A&D FX-120i

[Nick Caprinolo]

Question for those of you who use the A&D FX-120i scale with the V$ autotrickler.

I have been using the RCBS Chargemaster scale for about eight years along with a Parker tuned Ohaus 10-10 balance beam scale and RCBS trickler. This is very time consuming as the Chargemaster drifts most of the time and I am anul about powder weight. It forces me to continually reset the zero on the scale. I am in a climate controlled room and the scale is powered by a battery, independent of the powerline. There is no fluorescent lighting involved.

My question is does the FX scale drift a lot or is it rock stable throughout the loading experience. I know they guarantee it to be accurate down to .001 or more. Does this hold true? The RCBS guarantees it to be accurate to .01 but this is simply not true unless you continually reset it and check it constantly.

 

[tthomp302]

I have never had an issue with drifting but I always calibrate it with a certified check weight before any loading session. They are very sensitive but great scales.

 

[rijndael]

I have found that it needs a warmup time of about 30 minutes, otherwise I can see some drift.

 

[wedgy]

Mine only drifts if my AC/furnace fan motor is running, not from the airflow(none in the garage) but the motor running makes it drift, otherwise it is rock solid. The Chargemaster can be off by 0.2

 

[RickyK]

I have two !
No Problems

 

[madmixerman]

I have no problems with drift. I use a line conditioner and a ferrite bed filter on power line to scale . FX120i w/ V4 autotrickler.

 

[divingin]

Question for those of you who use the A&D FX-120i scale with the V$ autotrickler.

I have been using the RCBS Chargemaster scale for about eight years along with a Parker tuned Ohaus 10-10 balance beam scale and RCBS trickler. This is very time consuming as the Chargemaster drifts most of the time and I am anul about powder weight. It forces me to continually reset the zero on the scale. I am in a climate controlled room and the scale is powered by a battery, independent of the powerline. There is no fluorescent lighting involved.

My question is does the FX scale drift a lot or is it rock stable throughout the loading experience. I know they guarantee it to be accurate down to .001 or more. Does this hold true? The RCBS guarantees it to be accurate to .01 but this is simply not true unless you continually reset it and check it constantly.

I see no drift on mine (at least in terms of a loading session - if I leave a charge in the pan and walk away for a few hours, It'll change a bit.

That said, my Chargemaster didn't drift, either. Much less than my strain gauge scientific balance (though you could also argue that the .1 vs .01 resolution was why the CM didn't vary.)

Not sure how a CM could be accurate to .01 gn. My experience was that it was (with a spot-on weight reading) +/- about .05ish, which is actually pretty decent. It was the speed (or lack thereof) and overshoots that caused me to shelve it.

 

[PopCharlie]

I have the 120i with the v4 auto trickler. No drift issues. Mine is plugged in to a power strip, using the supplied power adapter. I calibrated it when I got. I use a check weight to verify the scale before I calibrate the v4 for the powder I'm using. I have not had to calibrate the scale since I got it in April. I use all LED lights in my loading shop.

PopCharlie

 

[Mark W]

No problems here unless there is air movement in the room.

 

[Ranger188]

Looks like you have your answer.
If for some reason I unplug mine, I'll calibrate it and let it "warm up" for 1-2 hours before use.
Watch for random air currents.

 

[gary0529]

I have been using mine for the past 8 months- reloading room is in my barn quite a ways from home and any HVAC equipment and only have LED lights in the room
No ferrite donut nor line conditioner
No drift noted during session and the warm up is usually only 5-10 minutes
Maybe just lucky but I am very satisfied
I upgraded from a CM and Gemtech 250
Still use the CM for small batch pistol loads as it holds +\- 0.1 gr
Being in a rural area there are few of us on the lines so maybe that accounts for little line voltage fluctuation-don’t know but not looking for a reason for my lack of problems

 

[WildBill3/75]

The FX-120i is a magnetic force restoration balance. It will not drift like a strain gauge scale....a Chargemaster is a strain gauge scale.

 

[fx77]

Question for those of you who use the A&D FX-120i scale with the V$ autotrickler.

I have been using the RCBS Chargemaster scale for about eight years along with a Parker tuned Ohaus 10-10 balance beam scale and RCBS trickler. This is very time consuming as the Chargemaster drifts most of the time and I am anul about powder weight. It forces me to continually reset the zero on the scale. I am in a climate controlled room and the scale is powered by a battery, independent of the powerline. There is no fluorescent lighting involved.

My question is does the FX scale drift a lot or is it rock stable throughout the loading experience. I know they guarantee it to be accurate down to .001 or more. Does this hold true? The RCBS guarantees it to be accurate to .01 but this is simply not true unless you continually reset it and check it constantly.

Rock stable on a shelf mounted to the concrete basement wall. The accuracy is .02 gr. Even benchrest at 100 -200 yds accepts accruacy to 0.1 gr. My lighting, swsince you brought it up, is LED 4' lights overhead.
Same configuration of old type fluorescents.

 

[Shynloco]

Mine only drifts if my AC/furnace fan motor is running, not from the airflow(none in the garage) but the motor running makes it drift, otherwise it is rock solid. The Chargemaster can be off by 0.2

wedgy makes a VERY IMPORTANT observation. And that is the business of "air flow" or OTHER INTERFERIENCE that affects both calibration and useability in any scale. Many people don't realize that a "nearby" cycling refrigerator, overhead lamps or even any electronics, can emit a signal that can cause a drifting in a DELICATE scale. Personally, I've found that if I keep those INTERFERENCE culprits at LEAST 48" away, the problem disappears. Many people blame the scale which is just reacting to something invading it's ability to consistently and accurately measure load after load. Just my two cents.

 

[nmkid]

Rock stable on a shelf mounted to the concrete basement wall. The accuracy is .02 gr. Even benchrest at 100 -200 yds accepts accruacy to 0.1 gr. My lighting, swsince you brought it up, is LED 4' lights overhead.
Same configuration of old type fluorescents.

I have some LED lights right over my loading bench-120i. The lights are probably no more than 4' away and have yet to encounter any drift.

 

[PatMiles]

Never a problem with either my A&D V4 even before I plugged in a Tripp-lite upstream of both. Both run 24/7.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Can you make them work with the AC on if the vents aren’t pointed directly at the scale?

 

[jepp2]

The RCBS guarantees it to be accurate to .01 but this is simply not true unless you continually reset it and check it constantly.

I use my Chargemaster to dispense for my A&D Fx-120i. Since the A&D is accurate to +/- 0.02 gr (can be slightly more accurate if you use gm). And the Chargemaster is only accurate to +/- 0.1 gr, I get to see every charge that my Chargemaster dispenses and displays as the weight. I've seen thousands. Surprisingly, maybe 40% of the Chargemaster weights are within 0.02 gr of what I set it. But some are WAY off, yet the display indicates they are spot on. I turn on my scales at least 30 minutes before use and calibrate prior to starting. I might see the A&D drift 0.02 gr. I know many leave their scale on all the time, I just haven't gotten their yet.

 

[JoeDuke]

Built a box for my fx120. Plexiglas door on front. Dump a charge with the measure, put pan on scale and trickle up. Battery power or ac works. Outdoors you need a wind break to keep wind from shaking the table. Works great.

 

[Sandstorm]

The best thing since sliced bread...
I dont even let it warm up and never had a problem,,,,and my gun never shot better,
Disclaimer : I have not used anything else besides a balance.