In today’s article, we’re going to take a look at one of the subjects that we have discussed over the past few years several times….

Hey, my scale isn’t working. What should I do first? 

Obviously, it can be frustrating when a scale stops working or doesn’t work right out of the box. So what should you do when your scale isn’t working? Here is what we suggest.

First, slow down and take a moment and look over the scale. Make sure everything looks correct. Read over the operators manual (last resort, of course). Perhaps your issue is as simple as an overload stop, which is designed to protect load cells during shipping, has not been unscrewed. 

Depending on what type scale it is, there are a few things to look for. Make sure the power cord is securely plugged into the wall outlet. Is the scale level? If it’s a platform scale, is the cable connected from the digital display to the platform? Are there any cuts in the cable?

Believe it or not, turning an electronic scale off and waiting a couple of minutes, and then plugging the scale back into the wall will solve the problem more times than you think.

We work on a lot of commercial weighing scale systems, and they oftentimes are utilized in some rough environments. Unfortunately, dust, dirt and debris can build up in and around those industrial scales. When this happens, the scale may not read accurately or be able to settle on a certain weight amount. The display may show up and down weight fluctuations in the weight reading. or it might even display an error code on the weight indicator. So, if you are able to  check around or under your scale, that can be a good first step. Often if your scale is binding, you will see materials or dirt packed under the weigh bridge or near load cell stands.

We’ve seen floor scales that were pushed up against a wall and not weighing correctly. The solution was simply moving the scale away from the wall.

Hopefully something in the paragraphs above helped you out.  If not, your particular issue could be something else and you may have to get a factory trained scale technician to diagnose and fix. We recommend that you contact a local scale company who can diagnose the trouble. If you’re in Central North Carolina and need scale repair, please contact us by calling (919) 776-7737 or you can complete the form on our website.