Floor Scale Buying Guide: Sizes, Capacity and NTEP for Pallet Scales
This floor scale buying guide starts with the size most pallets need: a 4 x 4 ft, 5,000 lb x 1 lb NTEP floor scale such as the MNM Scales EH-544, on sale for $2,199.00 (regular $2,998.00), in stock.
Short answer: for standard 48 x 40 in pallets, buy a 4 x 4 ft (48 x 48 in) floor scale with 5,000 lb x 1 lb capacity, such as the NTEP MNM Scales Detecto EH-544. Step up to a 5 x 5 ft Brecknell DSB6060-05 for oversize loads, to 10,000 x 2 lb for heavy pallets, or to a stainless steel washdown floor scale for wet areas. Choose NTEP if you ship, buy or sell by weight, add a ramp if pallet jacks roll on, and plan for on-site calibration once the scale is in place.
A floor scale is the workhorse of a warehouse, shipping dock or plant, and the wrong size or capacity is expensive to fix after it is bolted down. MNM Scales is one of the largest scale distributors in the country, with over 30 years in business and the largest selection of floor scales, indicators, load cells and cables, and our TDA-registered technicians install and calibrate floor scales across the Houston area. Here is how to choose one.
Step 1: pick the platform size
| Platform | Fits | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 2 x 2 ft (24 x 24 in) | Drums, carts, small totes | MNM Scales Prime FS-2424, 2,000 x 1 lb, NTEP |
| 3 x 3 ft (36 x 36 in) | Drums, small pallets and skids | MNM Scales Prime FS-3636-1, 5,000 x 1 lb, NTEP |
| 4 x 4 ft (48 x 48 in) | Standard 48 x 40 in pallets | MNM Scales Detecto EH-544 5,000 x 1 lb or MNM Scales Detecto EH-1044 10,000 x 2 lb, NTEP |
| 5 x 5 ft (60 x 60 in) | Oversize pallets, crates, overhang | Brecknell DSB6060-05, 5,000 x 1 lb, NTEP Class III |
| 4 x 4 ft stainless | Pallets in food plants and wet areas | Optima OP-916SSLT-4X4-5K, 5,000 lb, NTEP Class III |
| 22 x 42 in, portable | Bags, boxes, carts, animals | Brecknell PS500-42S, 500 x 0.2 lb |
The whole load has to sit on the platform without touching the floor or a wall, so measure your largest pallet including overhang and add a few inches on each side. The same 48 x 48 in Echelon EH scales are also listed as the MNM Scales Echelon EH 5,000 x 1 lb and MNM Scales Echelon EH 10,000 x 2 lb; browse all MNM Scales Prime floor scales and MNM Scales Detecto floor scales.
Step 2: choose capacity and readability
Add the heaviest load to anything weighed with it, such as a pallet jack or cart, then choose the next capacity up with some margin. A 3,500 lb pallet on a 150 lb pallet jack is 3,650 lb, which fits a 5,000 lb scale; regular 5,000 lb loads call for 10,000 lb. Readability follows capacity: a 5,000 x 1 lb scale has 5,000 divisions, and a 10,000 x 2 lb scale also has 5,000 divisions at 2 lb steps (see capacity and readability explained). If you need finer readings on lighter loads, use a smaller scale such as the 2,000 x 1 lb MNM Scales Prime FS-2424 or the 500 x 0.2 lb Brecknell PS500-42S.
Step 3: decide on NTEP and legal for trade
If you charge, pay or ship by the weight on the scale, it must be NTEP approved and placed in service (see what NTEP and legal for trade mean). In Texas, a registered technician places the scale in service and files the RWM-780 (see RWM-780 explained), and the business registers it with TDA (see TDA scale certification). Every floor scale in the table above, except the portable PS500, is NTEP approved. For inventory and production checks, any of them will do; for parcels, see our shipping scale guide.
Step 4: construction, environment and indicator
- Painted steel floor scales, such as the Brecknell DSB6060-05 with its thick safety-tread top plate, welded channel frame and four potted alloy steel load cells, suit dry warehouses and docks.
- Stainless steel washdown scales suit food plants and wet areas. The Optima OP-916SSLT-4X4-5K is all stainless, NTEP, with a hydraulic lift-up top for cleaning underneath and a 20 ft shielded cable (see stainless steel floor scales and our washdown scale guide).
- Low profile matters for loading: the MNM Scales Prime FS-2424 and FS-3636-1 are 4 in high, with four alloy steel shear beam load cells and a built-in rechargeable battery.
