Today’s ultimate veterinary scale buyers guide entry is designed to provide you with some insight into purchasing vet scales to weigh everything from little dogs, kittens and rabbits to big dogs and more. There are really several key points you need to consider before making the scale purchase. And since we’ve been recommending vet scales to customers for over forty years, please allow us to provide you with several things to consider…. 

ANIMAL SCALE PLATFORM SIZE

What size weighing platform do you need for weighing animals?  What animals are you going to be weighing?  These are important questions when it comes to buying a veterinary scale. Many vet scales are around 36 to 40 inches long and somewhere near 20 inches wide.  That generally covers most animals like cats and dogs. However, if you’re only weighing kittens or bunnies, then you likely might need something smaller like the VS-11 from Rice Lake or the Vet75 from Detecto. And, likewise if you’re looking to weigh larger animals then you might need to look at the Brecknell PS2000.

VET SCALE POWER REQUIREMENTS

How are you going to power your vet scale?  If you’re just using it your vet clinic, then you can simply plug the weight display into the wall and you’re ready to weigh. But, what if you’re taking the scale on the road to weigh animals in their habitat.  Then, you will likely need some type of battery powered scale. Over the past few years, battery powered weight indicators have become more common in veterinary weighing equipment, so that should not be a problem to source. Of course, there’s always the question of do you prefer rechargeable battery or AA / AAA batteries?  

ANIMAL WEIGHING SCALE MOBILITY

If you’re planning to take your vet scale to different locations or you are looking to move the scale around your animal hospital, then you will need a portable vet scale that is relatively easy to move throughout the building.  Often these types of vet scales will be a little lighter and will have handles on one side and sometimes they will have some wheels built into the scale platform. In this situation, we might recommend the Tree LVS-700 or the Detecto Vet550 for portable animal weighing.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Vet scales are available from various manufacturers these days. We strongly suggest that you stick with the reputable brands that both you and your scale company trust. You know the names… Detecto, Brecknell, Rice Lake, & Weighsouth to name a few.

Remember, as we’ve discussed before, there are always cheaper imported products being dumped into the market every year but they often aren’t as durable AND they often lack the manufacturer support or spare parts capability that are necessary for long term use. In many situations, we recommend the Weighsouth VS-2501 vet scale.  If you need assistance choosing the right vet scale for your application, be sure to contact the sales team by phone or by completing the RFQ form.

Today we’re going to look at the subject of industrial scale maintenance. Generally, there are a couple of different types of industrial scale maintenance available. Scheduled, where your scale company comes out and checks your scales on a regular basis. Or, Unscheduled, aka… we’ll call you when it breaks. As for industrial scales, those are basically things like crane scales, pallet scales, bench scales and truck scales. So, let’s take a look at the two types of scale maintenance. 

Scheduled Scale Maintenance

Scheduled scale maintenance is sometimes referred to as preventive maintenance. We try to avoid calling it preventative because while there are a few things you can possibly prevent or catch before it becomes a big deal, there are a lot of scale issues you really can’t prevent. That being said, often scheduled scale service is a good idea at certain intervals because it helps to make sure your scales are accurate as much as possible and it can help facilitate things like having your scale cleaned regularly which often goes together with consistent accuracy and increased equipment lifespan.

The scheduled scale service intervals are usually a collaboration between your scale company; (hopefully that is or will be Central Carolina Scale), and yourself. These intervals are typically monthly or quarterly but can also be other time frames depending on what you and the scale technician decide. Scheduled scale maintenance hopefully keeps your scales accurate year round, minimizes any downtime, and can possibly even extend the weighing equipment lifespan in certain situations, like greasing a mechanical truck scale. 

These scheduled visits are also often referred to as service agreements. And, they usually offer the customer a discounted labor and mileage fee.

Unscheduled Scale Maintenance

Some customers for whatever reason do not want to commit to a service schedule at certain intervals. So, they essentially only call us whenever they have a break down. This can sometimes save them money throughout the year. But, when the scale breaks, they are now experiencing downtime while waiting for a scale technician to arrive, troubleshoot and fix the scale issue. We hope this is a short time but it can sometimes be a long wait. What if the service schedule is already full?  Most scale companies prioritize their service agreement customers. And of course any scale service or repairs performed will be charged at the standard price level. Therefore, we highly recommend that most customers have their scales checked on a regular interval.

