Safe-Home.com

Question about portable shipping scales with TARE for larger heavier items.

Q: "We own a business that ships larger packages that are difficult to put on a standard sized shipping scale. Some products are so heavy that we load them onto dollys. Is there an American made scale with a TARE function and a large platform so we can wheel the product/box onto the platform without removing it from the dolly." Thanks. Tom

Answer: What you need to purchase is the AmCells Wheelchair, Bariatric and Shipping Scale Folds. You can easily move the dolly onto the platform and push it off the other side when your weighing is completed. Ramped sides make this easy. The weight limit is 800 lbs with accuracy of 0.2 lbs. Amcells scales are known for reliability both in operation and in calibration. Buy American is my advice. 

The Amcells WHS-800 has these features:

• Aluminum diamond polished deck with ramped sides
• Over-sized platform: 40 inches by 30 inches
• Rail Mounted easy-to-read digital display with printer interface
• Rail height for digital display: 39 inches. Note this rail assists in the portability of the scale. It is NOT as a stability grip
• Weight capacity: 800 lbs (360 kg)
• Accuracy: graduation of 0.2 lbs (0.1 kg)
• Pounds to kilograms conversion
• Functions: ON/OFF, HOLD, ZERO, and PRINT buttons.
• Power: AC adapter (included)
• Print function allows printing to ticket printers, slip printers
• Display Indicator:s elevated by a sturdy bar for easy access and convenience.
• Materials: high quality aluminum alloy steel and stainless steel.
• Physical Dimensions of Scale: Folded 3/4 inches High x 40 Inches Wide by 38 inches long.
• Calibration: factory calibrated prior to shipment.
• AmCells uses high quality Made in USA load cells that maintain scale accuracy over time.
• 1 Year Warranty: The manufacturer warrants that this product is free from defects in material and workmanship. Repair or replacement will be issued for any product which is found defective under the terms of this warranty. Safe Home assists with warranty issues within 30 days of sale.

With the TARE function, you can get an accurate weight for your shipment that is oversized. If you use UPS, you can enter both the weight and the box dimensions manually into the UPS program and get accurate shipping costs.

When you are done with shipping, you can fold the scale and store it or leave it in place for the next business day. The scale is easily moved in warehouse situations since it folds and rolls on two tough urethane wheels.

We have other Amcells, Seca, Healthometer, Befour, etc. scales. However, none of these offer the same options as the Amcells WHS-800.

Thanks for your question.

Sincerely,

Barbara

 

 

Question about the My Weigh and Seca Baby Scales

Q: "I'm looking for a baby or infant scale to track our baby's weight since my wife and I are tracking our baby's weight while breastfeeding. We'd like a digital scale but not one that will break the bank." Thanks. Bill

Answer: There are many baby scales from which to choose. Most are intended for medical professionals and include computer interfaces and special features.

I recommend these three electronic baby scales as being quite accurate and reasonably priced for at home use. Each one has a TARE function to zero out baby's clothing, an auto dampening function for accurate weight of a squirming baby and a removable weighing cradle. All have digital read-outs and operate on batteries. 

1. The My Weigh MBS-2010 has a 44 pound capacity and retails for about $179. Accuracy: +-0.5 oz.

2. The My Weigh MBS-55 has a 55 pound capacity and retails currently for $169.00 Accuracy: +- 0.1oz, 0.005lb or 0.002kg, 2.0g.

3. The Seca 354 Electronic Digital Baby Scale with Breast Milk Intake Function and 44 Lb./20 Kg. Capacity. Current MSRP: about $200. This portable baby scale offers BMIF (Breast Milk Intake Function). With the breast-milk-intake function, easily determine the exact amount of breast milk intake of a baby. 

The My Weigh scales are typically discounted more than the Seca. All three are quite accurate.

Thanks for your question.

Enjoy your baby!

Sincerely, Barbara

Question about height measuring devices for use in schools and medical offices.

Q: "Our medical offices are looking for wall mounted stadiometers. What options do we have? What are the pros and cons of the standard versus the digital ones?

Answer: Options are mechanical aluminum, mechanical plastic and electronic. Cost is the main difference as well as which measure in 1/8 inch increments or centimeters, have foot stabilizers, etc.

The most economical and most popular continue to be the aluminum, wall mounted stadiometers. These cost $200 and up and read in centimeters or in inches. Also there are extra wide units like the Seca 222. There are also heavy duty plastic units with a headpiece lock knob to retain the result, double sided scale showing cm and inches and easy to read display. The most sophisticated of the wall mounted mechanical rods is the Seca 240 which lets you read directly off the measuring slide head piece.

The newest on the scene are the digital electronic units which are exponentially more expensive, over $1300 each at this writing. The Seca 242 Electronic Wall Mounted measuring rod is favored by endocrinologists as the measuring rod determines the height via an opto-sensor and transmits wirelessly, from the separate, easy to read LCD so that the result can be read-off at any location. This unit also has a heel positioner.

Many medical professionals continue to prefer the scale mounted stadiometers that usually come with a particular model of scale.

Thanks for your questions.
Sincerely, Barbara

Question about which electronic scale can replace an old medical weight scale in doctor's office.

Q: "In our medical offices, we have ancient mechanical balance beam scales that are set into floor pits for our patient's convenience. Which digital electronic medical scales can easily replace them?" Thanks. Dr. Bill

Answer: We suggest the 500 lb. capacityTBS series from Amcells/Scale Perfect. There is also a 750 lb. capacity scale with the same sized base. This line of electronic digital scales has easily read electronic displays on 40 inch high posts. The weighing scale platform dimensions are 14" x 12" x 3.5" high so this scale easily fits most existing pits.

