Old Lyman Gen 5 help

[Rocketvapor]

I bought a Lyman Gen 5 dispenser a few months back.
It's almost always within +/- 0.1 grain, typically within about half of that.
I toss a charge (fine ball powder) with it, transfer to my scale (EJ-54D2) and pinch up or down if needed.
Pinching a few granules of SB6.5 doesn't take long.
Question: are there any hidden menu options for tuning/adjustment?

Here's a few charges checked with an analytic force balance scale (A&D ER-182A), readings converted to grains (X 15.43236) then weighed on my EJ-54D2.
This is NOT a normal procedure
ER-182A EJ-54D2
31.9913 31.990
32.0481 32.050
32.0512 32.045
31.9809 31.980
31.9885 31.985
31.9789 31.980
32.0625 32.065
31.9362 31.940
31.9825 31.980
31.9705 31.960 (- 2 counts)

One hand trickled charge that took a few tries, with one count error on EJ-54D

 

[rwj]

Only one I know of is to use the reducer in the end of the drop tube. Ones having a smaller diameter hole than the one provided by Lyman may improve the consistency of the dispensed quantity, but will slow cycle time.

 

[SeabeeKen]

Dont recall any setting in mine. Got rid of mine because it was hard on seals. Bought a RCBS lite which is on a shelf until I get my garage built. Using my beam scales until then.

 

[Rocketvapor]

My old/used Lyman Gen 5 started acting up. Would slow down and sounded like an old truck going up a hill.
Still worked, just didn't sound right. I bought it from a forum member (on another forum) for less than $100.
Came in the original box, and looked NEW. Not complaining as I still feel it was a good deal.
It drops SB6.5 (fine ball powder) to +/- 0.1 grain, no problem and I weigh each charge on a scale and pinch up/down, just sounds like it's struggling at times.
Took it apart and looked the mechanism over. The side seal/bearings were binding.
The rotating shaft is attached with a spring to the motor.
Using a really light lube and a dental pick I applied a little lube (much less than a drop) outside the bearing supports. Moved the shaft in and out a little and ran it Fast and Slow.
Wiped the shaft inside the supports to make sure no lube migrated into the powder space.
Zoom Zoom, runs smooth
Will run it some more to make sure no lube has made it into the chamber.

 

[Rocketvapor]

Looking at Youtube, the Gen 6 seal plate looks the same as the Gen 5.
Lyman says can't supply gen 5 parts and gen 6 seals are out of stock.
Anyone know if they are the same?
Mine is working fine now that I cleaned it but since I mostly use ball powder I expect to have to do this every 500 to 1000 charges.

 

[Scott-ak]

I hate hearing that the Gen 5 is old haha

I find it has several odd programming problems. Try this, set a charge weight, throw it, then press trickle 3 times. Now hit enter to throw another charge. Mine requires recalibrating in order to work again.

I'm in no big hurry and the one thing I would change is the point at which it switches to slow speed when throwing charges. I think if it changed to slow speed sooner it would throw fewer over charges

 

[Rocketvapor]

and a year later
The Lyman Gen 5 that I purchased cheap, second hand still has the slow down issue with fine ball powder getting into the seals, but other than a couple counts of zero drift, holds to +/- 0.1 grain (SD about 0.05 grain) with SB6.5.
It seemed to have a little zero drift requiring a re-zero after an hour or so.
The dispenser just isn't accurate enough for me and I pinch up/down charges on my EJ-54D2.
But the zero drift of the scale (always DOWN) bugged me so I decided to MAP what was happening.

I know the Gen 5 is old, but it still works, and I like experimenting
Over the past few days, I've left it on and monitored what was happening.

Starting with about a 15 minute warmup (from off) I calibrated with the 50 gram cal weight, zeroed, and checked @ 2 grams (ASTM Class 1, cal expired). Initially showed 30.9 grains (2 g=30.864gn), but didn't take long to show 30.8gn. About a hour later it showed 30.7gn. Later that night, 30.6gn. Zeroed, got 30.9gn but after an hour or so 30.8. Next morning after being left on 30.7gn and didn't go lower.
Zeroed again and 30.9gn. NO FURTHER DRIFT DOWN after that. Over the next day I would catch it flicker 30.8gn, but right back to 30.9.


