Lyman XP1500 problem

homesick · December 2, 2011, 09:56 PM

I have a Lyman XP 1500 scale, I have trouble getting it to caliberate to start with , then it wants to keep moving up or down from it's zero balance.
I have removed every thing electrical from my loading room that could cause a problem, I have wiped it down with a cloth sprayed with window cleaner. as the factory suggested.
Getting it to caliberate is a chore, keeping it that way is nye impossible.
Once I feel confident it's calibrated, keeping it zeroed is a task in it's self.
The factory states it will weight t or - .10 of a grain. When zeroed with the pan which weighs 116.5 to 116.6 with these settings it will weigh all bullets to manufactures weight. example sierra 52 gr, nosler 120 gr, Hornady 100 gr. it also weights the caliberation weight right.
But the issue is it does not want to stay at 116.5 or 116.6 it will go down to 116.3 or.4 or up to 116.7 or .8.
Now how can it be plus or minus .10 of a grain when it's farther off then that at zero.
I have rechecked loads and have found some as much a 3 tenths off.
Does any one have a solution other then a new scale.

mrawesome22 · December 2, 2011, 11:16 PM

You have to re-zero an electronic scale every time you use it. Weigh a charge, replace pan, hit the zero button. Weigh another, replace pan, hit the zero button or "tare" as it's called on some scales.

thump_rrr · December 3, 2011, 07:33 AM

What type of lighting does your reloading room have?
Are you using batteries or the Ac adapter?

I have the same scale and the most it drifts is 1/10 of a grain.
I have it plugged in and powered up 24/7.
A stable room temperature is also essential when using an electronic scale.

I have a set of RCBS check weights which I use to confirm that my scale is accurate at the weight I'm measuring.
For example my .308 load is 40 grains so every 5 charges I throw my 2 20gr test weights into the pan to confirm.

**Unclenick** · December 3, 2011, 01:53 PM

Homesick,

Getting it clear of electrical things can help, but if you have interference on your wires in your place, that can still mess with the scale. The simplest thing is to plug it into a computer UPS. Even one with worn out batteries still has some EMI filtering built into it. This can quiet a scale considerably.

I have a small granite surface plate on my bench sitting on two layers of medium pile carpet scrap. This damps out vibration and tends to change temperature slowly, which also helps.

Sometimes, particularly in winter, when the static starts to build up, it is worth wearing a grounding wrist strap to keep static on me from influencing the scale. Radio Shack sells them for assembling static-sensitive electronics components. The cheapest one was six or seven dollars last time I looked and is adequate to the task. They have a high internal resistance to bleed down charges rather than letting them reach a high current that makes a spark.

Adding a better draft shield can also make a big difference.

praetorian97 · December 3, 2011, 02:00 PM

To recalibrate it consistently please follow these instructions.

1. Place Lyman 1500XP back into box.
2. Place said box in trash recepticle.
3. Go to store and purchase RCBS 1500 Powder Charger.
4. Follow RCBS Calibration settings.

I kid I kid.

mehavey · December 3, 2011, 06:06 PM

Quote:

You have to re-zero an electronic scale every time you use it. Weigh a charge, replace pan, hit the zero button. Weigh another, replace pan, hit the zero button or "tare" as it's called on some scales.

Huh? Replacing the pan "should" re-zero the scale every time.
(At least it does on my ChargeMaster)

And removing the pan/powder should give you the same negative number as a double-check. (Ibid-ditto)

.

hooligan1 · December 3, 2011, 08:27 PM

Wow,,, I use the Lyman 1000, and have noting but nice stuff to say about it, other than all the "baby-proofing" we had to do to get it set up initially. My scale sets atop two slabs of Italian marble, (left over from fancy plumbing job years ago) they are on a cabinet that is leveled and sturdy, the marble is level and heavy the scales are calibrated before each session of measuring, and zeroed "only" when needed.

I do not play the radio, or have any electric stuff going, other than a bench light fixture, and I measure each load,(I'm a slave to this step) and let the scale settle for a length of time, say like 20 to 30 seconds, just to be sure.