Industrial Scale Maintenance Overall Recommendations

We’ve been repairing and calibrating industrial scales since Reagan took office and there are a few recommendations we suggest that most companies consider. First, find a scale company that you like and trust. (Hopefully they are located on this webpage : )  Discuss your scale usage and calibration intervals with them. Then put a service agreement in place so you can have your scales checked regularly, save a little on rates, reduce downtime and increase accuracy. This will hopefully help you to experience minimal downtime in your business. We also suggest discussing with your scale company what replacement scale parts they stock and what parts they suggest that you stock on your shelf.

One nice feature of working with us at Central Carolina Scale is that we offer a wonderful asset management software that allows us to provide you with not just online scale calibration certificates, but an overall history of your scales performance over time. Most of our local competitors can’t offer that. They just offer an online scale cal cert that they can store online or email to you. On the other hand, our weighing data acts essentially like a mix of maintenance records and historical data on each of your scales, helping you make better decisions about your scales.

At Central Carolina Scale, we always are working on improving our service and calibration offerings. We are always trying to learn about the different scale indicators and controllers available from various scale manufacturers. We focus our attention completely on scales and weighing equipment. While others are working with everything from material handling pallet racks to color testing to airbags…. we focus all our attention to scales and weighing equipment. 

So, when it comes to buying or servicing industrial scales in North Carolina, be sure to contact Central Carolina Scale for the best product knowledge and service around. You can call us at (919) 776-7737 or complete the RFQ form on our website for more info today. 

In this entry I am going to take a look at what I consider to be the top choices for wheelchair scales which are used at doctors offices, hospitals, and even could be used by patients at home or in assisted living environments.

Of course, right off the bat I want to emphasize quality. Sure, you can probably find some imported wheelchair scale made in China for a low price on the internet. However, the odds are the quality and durability and longevity of that item would likely not match what you’re going to find from reputable wheelchair scale manufacturers like Detecto, Healthweigh, Seca, Doran Medical and HealthOMeter Professional.

Top quality wheelchair scales are designed to assist medical personnel in weighing patients who are in wheelchairs. At CCS we offer wheel chair scales that are stationary, portable, and we even have some that are wall-mounted. All of these medical grade weight scales can be used in a wide variety of healthcare locations.

Generally, many of our wheelchair scale models include features like extra-grip matting for patient safety and easy to read weight displays. Many of the scales have dual ramps for easy access from multiple directions. Some of the wheelchair scales also have handrails and seating to provide extra assurance to overweight or elderly patients when trying to gather a weight reading. In today’s modern world of communications, many of our medical scales offer EMR output of patient data for electronical recordkeeping. 

So you’re probably wondering what are my top picks for wheelchair scales?  Let’s take a look below.

Best Wall Mount Wheelchair Scale System

In many hospitals or doctors offices, a patient in a wheelchair is only going to happen a few times a week. The majority of patients will be able to use a standard medical scale with handrail.

So, it can make a lot of sense to purchase a wall mount wheel chair scale to maximize walkway space.

The top wall mounted wheelchair scale in my opinion is the the Detecto 7550. It features a unique fold-up storage design that saves space when it’s not being used to weigh a patient. It can be installed directly in high-traffic areas and work zones and fold up when done weighing without using up valuable floor space.

A scale like this allows wheelchair bound patients the opportunity to weigh in open common areas instead of backrooms or closets. The wall-mount scale stores easily out of the way and aesthetically blends into any environment for a more efficient workflow. The 7550 easily accommodates most wheelchairs, and yet requires very little floor space when folded up.

Another great feature of the 7550 is Bluetooth 5.0 / Wi-Fi are included standard for wireless connectivity with EMR/EHR systems. And, the modern gray color allows the 7550 scale to integrate into any healthcare environment. The 7550 features a 1000 x 0.2 lb capacity, touch-screen LCD weight display, 36″ x 32″ weighing platform and sturdy steel construction for everyday durability.

The 7550 includes a digital weight indicator that features a smartphone like touchscreen LCD that allows you to enter up to 8 digit patient ID numbers that can be sent along with patient weight data to EMR systems via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth 5.0. The 7550 display is a 3.2″ full color TFT with 320 x 240 resolution for easy-to-read text explanations of various functions and large, vivid weight readouts. The integrated full-color, touchscreen LCD offers wheelchair tare weight mode to remove wheelchair weights and factor patient weight (pushbutton and keypad tare). We recommend using the scale on hard floor surfaces.

