So I had a set of these first, which were fine for a couple of weeks, then they started not registering drops of concentrate. I’d put like 5-10 drops in a bottle on them and it would stay at 0.00g, so they got returned to Amazon.
Now I have these ones, which seem ok for now but I intend on getting something better at some point.
I’ve been eyeing up some AWS LB-501’s, which I’ve read are the go-to scales for DIY’ers but they are very hard to source in the UK. I see them on the US Amazon site but with import tax etc they end up quite expensive. Are these scales all they are cracked up to be?
From memory, with an empty bottle, I don’t think 1 drop move’s it off ‘0’. If you run into that…needing a small dose…just add it on top of your VG/PG before zeroing/taring the scale out. I don’t know if I explained that very well
You explained it fine. This is what I’m having to do with the scales I have now. They have a 200g max though so I’m putting the nic in first then adding the concentrates to that. Obviously not the best way but when I’m mixing a 250ml bottle, it goes way past the 200g limit of the scales if I put the VG in first.
Yeah, I’m getting there with the FLV flavours. It seems one drop is 0.02g. It’s a bit of a nightmare when you need say, 1.20g of one flavour in there though and you start counting drops.
More than once, I’ve been squeezing drops from a bottle, released the pressure and watched a ton more drops piss out the end without me even doing anything lol. Not good.
I was skeptical of this amount of accuracy as well. I use the same scales that @whthek showed and have for 4 years with no problems.
At some point I changed to add PG first to the bottle so there was a bit of weight in the bottle before adding flavours. Probably not necessary but put my mind at ease.
@Illogik I second the LB-501, and it’s the ONLY scale I use. Soo much so that I have spares, JUST in case.
NOW, as far as the resolution aspect. Scales (for the most part) are either very high resolution, OR, have a high end upper weight limit. The LB has both basically. a 500g limit, and a resolution of 0.01g. If you are working soley with ultra concentrates, and in small bottles, wherein you expect to always need very small amounts, you could look for a 0.001g scale, but the upper limit will be MUCH lower.
Even using Ultras, and 10ml testers, the LB has never let me down. I CAL it almost daily, and is stupidly easy with the two included weights. AND, the scale has an AC transformer, which should be a MUST for any serious mixers, as many scales are battery only, and wait until you’re in the middle of a big queue, and it powers down on you !!!
I’ve had mine fluctuate when the air conditioning kicks on, and I had to re-direct the vent, so that’s pretty sensitive.
@whthek that’s a good explanation. @Illogik, if you need a VERY small amount (single drop) to register, you can add a bigger ingredient first, THEN, without taring, then add your drop and it will register always.
Example, you need to add 10g of PG, and you also need a 0.02g single drop of a flavor. You add the 10g of PG, then, you do NOT tar the scale, and add the single drop, which will change the reading from 10.00g to 10.02g.
And THAT is an issue. Going past your limit, basically means you needa a different, higher limit scale. Not only will the readings be off, but you can damage a scale if it’s used past it’s limit consistently.