December 2, 2011, 09:56 PM	#1
homesick Senior Member Join Date: February 11, 2011 Location: Central Florida Posts: 378	Lyman XP1500 problem I have a Lyman XP 1500 scale, I have trouble getting it to caliberate to start with , then it wants to keep moving up or down from it's zero balance. I have removed every thing electrical from my loading room that could cause a problem, I have wiped it down with a cloth sprayed with window cleaner. as the factory suggested. Getting it to caliberate is a chore, keeping it that way is nye impossible. Once I feel confident it's calibrated, keeping it zeroed is a task in it's self. The factory states it will weight t or - .10 of a grain. When zeroed with the pan which weighs 116.5 to 116.6 with these settings it will weigh all bullets to manufactures weight. example sierra 52 gr, nosler 120 gr, Hornady 100 gr. it also weights the caliberation weight right. But the issue is it does not want to stay at 116.5 or 116.6 it will go down to 116.3 or.4 or up to 116.7 or .8. Now how can it be plus or minus .10 of a grain when it's farther off then that at zero. I have rechecked loads and have found some as much a 3 tenths off. Does any one have a solution other then a new scale. Last edited by homesick; December 2, 2011 at 11:23 PM.

December 3, 2011, 01:53 PM	#4
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	Homesick, Getting it clear of electrical things can help, but if you have interference on your wires in your place, that can still mess with the scale. The simplest thing is to plug it into a computer UPS. Even one with worn out batteries still has some EMI filtering built into it. This can quiet a scale considerably. I have a small granite surface plate on my bench sitting on two layers of medium pile carpet scrap. This damps out vibration and tends to change temperature slowly, which also helps. Sometimes, particularly in winter, when the static starts to build up, it is worth wearing a grounding wrist strap to keep static on me from influencing the scale. Radio Shack sells them for assembling static-sensitive electronics components. The cheapest one was six or seven dollars last time I looked and is adequate to the task. They have a high internal resistance to bleed down charges rather than letting them reach a high current that makes a spark. Adding a better draft shield can also make a big difference. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle Last edited by Unclenick; December 3, 2011 at 05:00 PM. Reason: typo fix

December 3, 2011, 08:27 PM	#7
hooligan1 Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2010 Location: Independence Missouri Posts: 4,586	Wow,,, I use the Lyman 1000, and have noting but nice stuff to say about it, other than all the "baby-proofing" we had to do to get it set up initially. My scale sets atop two slabs of Italian marble, (left over from fancy plumbing job years ago) they are on a cabinet that is leveled and sturdy, the marble is level and heavy the scales are calibrated before each session of measuring, and zeroed "only" when needed. I do not play the radio, or have any electric stuff going, other than a bench light fixture, and I measure each load,(I'm a slave to this step) and let the scale settle for a length of time, say like 20 to 30 seconds, just to be sure. __________________ Keep your Axe sharp and your powder dry.

December 2, 2011, 11:16 PM	#2
mrawesome22 Senior Member Join Date: November 9, 2005 Location: Ohio, Appalachia's foothills. Posts: 3,779	You have to re-zero an electronic scale every time you use it. Weigh a charge, replace pan, hit the zero button. Weigh another, replace pan, hit the zero button or "tare" as it's called on some scales.

December 3, 2011, 07:33 AM	#3
thump_rrr Senior Member Join Date: October 12, 2010 Posts: 403	What type of lighting does your reloading room have? Are you using batteries or the Ac adapter? I have the same scale and the most it drifts is 1/10 of a grain. I have it plugged in and powered up 24/7. A stable room temperature is also essential when using an electronic scale. I have a set of RCBS check weights which I use to confirm that my scale is accurate at the weight I'm measuring. For example my .308 load is 40 grains so every 5 charges I throw my 2 20gr test weights into the pan to confirm.

December 3, 2011, 02:00 PM	#5
praetorian97 Senior Member Join Date: May 9, 2011 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 455	To recalibrate it consistently please follow these instructions. 1. Place Lyman 1500XP back into box. 2. Place said box in trash recepticle. 3. Go to store and purchase RCBS 1500 Powder Charger. 4. Follow RCBS Calibration settings. I kid I kid.