Best of all, the 7550 slim 7 inch profile takes up minimal space when installed in a medical facility hallway, clinical office, long-term care center, or nursing home. When a wheelchair bound patient needs their weight checked, you simply lower the platform and the gas spring lifting mechanism will gently lower it into place. The 7550 1 1/2 inch high platform is very low to the ground making it fairly easy for the patient to roll on the scale.

Best Portable Wheelchair Scale System

If you’re not interested in mounting a scale to your wall, then perhaps a portable wheelchair scale will make more sense. Anytime a wheelchair bound patient needs to get a weight check, you simply roll the wheelchair scale out and carefully set the scale down and proceed.

That’s what can be done with the Healthweigh RL-350-6 Dual-Ramp Portable Bariatric Wheelchair Scale. This item features integrated handles and wheels for easy transport. The dual ramps make it very easy to roll on and roll off the large stable scale platform. The system features a nice robust weight display with large 1-inch LCD weight display for easy reading of a patient weight. It also includes unit of measure toggle or locking, Motiontrap movement compensation technology, EMR capable, Serial and USB data communication ports, a tare function, hold function and BMI (body mass index) function.

One concern with a system like this is the fact that the scale will be stored on its side and will be rolled on the side using the wheels. Then when you actually need to use the scale, it will need to be carefully placed down on the four load cell feet.  This is where potential problems could occur if one person tries to do this and it’s too heavy and the scale gets dropped. Therefore, I would recommend that two people attempt to set this RL-350-6 scale down gently as to not shock load any of the load cells.

I also have to give an honorable mention to the HealthOMeter 2400KL portable wheelchair scales.

The HOM 2400KL is the perfect portable scale for locations where occasional wheelchair-bound patients need to be weighed. The scale folds easily and requires minimal room for storage. The scale includes a handle and wheels for easy portability.

The 2400KL also features EMR Connectivity, so the scale can interface with a computer, EMR software, or other electronic devices via various Health o meter Professional Connectivity Solutions.

The 2400KL features a scale indicator that can be mounted nearby on a wall or simply placed on a table for easy viewing. The scale also features adjustable tracks. Wheelchair rails expand and adjust from 25 3/4″ to to 50 1/8″ to accommodate all standard and bariatric wheelchairs.

Best Stationary / Permanent Installation Wheel Chair Scale

If you have the available floor space in your medical clinic, sometimes it can make really good sense to just buy a large stationary scale and not have to worry about rolling a scale in and out of a closet or mounting a scale to a wall.

There are several really nice stationary wheelchair scales available from our medical scale suppliers. But I feel the Healthweigh SB-1150 Summit Bariatric Wheelchair Scale is the best overall choice. This has a lot to do with its heavy-duty mild steel construction. This is a scale that is built to last you for many years.

The Summit SB-1150 Healthweigh bariatric wheelchair scale provides medical clinics outstanding weighing accuracy and overall performance in environments where typical wheelchair scales are not large enough to meet patient needs. With its large 3×3 weighing platform and easy-access ramp, the heavy duty Summit SB-1150 accommodates wheelchairs without sacrificing overall safety. The scale weight platform and access ramp are equipped with a non-skid rubber surface and the raised guide rails on three sides provide an extra sense of security. Convenient keypad tare on the scale controller reduces errors and increases overall efficiency.

The SB-1150 features a single ramp and 36″ x 36″ metal nonslip weighing platform with 1000 pound max capacity. The digital weight indicator is a good overall size and features an easy to read 1 inch LCD display. The scale controller also includes Motiontrap movement compensation technology along with unit of measure toggle or locking. The indicator is EMR capable with serial and USB data communication ports and Bluetooth BLE 4.0 available. This scale also includes Tare, Hold, and BMI functions. Best of all it’s factory calibrated at the top notch Rice Lake scale factory.

For heavy duty permanent style wheelchair scales, we also like the Detecto 6495, Doran Medical DS9100, and the HealthOMeter 2650KL.

I hope this overview on the top wheelchair scale choices to consider has been helpful. There is no question with an aging population in the US, medical scales will continue to play an important role in everyone’s life. Keep in mind there are A LOT of wheelchair scales out there on the market. Each wheelchair scale manufacturer has multiple versions available. I picked my favorites but you may have other features that are more important for your particular situation. So, if you need assistance or product recommendations, we are just a phone call away (919) 776-7737 or you can complete our RFQ form for fast response.

Of course we provide scales to a lot of customers throughout central North Carolina. But we also provide scales and weighing equipment to many customers throughout the United States as well. So we know and understand many of the challenges that consumers deal with when they are looking to purchase a scale online.

