Why do digital scales jump about before setting on a weight?

lieajane

My scales are a few years old and were fairly cheap, IIRC. Every time I weigh myself they jump about for a few seconds before setting on what they're going to tell me. If I weigh myself often, they'll stick at the same figure for a day or so, no matter what I've changed. (hair wet or dry, dressed or un-dressed, wether I've been fed and watered or not, wether I've used the bathroom or not, etc)
What are they doing?? Can I use that weight as my "official" weight?

ajnb88

Probably just adjusting for the initial pressure from you stepping on. Especially if they're digital.

TimothyFish

Digital scales aren't that different from traditional scales. Springs push against the top and the bottom and the computer measures how far your weight depresses it. If it is retaining a value, then it is defective.

LAWoman72

My scale actually jumps before I get on it...it's THAT afraid.

Kalikel

I've no idea, but assume it needs time to adjust. The old ones took a few seconds for the dial to stop moving, too.

waterbyrde

My digital scale is the same. Every morning I pick up heavy containers from my bathroom when I first step on to "reset it," then set them down and step on again to get the real number...before I figure this out I was losing my mind trying to understand how that number wasn't changing no matter what I did.

(I've just decided that my scale is a sadistic a-hole.)

jemhh

Not sure but it makes more fun. Like "no whammies no whammies! Aww!" Waw waw waaawww.

Kalikel

jemhh wrote: »

Not sure but it makes more fun. Like "no whammies no whammies! Aww!" Waw waw waaawww.

Sounds so familiar. It was a game show, right? What was it?

segacs

Kalikel wrote: »

Sounds so familiar. It was a game show, right? What was it?

Press Your Luck, was it?

I used to watch all those game shows when I was a kid, with my grandparents. But they're sort of blurring together in my mind.

CyberTone

waterbyrde wrote: »

My digital scale is the same. Every morning I pick up heavy containers from my bathroom when I first step on to "reset it," then set them down and step on again to get the real number...before I figure this out I was losing my mind trying to understand how that number wasn't changing no matter what I did.

(I've just decided that my scale is a sadistic a-hole.)

^^ This! My old digital scale (Taylor brand) would do the same thing. I found that a 12-roll pack of toilet tissue was just enough added weight to have the scale reset and give a different weight from the previous day. It finally was dying last summer and I splurged on a Fitbit Aria scale, which promptly registered about two pounds more than the dying Taylor scale.

lieajane

Thanks for the replies everyone.
The idea that my scale may be dying is a good one. I might start looking around to find a good set to buy once pay day arrives. :-)