Load Cell

A load cell turns force into a small electrical signal that an indicator or junction box reads as weight. Cells are used to build new weighing systems and to replace parts in existing ones: platform scales, hoppers, tanks, silos and conveyor sections all rely on one or more cells under or above the vessel.

The type has to match the mounting. A single point cell carries a small platform on its own, shear beam cells are used in groups of three or four with proper mounts and a summing junction box, and column or tension cells take high or hanging loads. Capacity is set by the load each cell actually sees, so the total weight, the number of cells sharing it, the dead weight of the vessel and any off-centre loading all go into the choice. The signal has to suit the indicator as well: the millivolt output per volt of excitation and the number of wires must match what the electronics expect.

Environment and cable decide what survives on site. Check whether the area is washed down or simply dusty, and pick the housing material and sealing to match. Record the cable length needed, whether the cell ends in a connector or open wires, and which colour code the existing indicator uses; a shielded cable routed away from power lines avoids readings that drift or jump.

For a replacement, the old cell is the best specification: model, rated capacity, cable length and wiring colours should all be written down before anything is ordered. Mounting hardware and the junction box arrangement are easy to overlook and hard to fit later.