Acculab Vic 123 Problems

[DougMH]

I found an old post on this and thought I would throw in my 2 cents. I have a D. I. MXX-123 which uses the exact same mechanism as the VIC. HERE IS THE TIP to using these two instruments.

NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! unplug them.

If you lose power or otherwise have to unplug, plug it back in and wait at least 2-3 hours with the unit turned on before you calibrate and zero.

If it's off, but has been plugged in, turn it on and wait at least 30 minuts before you calibrate and zero.

If you do this, you'll likely be very satisfied with the instrument.

I've talked at length with the D.I. folks and that's their recommendation, confirmed by me.

My measuring methodology is this. Zero the scale with the empty pan. Measure powder into pan to desired weight, pour into case, set pan back on scale. If it doesn't go to zero, dump powder and start over. Mine occasionally (rarely when well warmed up) gets into a snit and will read -.02 to -.04 and will not come back to zero. Again, when this happens to me, I dump the case, re-zero the pan and go again.

What speeds things up for me is I also have a Hornady Auto Charge. While I'm trickling the load in the MXX-123, the Auto Charge is spewing out the next "almost" charge.

 

[in2deep]

It's common for folks just to leave them plugged in and turned on all the time as being electronic it does no harm and avoids waiting times and inaccuracy.
We had a radio turned on at work 24/7 for 18 years before it quit being it was electronic and no moving parts and the one we turned on and off daily had the switch break inside of 5.

Also I have found that if you are trickling slowly kernel by kernel sometimes the auto-squelch will not pick these up as it tries to lock in on a reading and if you just gently tap the scale after the last kernel hits it will reset to the new value. This is the same thing when using a balance beam by taking away that little bit of sticktion.

You probably already did it but there is a setting to lower the sensitivity to make it more user friendly. Some days my scale is a peach and sometimes it gets a bit finicky jumping a couple hundredth's but is faster than using the balance although I do use the balance to keep the digital honest as the balance repeats more accurately but is slower and either will weigh to within a single kernel of varget.
Also wiping the pan and unit down with a dryer sheet will help alot in cold weather to cancel any sttic electricity and if your drifting excessively certain days that will work immediately.

 

[kitsap]

Electronic scales are also very sensitive to electronic noise, either radiated or through the power connection. If you have any type of fluorescent lights either in your reloading room or adjacent rooms in your house/shop, shut them off during use of the scale.

DougF

 

[jo191145]

Ever see what a ringing cell phone will do to a DI-123?
Looks like an electronic tachometer on a drag bike during a winning run ;D ;D ;D

I agree. Run em 24/7. Thats the only way mine works.

 

[Scott Harris]

I'll have to disagree. If you always have your scale turned on, then you are always exposed to electrical spikes and noise: things that can damage your scale. Turn it on 30 minutes before using and make sure the scale is zeroed before weighing each charge: that's the trick. Turn it and the APC off when not in use to protect the circuitry.

 

[Cameron SS]

With a decent surge protector, I don't see the harm in leaving it plugged in all the time.

That said, in my apartment, I don't have a dedicated work space, I have to set up and tear down for every session, less then Ideal. Plugging in my scale is the first step to set up, and by the time I'm ready, about twenty minutes or so, the scale has settled down.


+1 vote for using the pan to confirm that the scale has not drifted between zero, pouring powder, measuring, dumping in case, and returning pan to scale.