Odd RCBS Charge Master Issue

[bored184]

I'm currently loading some 308 for tomorrows Palma match and my chargemaster is throwing some odd chargers. I plug in the value I want, it runs till its the correct charge and beeps showing that its thrown a correct charge. However, if I let it go through its cycle of telling me the charge count number it will then show a charge weight of either higher or lower. I did watch to make sure NO powder accidentally fell in the pan and I did not see any. It does have the straw mod.

For example W 45.0 gr -> CT = 87 -> 45.6 or 44.3

Any ideas?

 

[Mark M.]

I don't know how long you had the machine but are you letting it warm up properly

 

[bored184]

I don't know how long you had the machine but are you letting it warm up properly

I have....I have been using it the last two hours or so as well.

 

[TIMO]

How often due you recalibrate with your check weights, when I do a large batch I recalibrate about every 30 to 50 rounds. Not sure if it makes a big difference. I have tweaked the settings on my Charge Master, which I think has helped.

Tim

 

[Stumpy1]

You might try a wipedown of the entire machine, pan and all with a NEW dryer sheet. When mine goes flaky like that, a quick wipedown fixes it.

Can't hurt, might help,

Frank

 

[dickn52]

Turn off the fluorescent lights.

 

[dcali]

That’s just how it works. It’s how mine works at least. It seems to trigger at a certain weight, but then once it settles it might be a little off. Usually high, as sometimes a few more kernels fall in. Wait for it to go through the cycle to get an accurate weight.

It’s not usually that bad though. Mine is normally very close to the desired weight if not spot on

 

[Homerange]

I'm currently loading some 308 for tomorrows Palma match and my chargemaster is throwing some odd chargers. I plug in the value I want, it runs till its the correct charge and beeps showing that its thrown a correct charge. However, if I let it go through its cycle of telling me the charge count number it will then show a charge weight of either higher or lower. I did watch to make sure NO powder accidentally fell in the pan and I did not see any. It does have the straw mod.

For example W 45.0 gr -> CT = 87 -> 45.6 or 44.3

Any ideas?

Thoughts:
Do you have another similar 308 load saved in the CM for it to report 2 different weights ?
Might be an idea to search through its saved loads and delete ones you no longer use.

 

[Joel Dubose]

I'm currently loading some 308 for tomorrows Palma match and my chargemaster is throwing some odd chargers. I plug in the value I want, it runs till its the correct charge and beeps showing that its thrown a correct charge. However, if I let it go through its cycle of telling me the charge count number it will then show a charge weight of either higher or lower. I did watch to make sure NO powder accidentally fell in the pan and I did not see any. It does have the straw mod.

For example W 45.0 gr -> CT = 87 -> 45.6 or 44.3

Any ideas?

I ran into alot of the same issues with mine. I didn't have time to read through this post to see what everybody else has written but I just want to tell you what I found. For one the machine is made out of plastic. I was getting a lot of static electricity. I could see it when I was weighing cases. If I even got the case near the scale it (not touching) it would show added weight. I used a fresh dryer sheet and wipe the entire machine down and the problem was solved. The reason that it shows a higher weight after it shows you the load number is because it is had time for the scales to settle out after it stopped adding powder. What I have been doing is setting my charge wait a little bit low and then I trickle up to it manually. I've gotten to where I could load very accurately with that machine I'm using the RCBS Lite.

 

[bored184]

Thanks for all the input. I usually recalibrate before each session and I don't have any charges saved in it. I did buy it used. I noticed that I only had this issues when I took it with me to work. SHH, dont tell anyone I reload while I'm at work, Haha. There are a number of fluorescent lights and the air was dry that day making static an issue. I'll get things back on my bench this evening and give it a good wipe down with a dryer sheet and see if the problem still persists.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Keep the cell phone far away and use anti static dryer sheets. According to where you work you could have electric motors ran from the same panel and thatll give you fits.

 

[Twoboxer]

That’s just how it works. It’s how mine works at least. It seems to trigger at a certain weight, but then once it settles it might be a little off. Usually high, as sometimes a few more kernels fall in. Wait for it to go through the cycle to get an accurate weight.

