Beka Carlo Alu Patient Scale Conversion Kit, 250 kg

The Beka Carlo Alu Patient Scale Conversion Kit, 250 kg is Beka Hospitec's retrofit kit for putting a digital patient scale onto a Carlo Alu floor lift you already own, manufacturer code 924001800. The kit includes the retainer that carries the scale and the digital scale itself with standard batteries, and it weighs to 250 kg (551 lb). Westin Healthcare ships it across Canada and our technicians fit it across Brampton and the Greater Toronto Area.

This is the 230 kg kit. It is for the Beka Carlo Alu Classic 230 and the Carlo Alu Comfort EP 230. Beka builds the same lifts in a 185 kg rating, and those take a different kit: 924003400, with a weighing capacity up to 200 kg. Have your lift's article number in front of you when you order and we will confirm the code with you.

What the kit does

Weight is a monitored clinical value. Fluid balance, medication dosing, nutrition plans and pressure-injury risk all turn on a number somebody has to record, and for a resident who cannot stand there is no easy way to get it. A platform scale is out. A chair scale means a second transfer nobody needed.

A lift with a scale in the load path solves it by folding the measurement into a transfer that was happening anyway. The resident goes up in the sling, the number settles, the caregiver reads it, the transfer carries on. This kit adds that to a Carlo Alu that was bought without it.

• The retainer, the mounting that carries the scale between the lifting column and the hanger bar
• The digital scale, Beka's SLS unit, weighing to 250 kg (551 lb)
• Standard batteries, four 1.5 V AA cells

The lift's rating does not change. Beka rates the Carlo Alu Classic 230 and the Comfort EP 230 at a safe working load of 230 kg (507 lb). The scale weighs to 250 kg, which sits above the lift's rating so the instrument is never working at its limit, but the lift is still the limit. A display that reads a number does not mean the lift should be carrying it.

Which lifts it fits

The lifts we sell from this family are the Carlo Alu Classic 230 and the Carlo Alu Comfort EP 230, plus the 185 kg builds. We already list both 230 kg lifts with the scale fitted from the factory: the Classic 230 with scale and the Comfort EP 230 with scale. If you are buying a new lift, buy it with the scale. This kit is for the lift already on your floor.

It does not fit anything else. No Beka Nora, no Handicare lift and no other manufacturer's floor lift is named against this code, and none is claimed here. If you have a different machine, call us on (905) 451-7743 and we will look at what its manufacturer offers.

How the weighing works

Beka's procedure is short and every step in it matters.

• Switch on and wait. The scale is operational about ten seconds after it is switched on, and it must not be moved or loaded during that time. Wait until it tares itself to 0.0 kg.
• Suspend the sling with the resident.
• Bring the hanger bar into the weighing position, so the resident's legs are oriented towards the lifting column. That puts the scale horizontal, which is what makes the reading correct. Beka cautions that if the legs are not oriented towards the lifting column it is possible that the correct weight is not displayed.
• Check the resident is hanging free, not part-resting on a chair, a wheelchair or a bed.
• Read the weight, then deduct what is not the resident. Beka's caution: the proper weight of the sling and the clothes must be deducted from the displayed weight to determine the actual body weight.

The scale will tare a suspended load for you: switch it on, wait about ten seconds, then suspend the weight to be tared, such as the sling. Note that if the preload or tare exceeds 20 per cent of the weighing range, auto-zeroing does not run and manual taring is required.

Beka documents a kg to pounds changeover and notes that it is only enabled on scales that are not legal-for-trade, with the last unit set saved even after the device is switched off. If your facility records in pounds, tell us and we will confirm with Savaria which build ships against this code.

Beka Carlo Alu Patient Scale Conversion Kit, 250 kg specifications

Beka does not publish a division, a minimum weight, a verification scale interval, a display size or a weight for the SLS scale in the Carlo Alu operating manual, so none is claimed here. What is published is the weighing capacity, the kit contents, the power, the operating procedure and the safety position, and that is what the table above carries. If your facility metrology file needs the division or an accuracy class, ask us and we will request it from the manufacturer.

