Author Topic: Lyman Electric Powder Dispenser  (Read 708 times)

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Offline Fl_Native

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Lyman Electric Powder Dispenser
« on: January 01, 2004, 02:35:25 PM »
Does anyone have experience with the Lyman Electric Powder Dispenser? Comments good or bad would be appreciated before I decide to buy one. I currently use a Lyman powder scale and powder drop but would like the convenience of an electronic dispenser and scale.

Offline Jim n Iowa

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Powder Dispensor
« Reply #1 on: January 02, 2004, 02:05:31 PM »
I have never used a Lyman product. I caught some coments   on another board from a person who received this dispensor as a gift. Had alot of trouble with it (they are very sensitive) any way the thing that really got my attention was the lack of customer service he got on this product.  I bought mine from Pact.com they pay the frt.
Jim

Offline Jack Crevalle

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Lyman Electric Powder Dispenser
« Reply #2 on: January 03, 2004, 04:44:29 AM »
I have the 1200 DPS. I had one problem with it in a year. That was solved by turning it off, unplugging it and turning it back on.

I've read alot of stuff about people saying they are too sensitive to air currents, fluorescent lights, etc. but this is usually not by people who own one. The manual has cautions about not using them near fluorescent lights, or air ducts but my understanding is that all like products have the same cautions. I have a fluorescent lamp above my bench and it has never bothered it. Likewise, I have an air conditioning/heating duct about ten feet behind my bench. One thing that the manual does caution about that may be a real problem is that they say that most reloading benches are not heavy enough to use a press and the dispenser on at the same time. I've never had the need to do this since I drop all my charges and then seat them. If you want to do this you could always put it on a separate small table.


The biggest compaint I have is that it beeps too loudly when you either enter a charge or it finishes dropping a charge. I consider this a safety feature however because you know for certain when the charge is finished being weighed.  You could go by the count number it displays but this is only displayed briefly.

Some people don't like how long it takes to drop a charge since it weighs each one.  This can supposedly be sped up by dumping the majority of each charge into the pan and letting the unit measure the rest. I've never felt the need to do this however. By the time I move the funnel to the next case and check to see that the powder is not bridged the next charge has just about been dropped.

Another thing people complain about is the warm up time of 30 minutes. Again, I have heard that this is the same for like units of different manufacture. If you want, the manual tells you how you can short circuit this but I wouldn't.

Offline n5odj

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Lyman Electric Powder Dispenser
« Reply #3 on: January 06, 2004, 09:39:28 AM »
Howdy.  I bought one and really do like it.
I've heard some complain about the slowness of
operation and I guess it is a little slow, but for rifle
ammo, it is still at least as fast as dispensing & then
hand trickling.  I found that my old regular dispenser
did not throw consistent enough charges of especially
large grained powders.  Would I buy one again.  Definately.

 Robert in WV

Offline RickG

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New Guy 1st Post - Lyman DPS1200
« Reply #4 on: January 12, 2004, 08:45:13 AM »
I have one, it works well but is sensitive to outside influences.  I use it in a room with incandecent lights no T.V., Phone or Air Currents.  Mine will change reading with my hand hovering over it.  That said, I love it.

I use H-Varget which doesn't meter well thru a drop, but works excellent in the Lyman.  As to speed, I drop a charge turn to a separate table and load a round using Wilson Dies as I finish it has dropped the next charge and I'm ready to go again.  So speed is not a problem.

I did have to send back the original one I purchased as it would not calibrate but the second has worked fine and customer service was good.

Still use a manual throw for ball powders as there is little advantage to using the Lyman.  To change powder requires a complete clean up before adding the new powder, while this is a pain at first it gets easier but I tend to keep mine loaded with Varget and throw ball powders.

Rick

Offline Jack Crevalle

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Re: New Guy 1st Post - Lyman DPS1200
« Reply #5 on: January 12, 2004, 09:11:10 AM »
Quote from: RickG
 Mine will change reading with my hand hovering over it.  Rick


I'd really like to know what you mean by that because mine ocassionally will flip between a tenth of a grain and the next tenth of a grain but I attibute that to the charge being close to the next tenth of a grain. Sort of like a beam scale  oscillating a bit. Nothing like a drastic change and certainly not caused by my proximity to it.

You sure you don't have any chips iimplanted?

Offline RickG

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Lyman Electric Powder Dispenser
« Reply #6 on: January 12, 2004, 10:06:58 AM »
I've had the chips removed, recently. That's what I meant to say scale will  vary .1 up or down while holding my hand near it.  Nothing serious.  I also wiggle the pan so the powder is even and re-weigh, again it may vary +/- .1.  Yea, I know anal.

Rick

Offline Jack Crevalle

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Lyman Electric Powder Dispenser
« Reply #7 on: January 12, 2004, 10:55:59 AM »
Quote from: RickG
I've had the chips removed, recently. That's what I meant to say scale will  vary .1 up or down while holding my hand near it.  Nothing serious.  I also wiggle the pan so the powder is even and re-weigh, again it may vary +/- .1.  Yea, I know anal.

Rick


No that's what I figured. Within the stated accuracy of the scale.

Offline RickG

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Lyman Electric Powder Dispenser
« Reply #8 on: January 12, 2004, 09:35:45 PM »
FL_Native indicated he was interested in buying one of these units.  After reading your post I thought, Gee!  that's the machine they advertise but it is not the one I was able to buy.  Mine will not give accurate readings near a phone, near near a T.V. , under an air current or a fluorescent light.    

My comments are based on my experience and the questions I was asked when I called Lyman for help.  I now do all the things suggested and it works fine.  But I think it's only fair that he has all the information on which to base his decision.    I'm glad yours works so well.

Rick