A&D FX120i

[FarmallSM]

Just getting used to my new FX120i balance. It’s amazing and lowered my SD’s into the single digits, 5-6 in my 7x6.5PRCC.
I’m big on reading directions! Every time I turn it on I: let it warm up for 30+ minutes, check level, calibrate, zero with my powder cup. Solid desk and no register or ceiling fan blowing on it. I don’t touch the desk, no bumping or jarring.
I did not order the V4 trickler, CE was out and because I didn’t know what to expect ordered the scale by itself. I throw a charge with my RCBS uni flow and trickle up. I double check with my RCBS M1000 beam scale. That scale varies +-.1 grain. No wonder I couldn’t get low SD’s.

The issue!

Balance will vary +- .04-.06grains over the course of 8-10 throws, I now pay attention to that check for that and re zero.
My powder cup will vary in weight .02-4gr occasionally. I look at that when I take the cup off and look at the negative weight.

What’s up with that?


1/26/26. Follow up

Thank you for the responses, between that and thoroughly re reading the A&D manual I think I have my problem resolved.

Seems it was static electricity.

I cleaned balance & powder cup with dryer sheet.
Marked pan so I was consistently putting pan in same spot. I was getting +- .02-.06 variations due to pan location. It likes to be centered.
Ran a ground wire from balance to outlet.

A&D makes a 1683 static eliminator! Anyone feel the need for that device? Video on their website was pretty impressive. No online price, I’ll bet they’re proud of it!

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Just getting used to my new FX120i balance. It’s amazing and lowered my SD’s into the single digits, 5-6 in my 7x6.5PRCC.
I’m big on reading directions! Every time I turn it on I: let it warm up for 30+ minutes, check level, calibrate, zero with my powder cup. Solid desk and no register or ceiling fan blowing on it. I don’t touch the desk, no bumping or jarring.
I did not order the V4 trickler, CE was out and because I didn’t know what to expect ordered the scale by itself. I throw a charge with my RCBS uni flow and trickle up. I double check with my RCBS M1000 beam scale. That scale varies +-.1 grain. No wonder I couldn’t get low SD’s.

The issue!

Balance will gain .04-6grains over the course of 8-10 throws, I now pay attention to that check for that and re zero.
My powder cup will vary in weight .02-4gr occasionally. I look at that when I take the cup off and look at the negative weight.

What’s up with that?

Super M, it’s probably that the scale is that sensitive. Your catching some kind of air movement, it could be as simple as body movement or breath.

 

[Southern shooter 59]

My desk is sitting on a conventional framed floor. Just my movement from one foot to the other and the resulting floor movement will cause the scale reading to move. That's how sensitive they are.

 

[64Rambler]

How long was the balance on before starting to weigh charges? 1 hour is minimum, I just leave mine on 24/7. Static is another big cause of drift. I have a heavy gauge ground wire from the next outlet in contact with the front if the scale at the platform opening. I touch the wire before I start weighing anything to bring me to the same potential as the balance. If it won't hold zero with nothing on it, I keep touching the ground wire until the balance is happy. Then I use the calibration weight and check for 100.000g. If it's anything other than that I recalibrate. I try not to wear long sleeve shirts, or especially a wind breaker while weighing - the fabric rubbing on itself creates static and you can watch the numbers go up and down just by your proximity. Winter is also a factor due to lower RH, which causes an increase in static.
As Kracken indicated, air movement is another source of drift. I work with 5 decimal place balances for a living and they are super sensitive to static and the slightest movement in air flow.

 

[47WillysGuy]

Every time I turn it on I: let it warm up for 30+ minutes, check level, calibrate, zero with my powder cup.

When you say turn it on, do you mean you do apply electrical power to the scale by plugging the electrical plug back into an electrical outlet?

Or you push the on/off switch to use the scale and the screen comes alive.


I have my A&D plugged into a continuous power source of 120 VAC and never fully isolate electrical power from the unit. Like pulling the electrical power cord out of the socket. When I push the on/off switch to place the unit in standby (off mode), there is always a small lighted blue arrow in the left side, bottom corner lighted. The unit should always be warmed and ready for use when plugged into 120 vac socket. All I have to do is push the on/off switch and weight powder, it's warm and ready to go.

What am missing?

 

[itchyTF]

I was told by A&D that as long as it’s plugged in the electronics are “being warmed”, even in standby.

 

[ShtrRdy]

Balance will gain .04-6grains over the course of 8-10 throws, I now pay attention to that check for that and re zero.
My powder cup will vary in weight .02-4gr occasionally. I look at that when I take the cup off and look at the negative weight.

What’s up with that?

Center up the bubble level again. Yes, it's that sensitive.

 

[FarmallSM]

When you say turn it on, do you mean you do apply electrical power to the scale by plugging the electrical plug back into an electrical outlet?

Or you push the on/off switch to use the scale and the screen comes alive.


I have my A&D plugged into a continuous power source of 120 VAC and never fully isolate electrical power from the unit. Like pulling the electrical power cord out of the socket. When I push the on/off switch to place the unit in standby (off mode), there is always a small lighted blue arrow in the left side, bottom corner lighted. The unit should always be warmed and ready for use when plugged into 120 vac socket. All I have to do is push the on/off switch and weight powder, it's warm and ready to go.

What am missing?