Fitting it, and Beka's position on who may

This is a technician job. Beka's safety instructions for the SLS digital scale are unusually firm and worth reading before anyone opens the box: the construction and the safety technology of the device may not be changed; each alteration excludes Beka Hospitec's liability for the resulting damage; any repairs, soldering operations to the circuit board and the exchange of parts are prohibited; and repairs may only be carried out by persons authorized by Beka Hospitec.

Our technicians fit the kit, check the lift's functions afterwards, and go through the weighing procedure with your team so the first reading is a real one. Book through service and repairs or call (905) 451-7743.

One thing to check at the same time: the scale sits in the load path, so it changes the distance from the floor to the sling suspension. Beka notes this against its own dimension drawings. Run your lowest and highest transfers with the scale fitted before the lift goes back into service.

Looking after it

Wipe the scale clean with a damp cloth, and use a normal cleaner for heavier soiling. Beka's instruction is never to use abrasive or corrosive cleaners.

The scale takes four 1.5 V AA batteries in an enclosure behind the right cover plate. Beka's procedure is to unscrew the cover plate, insert the battery enclosure with the batteries the right way round, and screw the plate back on. Keep a set on the shelf so a flat scale does not stop a weigh round.

Waste equipment that is no longer functional must be disposed of separately from normal household waste, in accordance with national and local regulations on environmental protection and raw material recycling.

Related Beka lifts and parts

The lifts this kit converts are the Carlo Alu Classic 230 and the Carlo Alu Comfort EP 230, and the factory-scaled versions are the Classic 230 with scale and the Comfort EP 230 with scale. The 185 kg builds are the Classic 185 and the Comfort EP 185 with scale.

Beka's standing aids are the Nora Alu and the Nora Pro, and their parts include the Nora Pro lithium-ion battery pack and the Nora carry bar loop pin kit.

If you weigh on a Handicare lift instead, the Charder MHS2500 lift scale is the equivalent for the Eva and Carina350 families. Other spare parts and lift hardware sit on the lift parts shelf, and every lift we stock is on the patient lifts hub.

Delivery in Brampton and the GTA

Westin Healthcare ships this kit across Canada and delivers it across Brampton and the Greater Toronto Area. Shipping terms are on the shipping policy, and any charge is confirmed on your order.

If our technicians already service your equipment, ask us to bring it on the next visit and fit it while we are there. Call (905) 451-7743 or book through service and repairs. You are also welcome to pick it up at our Brampton showroom.

Service, repairs, and warranty

When something on the equipment needs work, you call the shop that set it up, not an overseas parts desk. Westin Healthcare has a service and repairs department. Our technicians come to the home or workplace.

Beka warranty and service position

Beka's safety instructions for the SLS digital scale state that the construction and the safety technology of the device may not be changed, that each alteration excludes Beka Hospitec's liability for the resulting damages, that repairs, soldering operations to the circuit board and the exchange of parts are prohibited, and that repairs may only be carried out by persons authorized by Beka Hospitec. That is why we fit it rather than shipping it to be fitted on site by whoever is available.

Beka states that the SLS digital scale meets the requirements of 90/384/EEC and 73/23/EEC and is interference-suppressed according to the applicable EC directive 89/336/EEC. No warranty year count is printed for the kit in the operating manual. Ask us for the terms that ship with your order and we will handle a claim with you.

Beka's position on the lift is the same: the battery and the control box must not be opened by the customer, and repairs may be carried out only by Beka Hospitec or by companies authorized by Beka Hospitec. Our technicians are the people who do that here, and they can check the lift and the new scale on the same visit.

Frequently asked questions

Which lifts does this kit fit?

The 230 kg builds: the Beka Carlo Alu Classic 230 and the Carlo Alu Comfort EP 230. That is what our pricelist row states and it matches Savaria's Carlo Alu Comfort EP card, which lists 924001800 as the scale conversion retrofit kit against the CARLO Comfort 230 block.

