So you just purchased and had your scale service company install your brand new truck scale. Then you are asked whether you would like to have a remote display for your truck scale? Depending on your experience with truck scales your first question might be “What is a remote display”? Second question you might ask is do I have to have one?
In this blog post we will help answer both of these questions and more.
WHAT ARE REMOTE DISPLAYS?
Remote displays or scoreboards are large digital displays that show the weight data from your scale indicator. They are normally mounted to a pole or other stand so that a truck driver can see his/her weight when on the scale. This is important because most times the truck driver can not see the scale indicator since it is located inside an office or scale house.
WHAT’S NEEDED TO MAKE MY REMOTE DISPLAY OPERATE?
In order for your remote display to work you will need a few components. First you will need a source of communication between your scale indicator and the remote display. Most often this is via RS-232 protocol via a wire communication cable. Less prevalent is wireless options that require a transmitter and a receiver. The wireless option eliminates the need to run hard wire cabling which can be beneficial if you have large distances / parking lots / other obstructions between the indicator and remote display. Second you will need an electric power source to run the remote display. Normally a standard 110VAC outlet/ receptacle is all that is required. Finally, you will need something to mount the remote display onto. Metal poles are often used and are a great option. More economical are wood poles. Also an option is mounting the remote display to the scale house itself. The main considerations for mounting are that the remote display is secure and will not move in the wind and that the location allows for the truck driver to have a clear unobstructed view.
DO I HAVE TO HAVE A REMOTE DISPLAY?
The answer is it depends. First it depends if you are using your scale in a legal for trade operation. If you are using the truck scale in a LFT operation then most likely you will need a remote display. On the flip side if you are not using your scale in a legal for trade operation you are not required to have a remote display. Second it depends on the state in which the scale is located. So, if you are using your scale in a LFT operation then you must adhere to your state's weights & measures regulations. As an example, in the state of North Carolina remote displays are required for all truck scales. In the state of Virginia, they are also required and they must display “00” when the scale is empty; displaying only one zero “0” is grounds for the scale being rejected. As a general rule and for improved operations overall we always suggest truck scales have a remote display.
WHAT OPTIONS ARE THERE FOR REMOTE DISPLAYS?
Remote displays come in a range of sizes, shapes, and finishes. The most common is the 4-inch remote display. This means the digits when displayed will be approximately 4 inches tall. Other common sizes are 2-inch and 6-inch. In addition to the size, remote displays can also have integrated red/green lights. They are useful when needing to signal truck drivers when to pull onto and off of the truck scale. More advanced remote displays are also capable of displaying text / words not just numbers. This allows for messages to be flashed to truck drivers such as instructions on how / when to pull onto the scale.
