Thread: Chargemaster Lite Changing Zero

The pan weight on my chargemaster starts at 81gn. I calibrate the scale, zero it to the empty pan and start loading. Over the duration of say 40 rounds the weight of the pan slowly drops. For example after the first 5 rounds it might now read -80.9gn when I lift the pan off then after another 5-10 rounds it will be at -80.8gn and so on so forth until I got to -80.5gn after 40 rounds.

This is seen when I lift the pan with powder off the scale and it goes into the negative. The scale always returns to zero when the pan goes back on empty. Whenever it changes I re zero the pan and re calibrate the scale and keep loading but it doesn’t change that the weight of the pan has apparently drifted. I’m wondering if it’s a heat/warmth thing as the machine gets warmer from use?

Anyone seen this?

I had the same issue and tried all manner of things to fix it, none of which really worked 100%

Returned it, got an A&D and never looked back.

Strange. I bought this model off a Forum member. It is bloody accurate. Use it under a fluoro light in the garage. No issues. Seems dinky but it does the bizo. Loaded few thousand on it now mostly 222, 2223, 243 and 44 mag.
Turn on, take pan off , calibrate, calibrate, calibrate. Now 100. Put pan back on and zero. Dial in grains. Start. I do 100 cases at a time.

Are you letting the scale warm up before using it?
I believe it is suggested to leave for 10mins to warm up before use.

You could always turn it on, zero the pan, then just leave it for an hour or so checking frequently to see how much it drifts.
I've done this with mine and never found it to drift more than 0.1gr, and when it did read .1 it was only briefly.

Just keep rezeroing it. You're looking to put a given weight in. So it's aiming to pour that figure in from zero.
Shouldn't need to keep recalibrating it,unless it has a weight fault.
Warm it up as above, most scales will drift a little with ambient temp and humidity plus air movement.
If you wave (fan) your hand in front of a beam scale it will move....we are looking at tiny weight changes.

The Chargemasters and the other brands in that price range will always drift. It's inherant in the cheap strain gauge technology used. You cannot avoid it. Individual units may be better or worse, I don't know. One that drift excessively may have a fault though.

I only use mine now to pre weigh my charges before finishing off on an AnD.

Like already posted you need to turn them on well before doing your loading. I usually power mine up an hour before needing.

My reloading room has a big window above my bench and I have to watch out for the afternoon sun as it comes around and quickly raises the room temperature. I don't think they have good temperature compensation.
Having said that the AnD has temperature compensation but in the situation above my AnD doesn't always compensate quickly enough for rapid changes. It does settle down eventually. I now prop a big square of cardboard over the window and that fixes the issue for both my Chargemaster and my AnD.

The old fluro light chestnut I have never found to be an issue.

Maybe why I use either a powder thrower or a mag dampened beam scale gravity tends to be relatively consistent

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

Maybe why I use either a powder thrower or a mag dampened beam scale gravity tends to be relatively consistent

Yep, still got my old Ohaus scale and my RCBS Uniflow in the back of the cupboard. Will never part with them. There for a rainy day. (A couple of years ago the power pack on my AnD died and I had to get out the Ohaus.)

Cannot understand why lots of new handloaders go straight to a cheap digital under the belief that big visable numbers imply accuracy and repeatability.

It's not confidence inspiring when you are having issues like that - my RCBS version is a little bit wandery as well but nothing near the amount this one is. The answer would be to leave it on, checking and recording the drift amounts over a day at say 15min intervals and see exactly what it's doing. If it's really bad by documented results it's likely not good enough to be used for the job!

My process with the RCBS one is every 3 or 4 weighs chuck the calibration weight on it and rezero - it's more for my confidence than any error amount in the machine. With normal size cases, a 0.1grain amount either way won't affect much but then on a Hornet sized case 0.1 is a fair bit...

As a test.
Get yourself 2 small weights.
1 say 30 grains. Doesn't matter but approx. For example a small bolt or bullet
1 say 70 grains.
Weigh each one and write down the weight.

Zero the scale.
Put the 30 on and move it from the centre of the scale to each corner. Weight should not change on any of the 5 position.
Now do same with the 70 gr weight. Should not change at any of the 5 positions.
Now both weights, should be 100 anywhere you put them.

Now, put 1 of the weights in the centre and leave it for 20 minutes. Should not change.

If it drifts or the weights vary for any location on the plate there is a problem.

Could be sh1t scale.
Or could be EMF
Remove all possible electrical gear . ( mobile, radio, batteries even power cables behind the wall if its drawing power) EMF will effect them.
Try new battery in scale.

If its still not consistant chuck them and buy a beam balance.

I've always found them dicky and only use them to pour close to the charge, then use my balance scales and trickle to the exact weight.

Originally Posted by zimmer

Yep, still got my old Ohaus scale and my RCBS Uniflow in the back of the cupboard. Will never part with them. There for a rainy day. (A couple of years ago the power pack on my AnD died and I had to get out the Ohaus.)

Cannot understand why lots of new handloaders go straight to a cheap digital under the belief that big visable numbers imply accuracy and repeatability.

Sorta like politicians implying truthfulness and honesty?