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Reuben Heaton 4000 specimen hunter dial scales weighing oddly?


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Hello all.

 

I very recently bought a set of Reuben Heaton 4000 specimen hunter 30lb x 1/2oz divisions (not the cheap fly weights, these have a RRP of £99) and I am not exactly thrilled at first use. Here's what happens...

 

I have got some Avery weights at home weighing 1lb 2lb and 4lb, I place a weigh sling onto my new Reubens and zero the scales.

 

I then add the 1lb weight and it registers as 15 1/2oz (1/2oz light)

 

So I try the 2lb weight, (I am really OCD making sure the scales are absolute zero) with the 2lb weight the scales register at 1lb 15 1/2oz (again 1/2 light, not a big deal but if this was a roach?)

 

Then I try the 4lb weight, this one does read at 4lb approx...

 

So combined total weight for the 3 individual weights is 6lb 15oz approx. (1oz light)

 

I then weigh all 3 together, and the reading I would expect is 6lb 15oz... but no, the reading I get is 7lb 1/2oz (that is 1 1/2oz different to the individual readings).

 

So either the scales are weighing some of the individual weights incorrectly or it is weighing the 3 combined incorrectly.

 

Yes I know its only 1/2 oz in most cases BUT in the final weighing the difference is 1 1/2oz and at 7lb on top of the range dial scales this cannot be seen as acceptable?

 

What are your thoughts and what would you suggest?

 

Thank you for reading.

 

 

 

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Take them back and get a replacement or a refund

Edited by wotnobivvy

The two best times to go fishing are when it's raining and when it's not

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First thought is that they are a spring-balance set, no? ... in which case, unfortunately, any variation in temperature can and will affect a reading. PITA, I know - I'd call RH direct (as they may be performing within the accepted spec for the scales) - if not, return and replace - and at that price I'd highly recommend the Fox digitals - had mine almost 7 years now; still on same set of batteries, still spot-on ... checked each year by a mate whose job it is to do such stuff 'officially' at govenment offices etc, and they've never needed any form of recalibration at in since new!

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Here's an update.

 

I have just got off the phone to Reuben Heaton and after a 20+ minute conversation with one of their guys I am happy with the performance of these scales.

 

Basically I was told that all the 4000 series of scales are 'accurate' to within 1 division of the scales capacity, in my case this is 1/2oz at all readings. If you own a set of 60lb x 1oz division specimen hunter then your scales are 'accurate' to within 1oz +/- of the read out and the weights used to calibrate the scales are very expensive known weights, but this is not to say that your scales are approximate, they are the most 'accurate' on the market available for fishing purposes BUT they do have a tolerance of 1 division across all measurements, this is as good as it gets and is a higher standard than they legally need to be so he assured me.

 

So taking all of that into account I accept that whilst my scales might be showing as 1/2oz light on some readings they are within tolerance and as good as they can be expected to be. They will not be more than 1/2oz out at any reading.

 

You might weigh a 2lb weight on your scales and it might weigh 2lb approx, this does not mean that your scales will show all weights as approx, it just happens that the 2lb weight fell into the tolerance bracket slap bang middle, it could just as easily been +/- its division and more than likely will be at various other readings, but this should be seen as acceptable, and it is.

.

So ok that all sounds very obvious when you think about it but to someone like me who expected their expensive scales to be 'bang on the money' it just is not the case, and this is directly from the horses mouth.

 

 

PS: yes sorry for not answering, these scales are dial

 

PPS: To anyone who ever says 'my scales are bang on' I would now say this, they might well be, but in the case of them being Reuben Heaton scales they are only accurate to within tolerance of 1 division of the scales capacity (1/2oz - 1oz - 2oz - 4oz) and you cannot expect them to be better than that as it is just not possible. So anyone looking to buy new scales should bare this in mind before making a purchase.

 

If you weigh a 20lb pike on a 1/2oz division set the fish will weigh somewhere between 19lb 15 1/2oz - 20lb 1/2oz, yet if you weigh the same fish on a set of 2oz division scales the weight would be between 19lb 14oz - 20lb 2oz... and yet both sets of scales are within their respective tolerances of 1 division and therefore as 'accurate' as they can be. 1 set has a 1oz swing +/- 1/2oz and the other set has a 4oz swing +/- 2oz.

 

It should be said that other scales companies tolerances may well be more than one division, so whilst it may seem like I am knocking Reubens, I am not, I think to be within 1 division at all weights is actually pretty good the more I think about it, and knowing this now I am glad I bought the 1/2oz division and not the 1oz division.

 

Hope this helps.

