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Reuben Heaton 9000 Digital Scales?

Can I just add , and i apologise if is has been said , but these scales don't work in very cold temperatures, they go haywire, not a problem now but come winter they become of little use imho. I had a very strange set of result when weighing some very decent perch in march 2012 and luckily had a set of non digitals with me. I returned my 9000's to Rueben Heaton who returned them to me after tests saying that around 0 degrees they will not work correctly.
I have not had a problem with battery drain btw.
 
Interesting to hear that they might not work so well in low temps. Any thoughts why this would be so... Just would like to understand their potential limitations before becoming a cropper..!

I can kinda understand batteries less effective (could counter this by keeping warm/immerse bagged in flask (maybe!)) but then again, our bite alarms are fine at such temps if much lower - similar circuitry & battery powered or is it something about the scale sensors?

Any thoughts welcome...

Cheers, Jon
 
I've been using the R/H 7000's for some years now and have not had a problem when using them on sub zero winter outings, different beast I know,...are they using different technology on the smaller 9000's?
I still keep the trusty old Avons as backup though.
 
These scales are sounding like a no no.......New batteries may be dead when you go to use them/ they are all over the place in cold conditions/ always take another set of scales as back up/ you may be lucky and get a good set/ Quality control cant be up to much at Reubens on this line of scales...Dont mind carrying spare batteries but not spare scales...
 
Mine are 7000's so that may account for the difference. I use mine for my pikeing at temps well below zero. I had a river twenty that was just an ounce or two over twenty last winter when all the lakes were frozen over so I did an on site calibration, (yes I know I am very sad), they were within 20 grams. Incidentally i put new batteries in at the start of the season and have not had to change them yet.
 
I've just carried out a small experiment ! Not a full blown long term scientific survey but something that gives me peace of mind if nobody else!!

First a bit of background. I have a set of Avons which date back to my carp days of the 70's/80's. When I got back into fishing and started after Barbel I found them too heavy And bulky in my slimmed down tackle bag so I bought a set of Berkley digitals which I was more than happy with with one exception, NO BACKLIGHT.
I can't remember if it was early last season or late the previous but I discovered the RH 9000 complete with backlight and bought a set. Since I've had them I've replaced the batteries once and used them in temperatures from +20 + degrees C down to + 4 degrees C.
Right, my experiment. I weighed a six pack of baked beans on both scales. RH result 6lb 4oz. Berkley result 6lb 5oz. There was always 1oz difference from when I bought the RH.
I then put both scales into the freezer for five minutes at -20 degrees. I weighed the beans again....result RH 7000; 6lb 4oz....Berkley 6lb 5oz. I then left the scales in the sun to clear any condensation and weighed again...result 6-4 and 6-5 !!!
Both scales battery indicator seemed unaffected by the SHORT TERM temperature changes..I'm happy
 
Bill Walford said:
I then put both scales into the freezer for five minutes at -120 degrees. I weighed the beans again....result RH 7000; 6lb 4oz....Berkley 6lb 5oz. I then left the scales in the sun to clear any condensation and weighed again...result 6-4 and 6-5 !!!
Both scales battery indicator seemed unaffected by the SHORT TERM temperature changes..I'm happy
Click to expand...

Blimey, thats some freezer! Do you do home cryogenics?:)

I bought a set of 9000's in Alans tackle Worcester yesterday based on the recommendations on this thread for £35. they look very good and I hope its not to long before I can actually use them. Only reason I could see battery draining prematurely is a short circuit or pressure on the 'on' button accidently switching them on. Leave them out and check them. Should be easy enough to sort out. They have a battery charge indicator to keep an eye on so hopefully I can avoid any issues.
 
Tim Lennon said:
Cold freezer!!!
Click to expand...

Sorry lads, I sell into the world of science and talk those sort of temperatures. I DID mean -20 degrees C (according to my RH thermometer!!).I've edited the post and corrected....:eek:

I'll be surprised if you are not happy with them Andrew....