It stays plugged in 24/7. I turn the it on with the on switch and let it warm up, per instructions, for at least 30 minutes. I didn’t realize the fact that when it stays plugged in means it stays warmed up.
It’s not “drifting”, like when air current is affecting it. It stabilizes and will stay there pretty quick.
It’s like my powder cup is gaining weight.
I saw an episode of Ultimate reloder and Gavin was wearing latex gloves so the oils on his hand didn’t effect scale.
I’ll clean my cup with alcohol and try the gloves.
I’m using a SS 1/8 cup measuring cup for powder. Suppose that has any impact?
I ordered a V4 powder trickler and see it comes with a glass cup.

 

[JFrank]

Look under the stainless plates for kernels building up.

 

[47WillysGuy]

I had a significant drifting problem and had to push the zero button every couple of powder dumps.

There was a post that recommended grounding the unit from a ground screw on the back of the A&D to ground circuit on a wall outlet. Worked great.

 

[D Coots]

Every time I power mine up I have to go through the calibration process using a 100G weight. See instructions. Their other method does not work for me.

My buddy got his shortly after I got mine and he can calibrate w/o using the weight following the other method in the book.

Later

Dave

 

[sgav8r]

It stays plugged in 24/7. I turn the it on with the on switch and let it warm up, per instructions, for at least 30 minutes. I didn’t realize the fact that when it stays plugged in means it stays warmed up.
It’s not “drifting”, like when air current is affecting it. It stabilizes and will stay there pretty quick.
It’s like my powder cup is gaining weight.
I saw an episode of Ultimate reloder and Gavin was wearing latex gloves so the oils on his hand didn’t effect scale.
I’ll clean my cup with alcohol and try the gloves.
I’m using a SS 1/8 cup measuring cup for powder. Suppose that has any impact?
I ordered a V4 powder trickler and see it comes with a glass cup.

What powder cup are you using? If it’s a glass or metal cup it shouldn’t “gain” too much weight from usage, but powder residue does build up and believe it or not the scale is so sensitive it will record the slight weight difference. I notice this particularly with my IP powder cups. They do get “heavier” with use as the powder residue (dark stains) build up! The only cup I use that I really haven’t noticed this with is the standard SuperTrickler cup. It’s metal and has not changed color at all… lo and behold, it’s maintained a constant and precise 763.14gn. Go figure.

The other issue is that moving your hand too quickly when placing or removing the pan, breathing in the direction of the scale, leaning on the bench, air temperature etc. all can cause small shifts this way that way in the scale. Just mitigate all those factors as best you can, don’t plug other stuff in the same outlet if you can manage (isolate the power), watch closely for sources of static or electronic interference (phones and devises, plastic accessories) too close to the balance, and maybe throw a ferrite bead on the power cord and you should be good to go. The FX-120i is pretty robust and super reliable. I wholeheartedly recommend getting an ATV4. Just buy it direct from MacDonald. That’s what I did. Super simple, great price, and no tariff either.

 

[Evan]

I have a set of check weights, 20gn and two 10gn weights, that I use to check the scale before each session. It has to hit 10,30,50,40,20,0 on the nose or I recalibrate. I haven’t had to calibrate in years. I also haven’t had any of the drift issues others are reporting.

I would recommend getting a 12V battery and running it off that to see if your issues go away. These scales are rock solid when there isn’t a voltage or environmental issue.

 

[sgav8r]

Every time I power mine up I have to go through the calibration process using a 100G weight. See instructions. Their other method does not work for me.

My buddy got his shortly after I got mine and he can calibrate w/o using the weight following the other method in the book.

Later

Dave

The FX series are (if I’m not mistaken) typically are “external” calibration, where you have to use a weight and physically calibrate the balance. The FZ series are “internal” calibration, you just run a calibration mode in the menus.

I actually prefer the external calibration. If you get a decent class 100g weight from a reputable source and take good care of it, you’ll alway be able to trust the calibration you do. I think auto-calibration units are prone to be potentially less reliable over time.

 

[60723]

I only have the top and right side guard off. When the front guard was off, my breath played havoc. If the window unit comes on, I have to pause until it goes off(20’ away).
I always look at the cup weight when I take it off to watch for drift.

 

[60723]

Also a tip for you - I have a piece of tape with the desired weight of powder just above the scale numbers.
Also I added tape to my cup bottom to weigh an easy number to remember- mine is 700.00

 

[gmr4]

Mine would drift a bit when i first got it…. I started unplugging when not in use… added proper ground… and sat still…. Dropping a charge while seating a bullet at same time was an issue.. too much bench movement. I dropped 10 charges and took them to a friends Sotorias… all were the same! But .02 different than his scale

 

[kelbro]

I've only had mine for a couple of weeks. I leave it on 24/7 in a 55 degree basement with no air ducts.

I saw a little drift the first couple of hours that I had it and since then, none. I have mostly just been weighing primers with it so no cup. I re-zero about every 100 primers just because it feels good, not because of drift.

Mine is plugged into a Tripplite line conditioner and the humidity in the basement has been steady at 45%.

 

[Doom]

First comment is you may be seeing zero drift. Read the manual and set up the "zero tracking" or follow the recommendation in "During Use".

Your scale is very sensitive and can respond to minor disturbances such as your hand disturbing the air above the scale. It can also pick up the buildup of body oils on the pan.

 

[gmr4]

Fluorescent lighting can cause problems other electronic can as well…