a plastic grocery bag they'll check 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10lbs. 

But Paul...how do you KNOW that they weigh 2.5 & 5 pounds?  If each weight was only off by 3 or 4 ounces you could be at + / - a whopping 1/2 pound if using two weights and both weights were either light or heavy. Unless, you've taken them into a local market with a certified scale and weighed them...

1 hour ago, Racerx said:

Here's the thing:  It's not even the power button that's getting bumped. I've been able to replicate it, where I simply jostle the unit, sometimes just the hook, and it comes on. I've never seen anything like it. Weird.

Cheap, flimsy switch that is making contact just with jarring/impact I guess!

Of the 7 digital scales I've owned in the under $20 dollar range - all have been VERY accurate. However, switch gear and battery connectors have often been dodgy - a result of the cheap price.

[XzyluM]

I picked up an Accu-Cull and installed a fish grip instead of using the hook. Still budget friendly at around $45-50 or $35 without the fish grip. I've heard some good reviews on the ReelSonar digital scale which can be had for $20. 

[Racerx]

After the recent talk, I decided to get to the bottom of the phantom power-up issue. Doesn't matter, cause now I can't get it to repeat the issue.  Now, it's behaving itself.  I popped her open. Some very cheap-ass that looked like it was previously crushed a little bit, which MAY have been the issue. So far, so good. I'm gonna keep batteries in her, and see if the problem happens again.

[Goose52]

1 hour ago, Racerx said:

After the recent talk, I decided to get to the bottom of the phantom power-up issue. Doesn't matter, cause now I can't get it to repeat the issue.  Now, it's behaving itself.  I popped her open. Some very cheap-ass that looked like it was previously crushed a little bit, which MAY have been the issue. So far, so good. I'm gonna keep batteries in her, and see if the problem happens again.

Report back if it acts up again.

I have a whopping $4.00 each invested in my two scales - if they each last a season then I've received excellent value...

[I/MBasser]

On 10/22/2015 at 8:25 PM, Fisher-O-men said:

This one, believe it or not.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/10g-50Kg-Digital-Hanging-Luggage-Fishing-Postal-Balance-Pocket-Weight-Scale-/400489438351?hash=item5d3f07dc8f:g:v1sAAOSwVL1WCQuF

If I add a fish gripper will this scale tare?

 

Never mind... I read this thread on my phone last night.  Reread it this morning and now can see the tare button in the photos.

Edited September 5, 2019 by I/MBasser

[Dwight Hottle]

If it doesn’t just weigh it and deduct the few ounces from your weights.

[I/MBasser]

@Goose52just to confirm... the scale needs to be converted into ounces, correct?  seems you have the option to weigh in ounces (which needs to be converted into pounds) or pounds (which weighs in tenths of a pound and needs to be converted into ounces), ie 4.67 on the scale is 4lbs, 10 ounces.   Easy enough but want to make sure i'm not missing something.  Thanks!!

[Goose52]

3 hours ago, I/MBasser said:

@Goose52just to confirm... the scale needs to be converted into ounces, correct?  seems you have the option to weigh in ounces (which needs to be converted into pounds) or pounds (which weighs in tenths of a pound and needs to be converted into ounces), ie 4.67 on the scale is 4lbs, 10 ounces.   Easy enough but want to make sure i'm not missing something.  Thanks!!

Yep - you are correct. These scales will read in four different units: Pounds (decimal - like your example 4.67), Ounces (total ounces - NOT pounds/ounces - for instance, your example of 4lbs, 10 ounces would read 74.7 ounces), Kilograms, and Jin (whatever the heck that Chinese measurement is...).  So, if you wanted the weight in pounds and ounces, you would need to convert either the pounds (decimal) or total ounces readings, into lbs/ozs. I personally use the decimal pounds reading in all my records.

 

There have been a number of threads about these scales since the start of this 2016 thread.  Here is one of my threads where I did some load testing including using laboratory-quality calibration weights: