Warming up a Charge Master Lite

[pertnear]

I let my CM 1500 warm-up before use. Maybe 10 min to an hour before depending on what I'm fixin' to do at my bench. Can't say as it makes any difference in measuring accuracy(?) I use mine to meter rifle & pistol cartridges, stick & ball powders. I question its usefulness for light pistol loads.

I found a Youtube detailing how to tune the powder dispensing cycle. You can control the speed of the fast dump cycle, when it slows down & when the fine trickle start. But you have to do this each time for certain volumes & powder characteristics. I'd be nice if all the dwell adjustments were automatic & saved along with each load. IDK, maybe the newer more expensive units save the settings(?)

What I find inconvenient is emptying the hopper. The bottom dump cap gets gummed up with small kernels & you have to sort of man-handle everything to get all the powder out. You have to tilt the whole unit & spin the delivery tube to get everything out.

 

[slm9s]

What I find inconvenient is emptying the hopper. The bottom dump cap gets gummed up with small kernels & you have to sort of man-handle everything to get all the powder out. You have to tilt the whole unit & spin the delivery tube to get everything out.

After 10+ years and 2 chargemasters I've never had anything gum up or have to tilt anything?

 

[searcher]

Early on, I found that if I didn't warm mine up, my charges would be just over 1/10th grain different by the time I got about 50 cases filled. Turning on 20 minutes before loading fixed it. My shop doesn't get very cold (maybe down to 55 or 60 degrees), so maybe longer for those in colder climates?

 

[Steve Donlon]

I just got done reloading a batch and remembered why I let it warm up for 1 hour in the winter. I was tired of waiting and started early. The chargemaster was slow. After about 1/2 hour it was up to speed where I did not have to wait between charges. It just kept getting a little faster as it warmed up. It was 65 degrees in my reloading space.

 

[M-61]

This has come up numerous times in the past.
I called RCBS maybe 10 years ago.
They said the only time the Chargemaster needs to be warmed up is if you are moving to a different temperature room. ie: unheated to heated. Additionally they said as with all electrical devices they recommend unplugging ( probably the legal department) it.
Now that I recall it was an email not a phone call. I would have saved their response somewhere.
I do run mine off house current, and do unplug it only because I do feel it does get somewhat warm (converter). Do I unplug my toaster? No. But I’ve never run a test of any sort on the Chargemaster. Just plugged it in and zeroed it, and used it. Additionally I’ve never made any alterations to it all, like speed etc.
See below for RCBS reply:

 

[M-61]

Chuck,
We don't recommend leaving your ChargeMaster left plugged in and turned on as it leaves it susceptible to power surges. We don't specifically advise against it in our instruction manual, but better safe than sorry. Also, along the lines of keeping your ChargeMaster ready to use, do not leave powder stored in the hopper as it will adhere and etch the plastic. It sounds as though you are following the instructions correctly. Hope this helps and thanks for contacting RCBS!

RCBS Tech/AD
Please allow 2-3 weeks for processing and delivery.
Thanks for being an RCBS customer
Happy Reloading!
605 Oro Dam Blvd. E.
Oroville, CA 95965
1-800-379-1732

 

[charlie b]

I agree about the surge protection issue. Two houses I have lived in over the years have lost the neutral in the line. One was a gopher that chewed through an underground line and another was at the entry to the house (it was a 50 yr old house) had loosened the joint connection.

They both resulted in voltage readings in the house spiking (lights would get very bright). We lost several electronic devices to the surges. A couple were the 'bricks' for smaller items, but, also lost a computer power supply as well as a monitor. The controller board on the furnace was toasted. Those little bricks for some items get expensive, one was $80 (weird voltage and current rating). We were lucky because we had chosen to put our expensive units on a UPS. The UPS was toasted but the $50,000 of equipment was ok.

 

[pertnear]

After 10+ years and 2 chargemasters I've never had anything gum up or have to tilt anything?

Guess I got a bad one.

 

[AlNyhus]

Mine is always inside....give it about 5 min. warm up time. The Talent Cell battery pack is more consistent than using house current. -Al

 

[SeabeeKen]

I read yesterday that some suggest turning on your Charge Master Lite for 20-30 minutes prior to loading. I had never herd this, is this recommended?
Thanks

YES it is. It was in the directions that came with mine. Id recommend it with ANY electronic scale or balance

 

[c3d4b2]

Calibration tips for digital scales in cold weather - Hunting Age

Ensure accurate readings in winter! Discover expert calibration tips, moisture protection, and cold-weather care for digital scales.

huntingage.com

Understanding How Temperature Affects Digital Scales​

The Science Behind It​

Alright, here’s the simple truth — digital scales are basically tiny computers with very sensitive sensors inside. These sensors, usually called load cells or strain gauges, work by detecting the slightest changes in weight and converting them into an electronic signal.


Now, here’s where temperature plays tricks:

1. When it’s cold, the metal inside the load cell contracts slightly.
2. When it’s warm, it expands.
   This microscopic change can throw off the sensor’s calibration, meaning the same object might weigh slightly more or less depending on the temperature.

Cold air also affects the scale’s internal electronics — the circuits slow down, the LCD screen might lag, and the power supply becomes unstable. It’s like trying to run a marathon in freezing air — everything feels sluggish!

 

[old codger]

I let my Lyman G6 warm up for at least 10 minutes. It is located in climate controlled area. I leave my bench top Pact scale on all the time.

 

[jackieschmidt]

The first thing I do when I get to the range is turn on the ChargeMaster Lite.
By the time I get my flags set and everything else set up, it’s ready to go.

 

[Jayplace]

I read yesterday that some suggest turning on your Charge Master Lite for 20-30 minutes prior to loading. I had never herd this, is this recommended?
Thanks

I believe the 20 min warm up is in the instructions. That seems to apply to most precision scales.

 

[Texas Solo]

I leave my Chargemaster on all the time. Never turn it off.

When I got mine, I turned it off but never unplugged it. After a week or so, it started acting really stupid. It wouldn't calibrate or zero. I unplugged it for 24 hours and it was all good again.