As winter grips much of North America, temperature extremes make maintaining accurate load cell performance critical.
Strain gauge-based load cells are sensitive to cold weather, but proper understanding, compensation, and best practices can ensure reliability in harsh conditions.
Are Load Cells Affected By Temperature?
Yes, load cells are affected by temperature changes especially in cold weather. They rely on metal deformation and electrical resistance changes in bonded strain gauges. In freezing conditions these effects can cause inaccurate readings if not addressed.
How Temperature Affects Load Cells
- Physical Contraction: The metal body (steel or aluminum) contracts in cold, induces apparent strain and false signals even under constant load.
- Change in Strain Gauge Resistance: The temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) causes resistance shifts independently of strain, leading to a change in the output.
- Zero Drift: Material mismatches or uneven cooling shifts the no-load output.This results in zero shift (changing readings at no load) and span shift (altered sensitivity).
Temperature Compensation Mechanisms
These are some of the ways manufacturers manage load cells affected by extreme temperatures:
- Self-Compensated Strain Gauges: Matched to the load cell material thermal expansion.
- Wheatstone Bridge Configuration: Cancels common-mode effects in full-bridge setups.
- Additional Resistors: Temperature-sensitive components (e.g., nickel resistors or thermistors) to counteract the change in resistance of the bridge circuit in the opposite direction.
On each Load cell datasheet, you can find the specific temperature-compensated range for that particular model. The typical temperature-compensated range is -10°C to 40°C. The operating temperature range is wider than the temperature-compensated range, which is from -40°C to 80°C.
Why Temperature Compensation is Essential for Load Cells in North America
Temperature compensation in load cells is important in North America due to the continent’s vast size and extreme climate variations.
North America spans from the Arctic regions of Canada (winters below -40°C/-40°F) to hot deserts in the southwestern US and Mexico (summers above 40°C/104°F) with rapid seasonal and daily fluctuations in many areas.
These extremes directly impact load cell performance in outdoor or semi-outdoor applications:
- Extreme cold (e.g., Canadian winters or northern US): Materials contract, increases stiffness and causes zero drift or reduced sensitivity; ice/snow can add mechanical stress.
- Extreme heat (e.g., Arizona/Nevada deserts): Expansion causes apparent strain and span errors.
- Rapid changes (common in continental interiors like the Midwest): Transient errors from uneven heating/cooling.
Industries like truck scales, agriculture, mining, oil & gas and lifting operations often operate outdoors where cold contraction, ice buildup and thermal shocks can cause significant errors or mechanical stress.
Without compensation, inaccuracies can happen and pose safety and economic risks.
Best Practices for Load Cell Winter Operations
To maintain accuracy and prevent damage in cold weather:
1. Preparation and Choosing the Right Equipment
- Select a load cell with the right temperature compensation for the target application accuracy.
- Make sure your instrumentation will also be able to keep up with the environment.
2. Daily Operation
- Tare frequently to counter zero drift.
- Monitor temperatures.
3. Maintenance
- Clear snow/ice daily with plastic tools.
- Inspect weekly, calibrate and service annually.
Troubleshooting Common Winter Issues
Even with the right equipment and good winter preparation, cold weather can still introduce issues from time to time. Freezing temperatures, snow, and repeated freeze-thaw cycles create conditions that are hard on load cells and their surrounding components.
Knowing what to look for and how to respond quickly can help you restore accuracy, prevent damage, and minimize downtime. Below are some of the most common winter-related load cell problems and practical ways to address them.
Ice Buildup or Binding
- Symptoms: Inaccurate or stuck readings.
- Fix: Clear debris, add enclosures or use de-icing sprays (non-corrosive).
Zero Drift
- Symptom: Non-zero reading at no load.
- Fix: Tare, recalibrate or integrate a temperature compensation software.
Erratic Readings
- Symptom: Fluctuations during use.
- Fix: Check for cable damage from freeze-thaw cycles; replace if brittle.
Condensation
- Symptom: Moisture inside.
- Fix: Use desiccants in enclosures; ensure seals are intact.
Quick Reference Table: Winter Load Cell Checklist
For a simple way to stay on top of winter maintenance, the checklist below summarizes the key tasks, how often to perform them, and why they matter.
| Task | Frequency | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Clear snow/ice | Daily | Prevents binding and load shift |
| Tare / zero scale | Daily | Counters thermal zero drift |
| Inspect cables and enclosures | Weekly | Avoids moisture intrusion and breakage |
| Clean under deck | Weekly | Ensures free mechanical movement |
| Calibrate and service | Annually | Maintains accuracy in cold conditions and identifies hidden wear |
Following these practices helps ensure your load cells perform reliably throughout the winter, saving time, money, and unnecessary frustration.
How Massload Technologies Load Cells Perform in Cold Weather Conditions
Massload makes high quality strain gauge load cells for tough environments, including the cold of Canadian and North American winters.
Our products are designed to handle cold temperatures and are popular in industries like mining, oil & gas, agriculture, trucking and outdoor weighing applications.
Key Features for Cold Weather Performance
- Temperature Compensation: All Massload load cells have built-in compensation using special materials (e.g. stainless steel for minimal thermal expansion), matched strain gauges and electronic adjustments. This counteracts cold contraction, zero drift and span errors so you get accurate readings even in freezing cold.
- Wide Operating Ranges: Many models can handle down to -40°C (-40°F) like in mining applications (e.g. Wyoming winters) and their cold rated load cell cables (polyurethane jacket rated to -40°C).
- Rugged Construction: Stainless steel bodies, high IP ratings (e.g. IP67/IP68) and sealed designs resist ice buildup, moisture and corrosion from snow/salt. They’re built to exceed on harsh-environments and outdoor use.
Massload load cells are perfect for truck scales in snow or remote mining sites. Check our datasheets or contact us for specific models or project advice.
Ready for Reliable Weighing All Winter Long?
Cold weather should not compromise accuracy, safety, or uptime. If you operate in harsh winter environments and need load cells that perform reliably in freezing conditions, Massload has solutions built for the challenge.
Our team can help you select the right load cell, review temperature requirements, and recommend options designed for long-term performance in cold, outdoor applications.
Contact Massload today to discuss your application, explore cold-rated load cell options or request detailed datasheets tailored to your project.