With sites like ebay, amazon and lots of scale websites… customers have many options to choose from. But when it comes to buying scales online, it can really pay to take your time and do your homework before making an impulse buying decision.

Naturally the top factor that many customers consider is price. But the problem with that is many times manufacturers (mostly from overseas) can literally cut every corner possible to make something cheaper, and cheaper, and cheaper. We have seen this happen with certain items. 

Are you looking to purchase a scale?  If so, we suggest you contact our sales department first!  Let us know what you’re looking to do and what your budget is and we can try to assist. Ok, here are the top five questions to ask yourself before purchasing a scale online. 

What is the Weighing Application?  

What are you looking to use the scale for?  That’s another way to word it. Sometimes it can be straightforward choosing a scale. For example, you’re selling strawberries at the farmers market and therefore you need a legal for trade price computing scale. 

However, there are many times where customers think they know what scale to purchase and then they talk to us for a few minutes and voila they now have a completely different scale choice. And, believe it or not, many times it’s either the same price or a little less expensive.

Anytime this subject is brought up I always think back to a customer who contacted us and thought he had to purchase a stainless steel floor scale which cost several thousand dollars. Turns out, in his particular application, all he needed was a painted steel scale with stainless steel components which was thousands of dollars less!

We deal with scales and weighing equipment daily. We are entrenched in the scale business!  We know the products. We know which scale indicators are the best. We know which scale platforms are the best. We know which scales are generally the most reliable. We know which scale equipment is the most cost effective. We know these things because we’ve seen these products out in the field for ten or twenty years!  The big mega websites don’t have that experience. All they know are sku’s and part numbers. Best of all, our advice is no charge. All you need to do is contact us.  (919) 776-7737  

What is the Scale Environment?

Anytime you are looking to purchase a weight scale, you need to determine what environment the scale will be located in. This is very important especially if the scale will be in either a hazardous area or a washdown area. So, be sure to know where the scale will be utilized before making the purchase.

Scale Specs?  Capacity x Readability?  Platform Size?  Power Choices?

One of the most important considerations when purchasing an electronic scale is the maximum amount of weight you can place on the scale. This is also known as the maximum capacity. Likewise, the readability is very important as well. These two numbers are connected. In most industrial style large capacity scales, the scales can only display 5000 graduations. So a scale would typically be rated for 5000 x 1 lb. For example, if you are in the market for a 10,000 lb capacity scale for weighing pallets, the maximum capacity will be 10,000 lb and the readability will likely be 2 lb.  

Another very important factor when picking out a scale to buy is the scale platform size. You need to look at the items you are looking to weigh and make sure they will fit on the scale platform. 

When it comes to powering your scale, most scales are powered by standard 110 VAC power. However, a good number of scales either come standard or offer as an accessory a rechargeable battery option.

One more specification to consider is the display. Do you want a black display with bright red or yellow numbers?  Or, do you want a scale display with gray background and black digits? This can vary depending on preference and also where you will be using the scale. For example are you using the scale in a warehouse or outside in the sun?

Scale Certification Choices?

A lot of scales that you see online don’t include any approvals. However, if you are planning to buy or sell based on the weight you see on your scale, then it is either required or highly recommended that you use a scale system that is NTEP approved. Items that are NTEP certified have a CoC# stamped somewhere on the enclosure. You can also look them up in the NCWM database. Be sure to check with your state weights and measures regarding your local legal for trade weighing requirements.

Now, if you’re dealing with washdown and food prep scenarios then you might need to look at scales that feature NSF certification. NSF engages in the rigorous testing, auditing, and certification of an array of products and services. The NSF mark serves as an emblem of assurance, signifying to consumers, retailers, and regulatory bodies that our certified products meet or exceed requisite standards.

Do You Need Any Other Features like Printers or Sending Data to the Computer?

One often overlooked feature of scales is the ability to connect them to either a label printer or a computer. However, this often takes a little bit of planning and/or additional thought and programming, in most cases it can be done. However, this works best when it’s brought up during the initial quoting process. 

Well there you have it, the top five questions to consider before purchasing a scale online. It’s actually more than five questions but oh well…. Hopefully these questions have helped you think about your particular weighing application. Remember we are just a phone call or RFQ form away. Remember, we understand the idea of just ordering the scale online and being done with your buying task…  But do yourself a favor and consult with the scale experts at Central Carolina Scale. You’ll likely come out ahead by spending a little time with our weighing equipment experts and maybe even save a little money.