Edited by EdgbastonBreamBasher
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Yes this was discussed by Reubens over the phone, however Andrew my intitial concern was not so much what the individual results were from my avery weights it was that when I add the total up and then weigh all 3 weights together the 2 totals did not match. However, when all 3 weights are weighed together they do fall to within 1/2oz (1 divisision) of the scales tolerance, so this is now understood to be acceptable performance. Individually 2 of my avery weights were weighed as 1/2oz light but collectively they were 1/2oz heavy and whilst I couldn't understand how this could be if the scales were weighing correctly they were actually within 1/2oz of the total and/or 1 division tolerance.

 

They do offer a service to calibrate individuals weights IE my set of averys by means of adding lead where necessary for example and this would be done to a very high standard but this was only in general conversation and not spoken about as an interested option, the cost of such service was upwards of £60-70 I believe, to anyone interested.

Edited by EdgbastonBreamBasher
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So If you have caught a 2lb 14oz Roach and you really want a 3lber just keep weighing it on different scales until you get one. :doh:

Let's agree to respect each others views, no matter how wrong yours may be.

 

 

Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity

 

 

 

http://www.safetypublishing.co.uk/
http://www.safetypublishing.ie/

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That would only work if you was using 2oz division scales as using a set of 1/2oz division would have the fish registered as either 2lb 13 1/2oz - 2lb 14oz or 2lb 14 1/2oz.... I know its not ideal but its how it is, and using a quality set of scales helps to keep the tolerances closer to each other and helps eliminate any 'outrageous' readings and a higher degree of 'accuracy' can be achieved.

 

This is only true with the Reuben Heaton 4000 series and whilst I cannot comment in great length on the tolerance of other sets of scales, however the fly weights I would 'guess' are accurate at some weights but more commonly out by more than 1 division at other weights, in some cases more than 2, 3 even 4 divisions. I do own a set of flyweights and mine weigh inconsistently at higher weights being 4oz heavy at 20lb... which is 4 divisions and unacceptable. (I have got the 40lb x 1oz set). They do weigh quite close at up to 12lb however. These were tested against my recently purchased 1/2oz division Reubens which I accept should be far more accurate across all weights.

 

On the subject of other sets of scales, some food for thought, a roach weighing just 1.14 could be seen as a 2lb roach on an England set of 60lb x 2oz division scales and on your mates set of the same England 60lb x 2oz that 1.14 roach could weigh just 1.12... you might think one set of scales is weighing 4oz out whereas in reality they might both be doing what they are supposed to be doing and perfectly within their respective tolerances.

 

Equally a legitimate 20lb 1oz pike weighed on some 2oz division scales could be registered as 19lb 15oz on the same scales which for some would be heart break.

 

How long can you expect your expensive set of scales to perform how they was intended? Reuben Heaton told me 5 years is about right for their sets, after which time they will still continue to give years of perfect use but you might look into getting them serviced thereafter.

 

Choose your tools wisely and know their limitations, and as I am still a newbie with this type of thing I think I learnt a lot today from my conversation on the phone. I am really glad I looked into this, a little disappointed at the lack of total accuracy but perhaps I expected far too much when in reality it just isn't possible for a transportable set of fishing scales to be absolutely on the money at all weights.

Edited by EdgbastonBreamBasher
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Just got my old (but still immaculate) set of 40lb x 1oz division Avons out and done some tests, but take into account that these tests are done with the same 3 pieces of Avery weights that Reuben said could be innacurate.

 

*Although these are 1oz division on some readings you can clearly see that the needle is mid point between 2 divisions hence my 1/2oz readings.

 

Using the 1lb weight my Avons weighed 1lb and 1/2oz

Using the 2lb weight my Avons weighed 2lb and 1/2oz

Combining the 1lb and 2lb my Avons weighed 3lb

Using the 4lb weight my Avons weighed 4lb

Combining the 4lb and 1lb my Avons weighed 5lb

Combining the 4lb and 2lb my Avons weighed 6lb

Using all weights (1,2 and 4) my Avons weighed 7lb

 

All results are as approximate as I can get, I must stress I am totally OCD about this sort of thing, so 7lb means 7lb.

 

**Note, the Avons are slightly harder to zero and need a little more patience.

 

On paper you would say the Avons are the winners by a mile, but without knowing the true weight of the avery weights who can tell?

 

If nothing else the Avons are completely consistent at all weights except the lowest two. However, whn we start to get into 15lb and 25lb, who knows? I cant test that.

 

Still, I wanted to post this none-the-less.

Edited by EdgbastonBreamBasher
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A m8 of mine has a set of digi's , I forget wich make and they're super accurate. I have a set of avons and several other sets of scales and imo the digi's my m8 has are far better/accurate than my spring scales.

If I ever buy any more scales it'll deffo be digi's for me.

Edited by Tigger
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