What if I have a 185 kg Carlo?

Different kit. Savaria lists 924003400 as the scale conversion retrofit kit for the Carlo Alu Classic and Carlo Alu Comfort EP, with a weighing capacity up to 200 kg (441 lb). Call us on (905) 451-7743 with your lift's article number and we will quote the right one rather than sell you a kit that does not match your machine.

What is in the box?

Our pricelist description is explicit: the retainer for the scale, and the digital scale with standard batteries. The retainer is the mounting that carries the scale in the load path between the lifting column and the hanger bar.

The scale weighs to 250 kg but the lift is rated 230 kg. Which governs?

The lift. Beka rates the Carlo Alu Classic 230 and the Comfort EP 230 at a safe working load of 230 kg (507 lb), and fitting a scale does not change that. The 250 kg figure is the scale's weighing range, which sits above the lift's rating so the instrument is not working at its limit. Never lift beyond the lift's rating because the display would still show a number.

Does fitting it change how the lift behaves?

It changes the geometry, and Beka says so. The manual carries a note with its dimension drawings: depending on the hanger bar used and the use of the optionally available scale, the distance from the floor to the sling suspension is different. In practice that means check your lowest and highest transfers with the scale fitted before you commit.

How do I take a weight?

Beka's procedure, in order. Switch the scale on and wait until it tares itself to 0.0 kg. Suspend the sling with the resident. Bring the hanger bar into the weighing position so the resident's legs are oriented towards the lifting column, which puts the scale horizontal. Make sure the resident is hanging free and not part-resting on a chair, a wheelchair or a bed. Read the weight.

Why does the leg orientation matter?

Because the scale has to sit horizontal to read correctly. Beka prints a caution: if the resident's legs are not oriented towards the lifting column, it is possible that the correct weight is not displayed. It is a one-second check that decides whether the number in the chart is real.

Do I have to subtract the sling?

Yes, if you want a true body weight. Beka's caution is direct: when calculating the weight, the proper weight of the sling and the clothes of the resident must be deducted from the displayed weight to determine the actual body weight. The scale can tare a suspended load for you: switch it on, wait about ten seconds, then suspend the weight to be tared, such as the sling.

What powers the scale?

Four 1.5 V AA batteries. Beka's procedure is to unscrew the right cover plate, insert the battery enclosure with the batteries the right way round, and screw the cover plate back on. The kit ships with standard batteries.

Can it display pounds?

Beka documents a kg to lb changeover, and notes that it is only enabled on scales that are not legal-for-trade. The last unit set is saved even after the device is switched off. If your facility records in pounds, tell us and we will ask Savaria which build ships against this code.

How long after switching on can I use it?

About ten seconds. Beka notes that the scale is operational roughly ten seconds after it has been switched on, and that during that time the scale must not be moved or loaded. It also notes that if the preload or tare exceeds 20 per cent of the weighing range, auto-zeroing will not run and manual taring is needed.

Is this the same as buying a lift with a scale?

It gets you to the same place from a different starting point. Savaria lists a calibrated patient scale as a factory option on a new Carlo Comfort 230 under code 925001208, up to 250 kg (551 lb). This kit is for a lift you already own. If you are buying a new lift, ask us about the factory option; we already list the Carlo Alu Classic 230 and Comfort EP 230 both with and without the scale.

Can I fit it myself?

No, and Beka is firm about it. The manual states that the construction and the safety technology of the scale may not be changed, that any alteration excludes Beka's liability for the resulting damage, that repairs, soldering operations to the circuit board and the exchange of parts are prohibited, and that repairs may only be carried out by persons authorized by Beka Hospitec. Our technicians fit it and check the lift afterwards.

How do I clean the scale?

Beka's instruction: wipe the scale clean with a damp cloth, and use a normal cleaner in the event of heavier soiling. Never use abrasive or corrosive cleaners.