Frankford arsenal intellidropper

[farrieral]

Recently purchased one of the above powder dispenser units.

I wonder if anyone else has had similar experiences to myself...

Followed the setup, allowed the unit well over an hour to "warm up", calibrated the scales and ran the powder calibration.

I wanted 47 grains of N140 to be dispensed.

Ran off a few cases worth but upon funneling into the first few cases it almost filled the 308 case! Thankfully I knew what the amount of powder should sort of look like in the case.

Unit scales reading 47 grains.

Used a beam scale to check and it was throwing a charge of 53 grains, max load for N140 in the load i was making up being 47.1

From there I recalibrate the unit, both scales and podwer calibration, it's level, out of a draught not close to any other major electronics etc etc.

Plugged in the 47 grains, hit load.

Definitely threw less powder just from looking at what was in the pan, weighed on the trusty beam scales and it had thrown 38 grains, again unit scales reading 47 grains, literally one extreme to the other!

I've emailed the company I purchased it off and I'm waiting to hear back.

Could of been messy!

Technology is great when it works

 

[Rory]

Yeah, I wouldn't bother with electronic scales any more tbh.
RCBS 5-0-5 scales and some check weights to ensure you're throwing correct weights.
Recent range day and chrono revealed I was getting an average of 5fps SD.
I don't mind the little bit of extra time for that level of precision.

 

[Eddie P]

Recently purchased one of the above powder dispenser units.

I wonder if anyone else has had similar experiences to myself...

Followed the setup, allowed the unit well over an hour to "warm up", calibrated the scales and ran the powder calibration.

I wanted 47 grains of N140 to be dispensed.

Ran off a few cases worth but upon funneling into the first few cases it almost filled the 308 case! Thankfully I knew what the amount of powder should sort of look like in the case.

Unit scales reading 47 grains.

Used a beam scale to check and it was throwing a charge of 53 grains, max load for N140 in the load i was making up being 47.1

From there I recalibrate the unit, both scales and podwer calibration, it's level, out of a draught not close to any other major electronics etc etc.

Plugged in the 47 grains, hit load.

Definitely threw less powder just from looking at what was in the pan, weighed on the trusty beam scales and it had thrown 38 grains, again unit scales reading 47 grains, literally one extreme to the other!

I've emailed the company I purchased it off and I'm waiting to hear back.

Could of been messy!

Technology is great when it works

Good job it was so wildly out that you could see it.
These are the reasons that I use an RCBS beam and target master.
Best of both worlds.

 

[croslanda]

I've used an Intellidropper for a few years now and I can confirm that that they are problematic, at least mine is. Mine did what yours has done once, and in my case it was when I screwed the calibration process up and it started throwing random weights out, I switched off and started again and it hasn't done it again.
What they all seem to suffer from is static electricity. You will note on a long run, say 20+, your weight input will mysteriously dissappear, your zero will start becoming difficult to maintain and your powder kernels will start sticking to your funnel.
I use proprietary anti static .materials including a wrist band, so far so good.
I would recommend that you never trust it entirely, I check 1 in 5 on an electronic scale to make sure that it's throwing what it should, other than that use it, I've loaded 1000+ on it, my SD's are OK as are my groups.
One thing I haven't mentioned is that I only use it indoors, not in my loading shed.
My wife would like her dining table back, needs must.

 

[Twodogs]

I tried one, totally unreliable and inconsistent, went back for a refund.

 

[MarinePMI]

I've said this before, and I'll say it again....

With electronic scales, you get what pay for. The words "cheap" and "accurate" do not go together when it comes to electronic scales. It's very similar to laser range finders, where the major cost is in the type, and quality, of the laser used. The same for powder dispensers. The dispensing may work fine, but if the scale is garbage, it's not going to work very well.

Frankford Arsenal offers some fairly inexpensive reloading tools. Many of them quite good. But when it comes to electronics...there are no cost cutting short cuts. Despite what the best Chinese QC says they can provide.

 

[25 Sharps]

Good job it was so wildly out that you could see it.
These are the reasons that I use an RCBS beam and target master.
Best of both worlds.

This is the way forward, coupled with a cheap Lee thrower, through a grain short and then trickle.

 

[Liveonce]

I must be the odd one out mine I have had one for a couple of years works great, either on its own or via ipad app.

Set it level on the bench, calibrate it with weights supplied. Poor in powder then calibrate for the powder in use and away you go.

Worst thing I find is emptying it out of powder.

 

[Somersetdk]

I must be the odd one out mine I have had one for a couple of years works great, either on its own or via ipad app.

Set it level on the bench, calibrate it with weights supplied. Poor in powder then calibrate for the powder in use and away you go.

Worst thing I find is emptying it out of powder.

Exactly this , love mine seems fast and accurate and makes loading a breeze , emptying it is a bit of an art mind