The Total Body Scale includes these features and more

Sensing Element: Single point precision load cell.

Platform: Heavy Gauge aluminum.

Display: Large (0.6" height) bright red LED 6 digit display.

Indicator: Rugged stainless steel.

Push button Zero with Automatic Zero Tracking.

Full range, separate LED Tare indicator.

Auto Power Off: 1 minute factory set.

Self-diagnostics at power up for circuitry and display segments.

Lb/Kg Conversion.

Leveling Feet: All four feet adjustable, bubble level built in.

High Accuracy: 0.1 lb or better; 5000 Counts

Readability:

• TBS-250: +/- 0.05 lb/0.02 Kg
• TBS-500: +/- 0.1 lb/0.05 Kg
• TBS-750: +/- 0.15 lb/0.1 Kg

Power Supply: AC/DC Adaptor (included), optional rechargeable nickel cadmium batteries, or 6 AA dry cells (not included).

Net Weight: 17.2 lbs.

Limited one year manufacturer's warranty on instruments

We do suggest you measure the pit before your purchase. If the pit is too small and cannot be easily enlarged, we suggest you purchase either a larger based digital scale and add grab bars or a low profile larger based scale.

Thanks for your question.

Sincerely, Barbara

 

Question about the products Amcells high capacity weight scales for weight loss programs i.e. 500 lb, 750 lb, 800 lb and 1000 lb capacity Amcells weighing scales.

Q: "My office is beginning a physical fitness/weight loss program. Several of our employees are significantly obese: my guess is over 400 lbs. We need a heavy duty scale for the office and one or two employees are wanting to purchase accurate scales for home use. What do you suggest? We don't need a scale with Body Mass Index or Body Fat Index." Thanks. Teresa.

Answer: Currently, the most affordable bariatric weight scales are actually made in the USA by Scale Perfect, Amcells. These scales are truly sturdy, made for the long term. Several years ago a New York area hospital chain purchased several dozen of the Amcells 750 lb. capacity scales for use with high risk pregnancy patients. The TBS models can be countersunk into existing pits in medical offices that currently use the old fashioned Cardinal detector beam scales.

Since then, Amcells introduced a new 1000 lb. capacity scale with a platform that is 24 inches long by 20 inches wide by 4 inches high. This scale weighs 32 pounds and is accurate to +/- 0.15 lb/0.1 Kg. Included is an RS-232 scoreboard function: can connect to a printer, remote read-out or a large score board. Use with a RS-232 to USB adapter if required. all computers have printer ports. There are also 750 lb. capacity scales and 500 lb. capacity scales with slightly smaller platforms that also include the RS-232 feature.

The newest addition to the Amcells line is a combination scale that actually folds for storage. the AMC-WHS-800 This scale is versatile: use as a wheelchair scale, a bariatric scale, a small animal or larger animal scale or a shipping scale.The aluminum diamond polished deck has ramped sides. The over-sized platform: is 40 inches by 30 inches. The physical dimensions of this affordable scale when folded are 3/4 inches High x 40 Inches Wide by 38 inches long.It easily rolls on two urethane precision wheels. With a digital readout on a 39 inch post, this sturdy weighing scale is made in the USA. If you want a print out, just connect your ticket printer or slip computer to the display panel.

These are some points to consider:

• Cost: $500 to over $1200 plus shipping.
• Maximum Capacity: 500 lbs, 450 lbs or more.
• Post mounted read-out or remote read? This is a portability issue as well. The USA made Amcells scales weigh 25 pounds to about 35 pounds. The Seca 876 Flat Scale with a 550 lb. capacity that weighs about 8 lbs. The base is 12 inches by 12 inches by 2.3 inches with graduation of 0.2 lbs <>0.5 lb. The USA Made Befour PS-6600 scale has a 500 lb capacity, has Accuracy: +/-0.1 lb. (+/-0.1 kg.), a Platform Size: 18" x 16" x 1.5", a Scale Weight: 13 lbs.and a Readout Display: ¾" LED.
• Will there be a permanent place for this scale to sit? Is this a private place so that only the nurse or weight counselor and the person being weighed can see the weight numbers? Is theft a concern for you? (Consider the weights and sizes for storage)'
• Will you be connecting this scale to a computer for recording data? Then you need one with as RS-232 connection.
• Weight accuracy. Amcells' Accuracy: 500 lb. capacity scale: +/- 0.1 lb/0.05 K,750 lb capacity scale: +/- 0.15 lb/0.1 K, 1000 lb. capacity scale: +/- 0.15 lb/0.1 Kg.
• Minimum acceptable platform size. 13"(L) x 13"(W) x 2.25"(H) is the base of the least expensive Amcells scale. The problem with that size is that many larger people must spread their feet apart to balance. With a wider base, the scale itself is higher off the floor but the base allows for a foot spread.
• Wall mounted grab bars or not? We sell these as well in several sizes. Sometimes heavier persons or the elderly need to grasp onto a grab bar as they get on or off a scale. We also sell scales with a built-in grab bar: however, these are much more expensive to purchase.

So, to summarize you can choose from one of many bariatric medical scales by Amcells such as the 500 Lb Weight Watchers Scale Remote Read Scale or a variety of scales from Seca, Befour or other manufacturers.

Thanks for your question and best of good health to all of you.

Sincerely, Barbara