PS.. Just weighed the beans again...6-4 and 6-5 respectively so good repeatability For both models at summer temperatures!!
 
Andrew

Just to clarify it isn't pressure on the switch, the scales weren't in the pouch but on top of a sideboard.
Re-charged batteries last Thursday and checked twice a day, last night no problem showing as fully charged, this morning dead no charge in the batteries.
Can't understand why if shorting out they don't drain slowly, no drainage and then dead.
Will be posting back to Reuben tomorrow, hope next set is a good one but will take a long time to get my confidence back in them and will start off by carrying a spare set of scales.
 
Phil,

Sorry to ask the obvious but could it be your batteries? I have some rechargeables that "leak" power. Admittedly not suddenly as you're experiencing but they definitely don't have the life of "normal" batteries. I use non rechargable Duracell's in mine!!

Regards

Bill
 
I decided to buy a set for the new season after reading the original thread on the scales,hopefully I won't be dissoapointed.good luck to all
 
No problem Bill, the batteries I use are called enerloops which hold the charge better than normal rechargeables, I use them in lots of other things without problems. For example I had them in my headlight which unfortunately gets used much more than my scales and only had to change them once last season.

Hope your set is a good one Jamie, worth trying them before the season although mine didn't have the issue at first, only noticed problem in close season when I was sorting tackle out.
 
Just carried another experiment ! I've dug out my old Avons, bought for me by my Mum for my 16th in 1969 for the princely sum of £5-19-6d. Remember them days, Pomenteg ground bait, Efgeeco Pakaseat, Tag Barnes Carp Rod !!!!...The scales have always been kept in a pouch complete with a Silica gel bag [anti condensation]...My six pack of beans weighed 6lb 3oz, well pleased with that considering their age and comparing against two models of modern digital scales. I also popped them into the freezer [cooler this time at -20 degrees C..:D] I then got speaking to my neighbour and they ended up staying in for nearly 20 minutes. Weighed the beans again and....just under 6lb 2oz !!!! Goes to show that springs to can be effected by temperature..:)
 
Phil Nixon said:
No problem Bill, the batteries I use are called enerloops which hold the charge better than normal rechargeables, I use them in lots of other things without problems. For example I had them in my headlight which unfortunately gets used much more than my scales and only had to change them once last season.

Hope your set is a good one Jamie, worth trying them before the season although mine didn't have the issue at first, only noticed problem in close season when I was sorting tackle out.
Click to expand...

I was going to ask about the rechargeables as they are not really suitable where a long wait between charges is the norm but as you say you're other applications seem OK. On the other hand if the scales require any power between use they will drain rapidly. It would be worthwhile putting some decent non-rechargaebles in to compare. The info with the scales does not recommend rechargaebles.
 
Andrew

Will try non rechargeables if I have the same issue with the new ones, odd thing is that each time 3 of the 4 batteries are completely discharged the other one isn't.

I use the enerloops because they hold their charge similar to normal batteries, the odd thing is that they go from showing fully charged on the scales to absolutely nothing within 12 hours.

Jamie

I have spent a lot of time on the river over the last few weeks preparing the RDAA stretches for the coming season. The river has been high throughout the close season with a real flow on it and looks absolutely superb. Hopefully you will have plenty of opportunity to test your scales with some good fish.
 
Hi Bill,

Many thanks for taking the time to undertake your experiment, feedback and the results are quite reassuring...

Cheers, Jon
 
My pleasure Jon but I needed to give my self peace of mind, my own experience of the RH9000 was good but I couldn't ignore the problems of other people. I'm happy that my set appear to be sound. Only time will tell, I don't think that either the RH or the Berkleys will be useable after 45 years like the Avons. I certainly won't!!
 
When it gets to winter now given that they played up in the cold over the last two seasons, I keep them indoors and when I go out I keep them in my inside pocket in my jacket. I don't know if it's because of this or that it's a new set of scales but since doing that the problem seems to have gone.
 
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