Shut it off and came back later in the day, 1 hour warm up, checked cal-OK, got 30.9gn.
Again, about an hour later 30.8gr and by the end of the day 30.7gn.
Zeroed and left on overnight, 30.9gn. Seems to only drift DOWN and takes a couple of hours and a re-zero to remain stable.

I'm in the middle of another drift test today.
Cold start @ 6AM, 2 hours on, Cal, zero, 2 grams with 30.9gn displayed.
If it clicks down I'll wait and see. Will update if something happens.
8AM Solid 30.9gn Start of drift test.
10AM Solid 30.9gn
High Noon 30.9gn
2PM Still 30.9gn
4PM No change 30.9gn
8PM No change 30.9gn
10PM Down to 30.8gn Could this just be roll over from 30.86gn? Will wait and see.
Midnight Still @ 30.8gn.
2AM Still @ 30.8gn Yes, I'm up late watching OTA TV

 

[Rocketvapor]

Gonna have to load some ammo here soon. Maybe use my manual thrower and let this drift some more.
8AM still @ 30.8gr. A little earlier this morning I did see a flicker to 30.7gr, but bounced back.
Noon Solid 30.7gr.
2PM Solid 30.7gr.
4PM Solid 30.7gr.
6PM Solid 30.7gr.
10PM Drops to 30.6gr.
Midnight, 40 hours and it's still 30.6gr.

Removed the weights and got 0.0 indicated,
1g got 15.3gn (-0.1gn)?
2g got 30.6gn (-0.3gn)
10g got 154.1gn (-0.3gn)
20g got 306.3gn (-0.3gn)
50 g got 771.3gn (-0.3gn)
0g got 0.0
Seems Zero has drifted off by 0.3 grains but still indicated 0.0.
No explanation for the zero error that doesn't show.
Reset zero (not cal) got indications dead on or at most within a count at several weights from 1 to 50g.
1g indicated 15.4gn
2g indicated 30.9gn
50 indicated 771.6 with just a re-zero. Did not re-cal.
Will let it sit until morning, check, zero and charge cases, checking often

Actual weight dispensed doesn't matter that much as I pinch up/down on my digital scale.

Changed check weights to two 1 gram plus a 500mg, 2.5g 38.58 grains.
Scale started off @ 38.6gn and this afternoon clicked down to 38.5gn.
I guess as long as I let it warm up an hour or two, zero and check, the scale will be fine.
Can only guess about this downward drift but can live with it.

 

[Rocketvapor]

Finished playing with zero drift evaluation on the Lyman Gen 5.
Always drifted DOWN, about a count after an hour or two.
Zero still showed zero.
Pressing Zero Always reset.

Charged 25 cases to 31.70grains of SB 6.5 using the Lyman and pinching up or down a few granules on my A&D scale.
Charged 5, zero, charged 5 more, etc.
31.740, 31.700, 31.655, 31.750, 31.685,
31.740, 31.735, 31.610, 31.640, 31.690,
31.660, 31.705, 31.660, 31.680, 31.670,
31.680, 31.610, 31.640, 31.645, 31.630,
31.680, 31.760, 31.740, 31.660, 31.625.
Avg 31.690
Max 31.760gr
Min 31.610gr
ES 0.150gr (+0.060, -0.090)
SD 0.05gr

 

[snert]

I hate hearing that the Gen 5 is old haha

I find it has several odd programming problems. Try this, set a charge weight, throw it, then press trickle 3 times. Now hit enter to throw another charge. Mine requires recalibrating in order to work again.

I'm in no big hurry and the one thing I would change is the point at which it switches to slow speed when throwing charges. I think if it changed to slow speed sooner it would throw fewer over charges

I agree. In fact, when I saw this I actually thought it was a powder THROWER being referred to. The "old" part must be a point of perspective. And here I was hoping to weigh in on something from the 40-50's...