Scale Question

08_GreenEyedMomma
08_GreenEyedMomma Posts: 62 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Not sure if this is the right board to post on, but...

Just got a new digital scale. However, it doesn't read the same as my old one. But only with a human on it. I checked it with a 15lb dumbbell - they both read the same - but the new one is consistently 0.7lbs lighter with a person. Had my husband try it this morning too, and it's the same for him.

I know it's accurate, but that's just weird!

Any ideas why they would be the same for a standard weight but not a person? It's one with Bluetooth & an app, I think it does bodyfat & stuff too but I didn't even download the app. Not too worried about that, I just wanted a new digital scale & this one was cheap with good reviews on Amazon.

Replies

  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,826 Member
    The difference between both is more like a percentage of the weight on the scale, rather than a fixed number perhaps? So with something lighter, the difference is minimal and not noticeable within the level of precision of the number shown (tenths of lbs), whereas something heavier, like a person, has a larger, noticeable difference? Just a hypothesis 🙂
  • threewins
    threewins Posts: 1,455 Member
    As Lietchi says, the sensors in a scale have a percentage error, the heavier the load, the greater the error. So the error in the dumbbell would be around 0.07 lb, which is probably smaller than the display resolution.
  • cyndit1
    cyndit1 Posts: 170 Member
    I did read on a few places a while ago that most scales hold a “memory” even though they don’t say they do. To remedy this, it said to use some kind of reset weight and then weigh yourself. Usually I step on holding a dumbbell and then step off. Let it zero out and then step without. I’m probably just crazy but I did see it makes a difference. Especially when the scale shows the same amount days in a row.

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