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A weighty question: What kind of scales should I use?

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bifft

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2011
Messages
429
Location
Utah
Getting to be time to weigh my RV. Looking up similarly equipped ones I expect a total weight of 1050-1150lbs or so. Should be fairly evenly distributed on all three wheels or 350-400lbs. Asking around for other builders, they don't have scales in this range. Asked the local FBO, they are set up to weigh jets from the jackpoints, and don't have wheel scales. So, need to buy something. Figure I can get one scale and then build blocks for the other wheels. Jack up and weigh one wheel at a time.

I see three options:

Bridge two bathroom scales (the ones I have only go up to 300lbs). Don't need to buy anything new, but accuracy is questionable. Have one that is at least repeatable, precision is 0.2kg. Another that is +/- 1kg weighing 250lbs of me if I stop off it and walk around the room. Another I haven't used as much, but prevision is 0.5kg. (all are metric only, but that math is easy).

Buy a postal scale with 400+ range. Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Accuteck-Digital-Industry-Shipping-ACB440/dp/B00LPUZP1I
Cheap, plenty of precision. Accuracy is unknown. Amazon reviews are mixed.

Buy a real certified aircraft scale. This seems to be the cheapest option: http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/topages/scales4planes-std.php
Goes to 2klbs, way more than I need. Precision is either 1lb or 0.5lb (it says both) either is less than 0.1% of total weight, so probably Ok. Certified accurate for a year, can be recalibrated (but where would I get calibrated weights?)

I am by nature a total cheapskate, but weight and balance is a critical safety item. Thought I'd run it by the cheapskates here to see what people think.
 
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