Wireless Scale / Load Cell for a boom truck? For Tree Work

Hi guys, I just got a small crane. It's a 2005 National 600 E s/n 291171 on an International 7500... 20 ton crane. I don't think it has a scale or load cell (or whatever you call it) on it. We are going to be using it for Tree Removal work and so I know it is important to determine what these tree pieces weigh. I'm thinking I should definitely get a wireless scale for the end of it. Any ideas guys? Your help would be greatly appreciated.

http://cranesmart.com/

I have used these guys for years. Simple, reliable, and good over the phone backup if you do have issues.

After doing a Google search I found these, and called them. They claim it is water resistant and sealed. Also has a full 2 year warranty against damage. They're not too expensive either. https://selletonscales.com/collecti...hoist/products/op-927w-wireless-tension-scale
But my crane repair guy says he does not think these will hold-up to wet New England weather.

Another crane guy I know down in N. Carolina pointed me towards these. http://bodetechnicalservices.com/pat-hirschmann-crane-parts/

Tugger2 says cranesmart.

But I don't even know if my crane has sensors, or even an LMI. The crane is 3 hours from me at a facility so i have not used it and don't know, but I would buy and have anything installed before driving there. This is the manual for my crane file:///C:/Users/bdtre/Downloads/600E-Product-Guide.pdf Does anybody know what the best application for my crane would be?
I was thinking of calling National and asking what they would recommend.
Thanks for all the help.

CraneSmart for me also, I had three of them. On my first rig, a 10 ton boom truck, then a 17 ton boom truck, then a 22 ton rider Manitex, that all had "issues" with the LMI (or had none at all). One of the CS units and a load chart, and some common sense is really all you need. Get the wireless ATB also, critical for tree work, otherwise you'll be snagging your external cable. The only issue I had was my bad, I didn't know or realize i needed to make sure the ATB weight was NOT banging away down on the wireless switch, it ain't made for the road shock. Once I rigged for travel so the weight was above/free of the switch, zero problems.

Natman said:

CraneSmart for me also, I had three of them. On my first rig, a 10 ton boom truck, then a 17 ton boom truck, then a 22 ton rider Manitex, that all had "issues" with the LMI (or had none at all). One of the CS units and a load chart, and some common sense is really all you need. Get the wireless ATB also, critical for tree work, otherwise you'll be snagging your external cable. The only issue I had was my bad, I didn't know or realize i needed to make sure the ATB weight was NOT banging away down on the wireless switch, it ain't made for the road shock. Once I rigged for travel so the weight was above/free of the switch, zero problems.

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Natman, what did you pay for the CraneSmart units about $5,500? http://cranesmart.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Load-Cell-Data-Sheet-Cranesmart.pdf
I heard they're good, but they're pricey I believe.

I was quoted in the $3,000 range out the door for an LSI Trimble unit http://lifting.trimble.com/products/GCXXX/

Do you have any links or any more tips to feed my way?

Btw, I didn't quite understand what you meant about the wireless ATB (I've got a wireless ATB on it btw) But were you saying that it gets damaged when rattling around while driving down the road?

Cranesmart over the trimble/lsi. Better customer support. Better unit. Have 3 Lsi/trimble, (only 2 left) have 3 new style cranesmarts, one of the old style. Cranesmart all the way.

The National 600 may have a "passive" overload system, based off of boom cylinder hydraulic pressure. Meaning it won't let you pick up too much to damage the boom. National from the factory would be a PAT lmi system probably, and they won't recommend anything aftermarket.

Even if it has the "passive" overload, the scale is a great tool, and well worth the $. I won't let my cranes leave the yard if the scale isn't working. In the rental game it isn't worth the risk.

$5,000 sounds about right for the cranesmart. If you already have working A2B wireless, there's no need to also have a2B from cranesmart.

If it has the "passive" overload system, it probably has a little round hydraulic pressure gauge, that has a green /yellow/ red areas on a dial pointer within the gauge. When the gauge hits "red" it will lock out boom up, winch up, and telescope out functions. Which may be enough for your application, rather than the full scale.

It would be nice to know as your loading logs how much of a load you end up with, the dial overload indicator isn't going to give you a weight.

crane operator said:

Cranesmart over the trimble/lsi. Better customer support. Better unit. Have 3 Lsi/trimble, (only 2 left) have 3 new style cranesmarts, one of the old style. Cranesmart all the way.

The National 600 may have a "passive" overload system, based off of boom cylinder hydraulic pressure. Meaning it won't let you pick up too much to damage the boom. National from the factory would be a PAT lmi system probably, and they won't recommend anything aftermarket.

Even if it has the "passive" overload, the scale is a great tool, and well worth the $. I won't let my cranes leave the yard if the scale isn't working. In the rental game it isn't worth the risk.

$5,000 sounds about right for the cranesmart. If you already have working A2B wireless, there's no need to also have a2B from cranesmart.

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Crane operator, you're right. I called National today, and spoke with a few dealers too, and they call it an HCA (hydraulic capacity alert) system on my crane. I think they were saying it's got that gauge too with the red, yellow, and green that you're talking about as well that shuts down the lifting if it's sensing too much weight (hydraulic pressure I guess), so you seem to know these cranes well, it's got exactly what you describe.

So if you don't mind, I'd like to ask you a few questions about the Cranesmart. What makes the Cranesmart that much better than the LSI Trimble to justify the extra $2500 it costs? The guy who sent me the quote for the LSI Trimble from BTS said that the LSI Trimble is used by the military and is military issue (it could just be a line of his).
Could you also find me some kind of a link or contact info for someplace or someones that will sell me a CraneSmart unit for a fair price? And the model name/number I would want?

Thank you so much for your help!

I think you can only get the cranesmart from the factory in canada. I always talk with Howard.

Just because the military uses trimble, just means they were the lowest bidder, not that its the best thing out there. Helps that they are us made, for getting the mil contract. Not likely to source from canada for that.

I've had issues with LSI, batteries don't last, screens go bad. And when the screens go bad (On 2 of the 3 systems I had had screens go out), from the factory- "no, we can't sell you a screen because that model is 5 years old- we don't support it anymore, but you can buy a whole new system". If you won't support what you made before- why would I buy a new one from you? So cranesmart for me.

The screen on the cranesmart is easier to read, the load cell doesn't have a little antenna sticking out of it that gets damaged. Batteries last longer. Its just a more robust system.

And yes, the $5,000 is a lot of money, welcome to the expenses of crane equipment. You really aren't buying the system, as much as you are buying their liability insurance.

I'll look and see what they call the model I have, I would find out first what exactly your new rig has, and what of it works, before I went and bought a lot of extra's you maybe don't need. If your A2B works fine, no need to add the cranesmart a2b, same with boom length and angle indicator. Don't replace what already works.

5 K or so is about what i paid, worth every penny for the peace of mind it gave me!