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Power Protection For Electric Scales?

Only you can answer that. Are you having static issues? I would only do it if necessary. Its yet another path in for lightning. Id put it on a plug and only use it while using the scale
no static issues and I only plug it in while I'm using it (well, I plug it in about 8 hrs before using it). ignorant of "line conditioning", will google it though:)
 
so do I need to use the screw on the back of my scale?
Yes that screw is the ground screw. See attached photos (plus I have an anti-static mat grounded as well)

I have my line conditioner down below that my scale is plugged into but you can’t really see it in the photo.
 

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Especially if you are wanting to protect a $500-$1000 balance, the best unit would be a UPS. A small UPS can be purchased from Amazon for around $40 and that will give you about a 350Watt unit which means some of your other electronics can be supplied from it also. These units are designed to supply power during a power outage and contain a re-chargeable battery and an inverter to convert the battery DC to the 110V AC needed by most powered devices. This is about as good isolation you can find.
 
It's only this complicated if you want it to be lol.

Makes me wonder whether folks have surge protectors on their refrigerators, stoves, washers, dryers etc.

Not much electronics in those. And in any case, appliances that use other than line voltage have their own power supply built-in.

For refrigerators, stoves, etc that use line voltage, a surge is less likely to take out a motor than an IC chip.
 
Not much electronics in those. And in any case, appliances that use other than line voltage have their own power supply built-in.

For refrigerators, stoves, etc that use line voltage, a surge is less likely to take out a motor than an IC chip.
From personal experience I can assure you that a surge taking out the control electronics in a washer, dryer, oven, dishwasher, furnace, hot water heater, etc results in a very expensive repair. Can easily cost enough to make re-purchase a better deal than re-pair.

To your point, the motors will likely be fine.

My point was it's not too difficult to (eg) unplug the scale. Most of us have got more expensive things that we won't unplug that are left unprotected.

Whole house surge protectors are (IMO) the first thing to install.
 
What I'm currently using is a GFCI Shock Shield plug adapter manufactured by Southwire part#90349H. They plug into a 120vac wall outlet and then the device to be protected plugs into it. At the slightest fault the adapter trips breaking power to whatever is plugged into it. You have to manually reset the device to restore power to whatever is protected. They are not shown on Southwires website and seem to be hard to find. I just bought 4 last month, they were about 18.00 after tax & shipping. We live in the country and have suffered a lot of high dollar damage without them. I think the reason they are hard to find is to many people used them on refrigerators and such only to come home from work to find their ice cream melted. Best Buy here in town used to sell them. As with anything mechanical you always cross your fingers and hope for the best.

Surge protectors just won't give you the protection you are looking for.
 
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