Duh!

[Eve]

As per a previous post I bought some cheap Argos scales to replace my broken ones. I was quite mortified when I stepped on them for them to show me over a stone and a half heavier than I am. Kept trying them but no change.

I took them into town with me today to take them back (was dreading that explanation!) and met some friends for coffee first. One of them tried them and said he thought they were about right for him...queue confused.com!

Took them back and was quite embarassed, especially getting a man on the till (figured a lady might be more sympathetic) but he was lovely and replaced them no problem.

Got home, jumped on...still a stone and a half heavier...panic time I'd somehow managed to gain a load of weight in less than a week somehow!!!! Then had a random brainwave and went to try them downstairs on the laminate rather than the carpet upstairs and all fine!?!?

Hmmm...so I'm a bit confused as to how them being on carpet upstairs would cause so much of a difference (though quite relieved!) and feel a bit bad about having them exchanged now! My previous scales were fine upstairs.

Managed to sort out my top another shop left the security tag on though without getting suspected of nicking it :) I so wasn't born to shop haha!

What duh moments have you had recently and can anyone explain the scales randomness?

[stokemaveric]

maybe you had your purse in your pocket jenna when you first weighed yourself!!!!!!!!!!!!

[boxtops]

It's the carpet, defo, you are not supposed to use scales on carpet....

[pdust]

mine have to be on a flat surface or it confuses the digital system or something.....

[Postdog]

It's because the scale is supported all over the bottom and not just the on the feet. It's basically not stable on a carpet and as you are pushing it down it is also being pushed up.

[Prudie]

I've just had a similar problem jenna. I bought some scales the other week as I hadn't had any for years (except the Wii fit) and found I weighed half a stone more upstairs than down (carpet v laminate)!!

[tiggerblue10]

I keep mine in my utility room floor which is tiled. Its definitely the carpet thats making them read wrongly. They have to be on hard level flooring.

I've had too many duh! moments recently to mention Jenna.

[owdhamer]

Overload? sorry

[Eve]

I doubt it Stoke haha, wouldn't have made much of a different lately! :)

It amazed me it made that much of a difference! Probably didn't think intitally as my old ones seemed find though those were digital ones and the new ones are just cheapy non-digital ones. Unless there were out too, always seemed to correspond though so goodness knows! Mind you, the reason I figured they'd broken was because they were knocking a few stone off, even after changing the batteries...hmmm...unless carpet in that case too but they were fine before!

I'll have to stick them downstairs out the way somewhere!

[Postdog]

Or just get a board bigger than them which you can hide somewhere (like under the bed) and put the scales on them.

[pdust]

mines on a board jenna... just a thick piece of mdf cut a bit bigger than they are

[Eve]

Ahhh I never thought of that, thank you :) Duh again haha!

[daffy654]

My bathroom scales have special carpet feet.

[petal54]

know the feeling! eeeeek!

[Eve]

I've tried it downstairs after sorting the thing to zero and according the new ones I've lost just under 5/6lbs in just under two weeks! Well over a stone in total since being in hospital in November!

[boxtops]

That's two stone since you came downstairs this morning then ! :-)

[Eve]

I know haha :) A few more pounds off and I'm two stone lighter than I was a year and a bit ago!

[vulcan]

Don't know if all scales are the same but some seem more complicated then you'd expect. I bought new scales recently and these are the directions.
1. before using scales allow to reach room temperature. then put scales through several weighing cycles consisting of :
step on scales and allow dial to come to rest.
step off scales and allow dial to come to rest.
2 . after weighing cycles are completed adjust dial to zero, if necessary and
repeat weighing cycles until zero reading is stabilized.
3. if scale is relocated, readjustment of zero may be required
repeat above procedure.
4. place on hard level floor surface.
I think I need to book a scale adjustment course at the local tech. :-)

[askyourgran]

My scales must be similar to yours, I have to wander around the house to get a reasonable weight. The best I can get is only in the Laundry room where the floor is tiled. I always weigh our holiday suitcases on them and every time I worry that they will let me down.