# Digital calipers going haywire



## JimM (Jan 19, 2010)

Hi all

My cheapo chinese digital calipers have gone a bit haywire - they refused to work at the weekend which I put down to them being in an unheated garage in sub zero temperatures, but I've tried them again tonight and although the display does work it just spins through random numbers. I've tried a new battery but with no improvement. 

Are there any common faults it's worth checking for before ditching them, I know they're only a few quid but this is my third pair in 18 months!

Thanks

Jim


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## Metal Butcher (Jan 19, 2010)

Jim>
When I went to the scrap yard today the ones in my car trunk were going cuckoo, and were on when I opened up the trunk. I thought maybe its the battery due to the cold. I forgot about them since I was consumed with my scrap yard finds.

I'll bring them in and try a new battery after a few hours.

Did you bring yours indoors, pull the battery cover, and wait for the condensation 
to dry off?

-MB


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## mklotz (Jan 19, 2010)

Try removing the battery and then short the two battery contacts in the calipers together. Sometimes doing that causes them to "reset". (Most of the ones I've seen don't seem to have a proper reset button.)

It might not work but it's a zero cost thing to try.


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## Metal Butcher (Jan 19, 2010)

I just brought mine indoors and their working fine. It was colder this morning, and now the car is still warm along with the outside temperature being up.

Temperature sensitive electronics????

-MB


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## walnotr (Jan 19, 2010)

I was having problems with the readout on the dro I use on my little lathe. Random readings showing up, and going on and off. The way I have it mounted it gathers a lot of crap from the turnings. The solution was to disassemble the unit and clean everything up. Once back together, all is well.  

Steve C.


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## JimM (Jan 19, 2010)

Thanks for all the suggestions, it prompted me to not give up the caliper as a lost cause. So I pulled it apart and gave as much of it as I could a clean with baby wipes and left it on the rad to dry. Put it all back together and it appears to be working fine. Not sure if it was a bit of crud causing the problem or just the fact that I warmed it all up but the jobs a good un.


Cheers

Jim


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## Noitoen (Jan 19, 2010)

Once I had to do some repairs on the fans inside a ice-cream deep freeze room and my digital multimeter (LCD) froze the crystals in the display. I had to get an "old style" analogue one for the job.


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## BigBore (Jan 19, 2010)

I had one do the same thing. The culprit was moisture.....OK.... Pepsi, if you insist.  :-[ It's been fine ever since.


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## tmuir (Jan 19, 2010)

I just gave up on my digital ones and now just use my good quality 'old school' ones.
Ok they take me a few more seconds to read but I no longer have to curse batteries going flat at a critical point in a job.
Mine used to eat the batteries.


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## vlmarshall (Jan 19, 2010)

Occasionally I'll get coolant on my Mitutoyo calipers, and the display will go nuts until they dry out. It hasn't caused any permanent damage to any of them, I've always worn the jaws out first.


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## CMS (Jan 19, 2010)

For this reason is why I keep up to par with the dial calipers. Yea, the digital calipers are nice, quick and convenient, and at $10 at Harbor Freight, can be had for cheap. But when they crap-out, you're dead in the water. My old Starrett #120, 6" calipers never let me down.


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## Tin Falcon (Jan 19, 2010)

A little moisture or condensation cand do funny things with electronics and cause erratic behavior. And having a set of dial calipers also is a good idea in the USAF fab shop we used digitals for every day work and kept dial calipers in the mobility box. Hard to find batteries in the middle of the desert I guess. 
Tin


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## ChooChooMike (Jan 21, 2010)

I thought I had a problem with my Starrett digital mic. The LCD display was fading and flickering a bit and fading in/out and was best read if I tilted the mic. I wasn't using it much these past few weeks, and figured it needed a new battery and set it aside. scratch.gif

When I looked at it a few days ago, I instinctively tightened the battery cover door. VOILA ! Now the display is back to normal. :wall: DUHHHHHHH !! woohoo1

Reminder to self - always check the obvious 1st 

Mike


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## eskimobob (Jan 22, 2010)

I had the same problem the other day - I too thought it was because of the low temperature and it did improve when warming up but not enough to be usable. Looks like I need to strip it down and clean it next


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## cobra428 (Jan 22, 2010)

Call me old fashion. Buy a Dial Caliper. No Battery, No Problems and no math to tell you where you have to go! Just read it on the dial. Just my opinion and don't abuse them you'll be fine (no tossing on the bench kind of thing). Blow out the chips and a little lube and your good forever. Or A Mike, same thing.

Tony


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