- The indicator decides your functions. The DSB6060-05 indicator adds counting, checkweighing, totals and RS-232 output with time and date for a printer or PC. To replace or upgrade one, browse scale indicators and see LP7515 indicator setup; for parts counting by weight, see our counting scale guide.
Ramps and loading
If pallets go on with a forklift, you can set them straight onto the platform. To weigh on the lift itself, our Tara MNM Scales forklift and loader scales read the load from the hydraulic pressure; MNM Scales installs and calibrates them on-site and also calibrates every system before it ships. If they roll on with a pallet jack, cart or drum dolly, add a ramp. MNM Scales sells floor scale ramps; tell us your scale model, platform size and height, and capacity, and we will match the ramp (contact us or call for sizes and pricing).
- Match height and capacity: the ramp should meet the platform edge at the same height and be rated for your heaviest load plus the pallet jack.
- One ramp or two: one ramp lets you roll on and back off; two ramps on opposite sides let you roll straight through.
- Keep a gap: the ramp must not touch or rest on the weighing platform, or it carries part of the load and the reading comes up short.
- Built-in ramps: for drums and lighter loads, the Brecknell DS1000-LCD drum scale (1,000 x 0.5 lb) has built-in ramps, handles and wheels, and the Brecknell PS-1000 (1,000 x 0.5 lb, 2.5 in high) has integrated ramps on a non-slip tread plate.
Build your own floor scale
Have a platform already, or need a custom size? The MNM Scales 5,000 lb floor scale kit ($189) includes four shear beam load cells (3.0 mV/V), mounting hardware, four leveling feet, a four-channel trimmable junction box, a 15 ft quick-disconnect cable and an LCD indicator with RS-232, battery, AC adapter and wall stand. The platform is not included. See our load cell buying guide and load cells for replacement cells. Our scale kit guide walks through choosing a capacity, building the platform and rebuilding a worn scale.
Installation tips
- Level, solid concrete: set the scale on a flat, level floor and adjust all four feet so each one carries load.
- Keep it clear underneath: debris, ice or a pallet board under the frame binds the scale and causes errors.
- Center the load and set pallets down gently rather than dropping them.
- Protect the cable: route the cable away from forklift traffic. Replacement cables include the Digiweigh floor scale cable, the MNM Scales Prime 15 ft and 30 ft 4-pin cables and the MNM Scales Detecto cable for Echelon floor scales; tell us your scale and indicator model for the right one.
- Calibrate after installation: shipping and setup can shift a floor scale, so have it calibrated where it will be used.
On-site floor scale calibration
Floor scales are calibrated where they sit. Our technicians bring their own certified test weights, run a corner (section) test on each load cell and adjust the indicator span, then issue an in-house or NIST-traceable certificate (see how to calibrate a floor scale). Across Houston and the suburbs, a visit is a $295 service call plus $2 per mile round trip, charged once per visit, with calibration priced per scale on top (see on-site scale calibration in Houston, calibration pricing and how often to calibrate).
Floor scales over 150 kg (all models above): In-house calibration + certificate ($495) NIST calibration + NIST-traceable certificate ($995)
Frequently asked questions
What size floor scale do I need for pallets?
For standard 48 x 40 inch pallets, choose a 4 x 4 foot (48 x 48 inch) floor scale. Use a 5 x 5 foot platform for oversize pallets or loads that overhang.
What capacity floor scale should I buy?
Add your heaviest load to anything weighed with it, such as a pallet jack, and choose the next capacity up. 5,000 lb x 1 lb covers most pallets; 10,000 x 2 lb suits heavy loads.
Does a floor scale need to be NTEP approved?
Yes, if you ship, buy or sell by weight. The scale must be NTEP approved and placed in service, and in Texas the business registers it with TDA.
Can I build my own floor scale?
Yes. The MNM Scales 5,000 lb floor scale kit includes four load cells, a junction box, cable, leveling feet and an indicator; the platform is not included.
Do you sell ramps for floor scales?
Yes. MNM Scales sells floor scale ramps. Tell us your scale model, platform height and capacity and we will match the ramp; the ramp must not touch the weighing platform.
How much does floor scale calibration cost?
At MNM Scales, calibration for scales over 150 kg is $495 with an in-house certificate or $995 with a NIST-traceable certificate. On-site visits in the Houston area add a $295 service call plus $2 per mile round trip, once per visit.