It’s not usually that bad though. Mine is normally very close to the desired weight if not spot on

To expand on this a little, there is a parameter in the Chargemaster programming that sets the amount of time the dispenser will wait until the scale's weight settles, ie, is considered final. Unfortunately the default for the slowest speed appears to be 128ms and the max it can be set for is 255ms (a quarter of a second). That causes two problems when the scale flutters under noise.

damoncali described the first issue. The second occurs when a bolus of powder falls from the tube and strikes the pan with its falling velocity, and causes the scale to think it has hit the charge weight target. If the scale were allowed to fully settle, it would find the weight to be low. The dispenser will not trickle more after this event.

So you can get highs and lows from this (in addition to other reasons), and they get worse the more your scale is affected by environmental factors, including intermittent noise.

 

[cw308]

I had a problem three yours back , it worker great for 15+ years , called RCBS they said it was out of warranty so I had nothing to loose by removing those void labels and opening and removing the scale cover . Remover a few grains of IMR 4064 that were laying on the circuit boards . Put the cover back and it's working good . I'm sure your loading in the same area , not doing anything different . Something's going on with your scale. I double check my charges with the GemPro 250 scale right next to the 1500 , that's for my rifle 308 benchrest loads , only the 1500 for pistol .

 

[divingin]

Have you tweaked the parameters for fast, medium, and trickle rates?

If you don't it's fairly normal for the dispenser portion to overrun the measurement portion, and you get wacky throws. Setting them is kind of a tradeoff between speed and accuracy. Setting the trickle portion longer and the medium rate shorter should improve accuracy, at the expense of speed.

 

[Homerange]

I haven't bothered tweaking the settings even though I have all the info to do so, instead to get more consistent throws fitted a bush to the dispense tube that also slows the dispense time.
The well known McD's straw method helps with a more consistent dispense but as it offers zero restriction within the tube it might benefit from a settings change.

 

[Zero333]

Most of the time I use Anti-Static spray on the table where the chargemaster sits, where I sit, and the floor all around.
Then wipe the machine inside and out with a dryer sheet.
Installed a ferrite choke on the CM's power cord.
The extension the chargemaster is plugged into is a high end cord shielded and weatherproof. I paid around $ 30 for the 12' foot extension.

 

[Zero333]

Besides once in a while changing the programing settings,... I change the size of the straws inlet opening depending on the type of powder I plan to dispense. This alone makes a HUGE difference on how accurate the throws are, and never again have an over charge.

For ball powders I use a small opening. For stick powders I use a bigger opening and tweak it as need be. See the pics for clarification...





And this is how the straw mouth looks like in my ChargeMaster.

 

[Jeff A]

My Chargemaster has failed more than once, here's my cure:

1. Remove the powder
2. Turn the unit over and remove the feet
3. Separate the 2 modules
4. Spray the connector with contact cleaner
5. Re-assemble

 

[bored184]

Went to load some 308 again last night at home and I still had the same issue. I took it apart and cleaned it, wiped it down with an new dryer sheet and watched it carefully to see what was going on. After watching it I got to the point I could spot an overthrow before the scale registered it. I need to restrict the trickle flow because the last trickle can sometime throw more kernels then expected. That being said, it does take a awhile to rezero, if it does rezero, after I dump the powder and place it back in the scale.

The powder is question is Varget and I used check weights after zeroing to make sure its measuring correctly.

I am going to get my regular unsweetened tea from McDonalds today with an unusual amount of straws.

 

[Homerange]

Went to load some 308 again last night at home and I still had the same issue. I took it apart and cleaned it, wiped it down with an new dryer sheet and watched it carefully to see what was going on. After watching it I got to the point I could spot an overthrow before the scale registered it. I need to restrict the trickle flow because the last trickle can sometime throw more kernels then expected. That being said, it does take a awhile to rezero, if it does rezero, after I dump the powder and place it back in the scale.

The powder is question is Varget and I used check weights after zeroing to make sure its measuring correctly.

I am going to get my regular unsweetened tea from McDonalds today with an unusual amount of straws.

That's just what I planned when I got my CM but alas here in NZ the McD's straws were to small so I spun up an alloy bush to fit the dispenser tube.
Yep, large extruded powders like Varget will fall in clumps sometimes.............
The LH thread inside the dispenser tube doesn't really help with that either.