Do I need to calibrate these scales?

robert.c.brown15

Hi All,

I'll be receiving these two scales for xmas. It didn't occur to me until now, but do I need to buy calibration weights for them? Here are the two scales:

http://www.amazon.com/MIRA-Platform-Digital-Kitchen-Display/dp/B005QRWEBK/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

and

http://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-Scales-ACP-200-Digital/dp/B003STEIYY/ref=sr_sp-atf_image_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1387080265&sr=1-1&keywords=aws-200

I was going to purchase this calibration weight:

http://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-Scales-200WGT-Calibration/dp/B002ULILIK/ref=pd_sim_hg_1

Do I need to? Do I need to buy a different weight or another one for the 11lb minimum scale?

Thank you!

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Comments

DiggingDogFarm_65362

"Do I need to?"

If the scales are "off" you do! : )

I bought two 50 g. calibration weights when I bought the AWS-100....total cost about $5.00

Great investment in that you can ensure the accuracy of your scales and the weights will easily last the rest of your life.....and then some.

With the two smaller weights i can check the scale at both 50g. and 100g.

Checking calibration may not be needed at first...it wasn't in my case but what about after using the scale...20, 30, 40, 50 or 100 times?

I think it's a wise investment.

robert.c.brown15

Ok, so you recommend getting two 50g calibration weights. Do I need to calibrate that MIRA scale?
Is it better to calibrate at 50g and 100g?

I'm a prime member and the 50g weights weren't available through my membership. After reading reviews, apparently the company it ships from takes over a month to deliver the weights. I'm not about to wait (ha) that long. I found this that is available to prime members. It is approximately 10 dollars. Thoughts?

http://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-Scales-Calibration-WGHTKIT/dp/B003STEJAC/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1387085588&sr=1-1&keywords=50+gram+calibration+weight

DiggingDogFarm_65362

I'm not familiar with the MIRA scale...I'd look for a manual online and see what's written about calibration.

I think it's best to calibrate with the weight that's closest to the weight of what you'll be weighing the most.

I don't see anything that's obviously wrong with that weight set.

The following is the weight that I bought....I ordered them in March of 2012...they weren't shipped from Hong Kong then...I got them within a week.

Over to the right of the page there's "More buying choices..." one of those places is likely a USofA shipper.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000EG4ITY/ref=pe_175190_21431760_cs_sce_dp_1

robert.c.brown15

Thanks. I can't find anything about the MIRA but I assume that since it has a maximum of eleven pounds I should calibrate mich higher than 100 grams.

Once I calibrate one of the scales to 100 grams I can then measure out a bowel of sugar or something to 100 grams and use that as another weight right? Then I could use the bowl and weights to do up to 200 grams. Then measure out 300 grams of sugar and repeat, going larger and larger. That would work right?

I think I am going with the two 50g weights you recommend since it is only 5 dollars and there is a seller from the USA. But with the MIRA topping out at 5kg I guess I should get maybe an additional 100g weight for a total of 200 grams? And that smaller scale maxes out at 200 grams so I can always calibrate it at the top too. Not sure if I should get a 1 kg weight for that 5 kg scale so that it is closer to the max, or 200 grams would be fine. I know you said I should get around the average of what I plan on weighing, but right now, I have no idea what I plan on weighing. That could probably range from 100 grams to 2 kilograms.

DiggingDogFarm_65362

Seems like the sugar trick should work but I think it's best to get the additional calibration weights.

robert.c.brown15

Alright cool. I'll do that sugar trick for the 5kg scale and still get the two 50g and one 100g weights. I could keep taring ingredients on the 200 gram scale, keeping track of how many 100 grams I put in, and then put that bowl on the 5 kg scale and see how close it is to the 1 kilogram I added up on the 200 gram scale. I hope that works.