Fix your stupid cheap digital caliper

[PaulR]

In cheap stupid digital caliper quirks news, I just received another one today from the big river company, and guess what? Out of the box it reads exactly half of what it should. 

That's useful when you make a mistake as it only looks half as bad!

My calipers have a second sliding cover at the top. Inside it looks like a few contact strips or maybe that's just part of the board - what's that all about? Could also be a spare battery compartment I guess. Will take a photo tomorrow if needed.

[uuu]

Some of the calipers can be connected to a remote display or data capture system.  Perhaps this is where you plug in the cable.

Wilf

[vtsteam]

Correct uuu, these are contacts for connecting to a remote system. Yuri's toys used to have instructions for rolling your own DRO and actually using some brands of these as scales. Actually looks like it might still there:

https://www.touchdro.com/resources/adapters/diy/

btw, my latest one (arrived yesterday) -- the one with the screwed on battery cover does not have this auxiliary contact cover. My older ones do.

[PaulR]

Thanks both, I thought it looked like a connection for something. I don't have any use for that but tethering to a stationary device would at least stop me putting them down in random places 

[mike81]

 I tried your method, worked well. Sorry that threw out several calipers in the past. Usually use dial calipers but still have my 4" digital.
 

[vtsteam]

Glad to hear, Mike!