A&D FZ-120i drifting

[snod85]

My balance purchased with the super trickler has always been rock solid but the last two sessions it is drifting as much as 0.15 grains between throws. Having to re-zero every time and when checked against my old balance getting 0.1+ grain difference.

Table solid, level bubble centered, no breeze interference, led lights overhead, cheap line conditioner and plugs about 2.5’ away, no other electric sources within 5’. Cleaned and blew it out with canned air. The online operation manual not much help.

Will try a better line conditioner, re calibrate it, and leave it on full time. Will also do a supetrickler firmware update. If not better will call A&D and ask for customer service. Searched the forum and see from the threads many members use similar models so I thought it couldnt hurt to ask.

Anyone experience something similar and find a fix?

 

[MikeRu]

Just for kicks try carrying it to another room and see if problem persists. This might address environment like static, vibration, wall voltage etc. I had a bad power supply once so consider that.

 

[R.Morehouse]

Others have been successful running it off a battery.....

Regards
Rick

 

[JFrank]

Wipe the clear cover with anti static ( eye glass ) wipes work well also.

 

[64Rambler]

Static is the enemy of a digital balance. I have a ground wire running from an outlet to the the opening of the scale and touch it every time I take the measuring cup in and out. I also try not to move from one position while weighing powder charges and don't start throwing powder until I can repeatably take the cup in and out several times and not have a drift.
Raising humidity will help a lot with static.

 

[Raydee]

On the Supertrickler owners FB group, Rex or Peter posted a fix using some heavy washers.

 

[snod85]

Thanks for the tips. I will try all. Did not know there was a FB group. I emailed the SuperTrickler guys. If I learn anything from them I'll post it.

Called A&D tech support today and the tech rep was very helpful but after going through it over the phone he recommended I send it in and they would turn it around inside of ten business days. One thing was curious to me was he said "you have one of the Trickler things" even though I never mentioned the use case. Maybe the FZ models were exclusive to the SuperTrickler or maybe my Texas/southern accent gave me away. IDK

I did get an answer to the leave it on vs the half hour start-up question. He said to leave it on and it will either go to standby mode (or maybe you have to put it in standby mode). Said that way you dont have to wait for warmup and the equipment is designed for continuous use.

Bummer its out of whack but worse case is a quick-ish fix and he seemed confident they would make it right.

 

[nmkid]

When mine starts doing that( maybe 2-3 times since I've owned it) I wipe the entire scale with a clothes dryer sheet. Seems to work.

 

[coford]

I ran a heavy ground wire to a ground rod that I drove 3' into the floor after I drilled a hole in my concrete floor. All problems stopped and has been rock solid for several years. I have always found grounding problems with electronic equipment. Worth a try.

 

[SD guy]

I ran a heavy ground wire to a ground rod that I drove 3' into the floor after I drilled a hole in my concrete floor. All problems stopped and has been rock solid for several years. I have always found grounding problems with electronic equipment. Worth a try.

Understand the ground wire goes to the ground rod. What do you attach the wire to at the scale side?

 

[coford]

There is a ground screw on the back of the FX-120i. Right beside the silver plate.

 

[padom]

I've been running a APC Line Conditioner since I got my 2 charge masters and both my A&D scales and I run all led lighting in my shop (older shop lights with tubes have ballasts that can cause issues with scales)

I've never had a drifting problem with my scales.

 

[xr650rRider]

Only time I've had drift problems was either static or using the Area 419 tray . It went nuts with their tray, went back to factory part and no problems.

 

[snod85]

Quick partial update. Replaced the old “line conditioner” which is probably just a splitter, with a legit one, wiped everything down, and took the balance plate off and found a few stray kernels, then blew it off.

Unladen aside from the cup but holding dead on for four hours. So I tried most of the tips and perhaps one of them worked. Loading this weekend so we will see.

Was feeling pretty good about it until the area 419 loading tray observation, which is what I use at about 18” away.

Thanks for the help. Fwiw the supertrickler guy also said to check with the Facebook group. Will update firmware before loading and hope for the best.

 

[xr650rRider]

Was feeling pretty good about it until the area 419 loading tray observation, which is what I use at about 18” away.

The problem 419 tray is a replacement platen for the scale (click the link above) not a tray that sitting 18" away is having an effect. The nub on the bottom of the plate does not fit the scale as well as the factory piece. Removing the 419 and putting factory supplied platen back on and the drifting ceased.

 

[JFrank]

took the balance plate off and found a few stray kernels, then blew it off.

Those maverick kernels will cause a balance to display erratic behavior.
My area 419 lexon cover produced so much static the balance went Ape Shit ever time it got near, once wiped down it was perfect.
I wired my own house, one ground rod outside, no line conditioners or special whatever’s and the fx120 balance works pretty darn well.

 

[padom]

Those maverick kernels will cause a balance to display erratic behavior.
My area 419 lexon cover produced so much static the balance went Ape Shit ever time it got near, once wiped down it was perfect.
I wired my own house, one ground rod outside, no line conditioners or special whatever’s and the fx120 balance works pretty darn well.

Your 1 ground rod outside has nothing to do with everything the line conditioner does..

It provides 24/7/365 stable power to all outputs on the back of the APC Line conditioner. It has a HIGH and LOW light on it and shows when the power feed is slight above or slightly below 120V... But, the output ALWAYS puts out a solid 120V at all times of clean, stable power...

This has nothing to do with your ground rod. This has to do with the power company and devices, motors, compressors, etc. kicking off and on in your house.....

 

[JFrank]

This has nothing to do with your ground rod

I didn’t say it did, there was a previous post about extra grounds that I referred to.
I also have zero issues around LED or fluorescent lighting

 

[Kracken McGraw]

I don’t even put the wind drift cover on mine using the Dandy trickler and get along fine. I even can get by the heat &air if I point the flow to the opposite side of the room.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

I think the extra warm up time might be a good idea too, seems more settled after being turned on for a while. This scale has been too big of an investment for me to take the chance of leaving it on all the time.