# Kitchen scales to measure CO2



## pepedopolous (15 Feb 2015)

Hi guys,

I'm thinking that it could be a relatively cheap investment to get some digital kitchen scales that I can put my CO2 system on and measure daily CO2 usage/watch out for leaks.

If you consider the weight of the bottle (a 2kg system), CO2 and regulator, would a 10kg set of scales be enough?

Cheers,

P


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## ian_m (15 Feb 2015)

I use these from Argos as weigh upto 5Kg (actually my FE is 5.6Kg when full and regulator attached, so read above 5Kg) and also read to 1g accuracy.

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/8426473.htm#pdpFullProductInformation

Some of the other scales are 3KG max and only have 3 digits, so when reading bigger weights the accuracy is 10g.

I use 20g a day in 180litres and the FE's do vary in weight depending on cylinder construction, so about 5.3Kg to 5.6Kg starting weight and obviously 3.3Kg and 3.6Kg empty weight.


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## pepedopolous (15 Feb 2015)

Thanks, gotta be worth a try and if it doesn't work, they go to the kitchen!

P


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## ian_m (15 Feb 2015)

And a permanent marker to write the date and weight in the cylinder so you know how each cylinder is doing...


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## pepedopolous (15 Feb 2015)

These are the ones I think I'll get: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Salter-Aquatronic-Kitchen-Scale-10/dp/B002IPHBK2

P


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## aaron.c (16 Feb 2015)

Hey

The only problem/annoying thing is that you are going to have to take your FE off everyday to tare the scales and put it back on.

Most kitchen scales will tare when switched on.

Won't stop you doing what you want, just a bit awkward.

Aaron


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## ian_m (16 Feb 2015)

aaron.c said:


> The only problem/annoying thing is that you are going to have to take your FE off everyday to tare the scales and put it back on.


????  

I turn on the scales, wait till 0000 appears, plonk FE and regulator and piping on scales, read value, write data and weight on FE. Done.


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## aaron.c (16 Feb 2015)

Sorry, I was trying to make it clear that it's not as easy as just leaving the FE on the scales and taking a reading every morning


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## ian_m (16 Feb 2015)

I only weigh mine, if I remember at water change time.


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## flygja (17 Feb 2015)

Ol' skool analog scale won't have that problem


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## ian_m (17 Feb 2015)

flygja said:


> Ol' skool analog scale won't have that problem


But old school does not have resolution, you need to be able accurately and repeatedly measure at least 1gr out of 5Kg as you FE will be loosing only 5-20gr a day...


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## flygja (17 Feb 2015)

True, and I bet the springs and mechanisms will lose accuracy with few kilos of fire extinguisher on them all the time.


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## alto (17 Feb 2015)

Some of those old analog scales have greater accuracy/precision than many digital scales though the latter "look" more impressive, without calibration or verification data, I'd not assume that the linked scale offers anywhere near the precision or accuracy to measure changes re daily CO2 release.


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## ian_m (17 Feb 2015)

alto said:


> I'd not assume that the linked scale offers anywhere near the precision or accuracy to measure changes re daily CO2 release.


Oh yes they are.

The scales I linked to show I lose 17-19gr of CO2 a day, depending on needle valve setting. I was finding almost the exact gram for gram weight loss per day recorded by the scale. This gives 115-105 days usage per 2Kg FE. My last 3 FEs lasted 115, 108, 104 days.

The spare full FE's in my garage haven't changed weight from the day I got them, as I weight them when I receive them and obviously weigh them again before use, to check they haven't leaked whilst in storage.

OK I agree if I weighed a 5Kg standard mass the scale will probable not read 5.000Kg, but can certainly measure the gram losses occurring in a 5Kg FE.

My current FE is predicted to run out 2nd July 2015, based on observed weight loss yesterday (19g).


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## boomkesion (21 Apr 2017)

Yeah, i am in demand for the digital kitchen scale recently.


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## boomkesion (24 Apr 2017)

boomkesion said:


> Yeah, i am in demand for the digital kitchen scale recently.


Just bought the kitchen scale from Amazon.


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