Moisture meter

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.
Thanks. I will get one tomorrow.

The one annoyance I've found with that meter is you need to hold the power button for a solid 5+ seconds before it will turn on. The pins seem relatively flimsy but will take some force. Make sure you're measuring the face of a fresh split at room temperature and that the pins are in parallel with the grain of the wood. You'll need to put some force on it to get the pins embedded far enough for a steady reading.
 
I have the same moisture meter....after a couple months with wood I hardly ever use it. I don't need it to tell me what the moisture is I throw it in the stove and can tell LOL. I don't have any other wood to throw in or I probably would use it!
 
The one annoyance I've found with that meter is you need to hold the power button for a solid 5+ seconds before it will turn on. The pins seem relatively flimsy but will take some force. Make sure you're measuring the face of a fresh split at room temperature and that the pins are in parallel with the grain of the wood. You'll need to put some force on it to get the pins embedded far enough for a steady reading.
Thanks for the tips. Appreciate it.
 
I might just get me one of the $20 ones from Lowes, 'cuz they apparently use regular 9v batteries. The Harbor Fright meter works okay (gotta push those pins in hard, though) but it uses stupid little button batteries than are a pain to find. The HF stores around here only sell the batteries as part of a set on a card and I don't need any of the other sizes. Radio Smack sells 'em too, but they're purty expensive, like most things at Radio Smack.
 
I might just get me one of the $20 ones from Lowes, 'cuz they apparently use regular 9v batteries. The Harbor Fright meter works okay (gotta push those pins in hard, though) but it uses stupid little button batteries than are a pain to find. The HF stores around here only sell the batteries as part of a set on a card and I don't need any of the other sizes. Radio Smack sells 'em too, but they're purty expensive, like most things at Radio Smack.
I went to Lowes today to pick one up. Used it when a load of oak arrived today. Works great!
 
I went to Lowes today to pick one up. Used it when a load of oak arrived today. Works great!
and how was the oak on the inside of a fresh split warmed to room temperature? Were your expectations in line with what you were seeing with the meter?
 
It was well seasoned oak, about 16 months. average 12% moisture.
Wow thats great. More often than naught we hear people who are surprised that the seasoned wood they received wasnt so seasoned.
 
Is there much advantage to a pinless one for firewood? Is the only advantage that it makes no holes in the wood (which would not matter in firewood) or is one more accurate than the other?
 
A pinless meter will not give anything resembling an accurate reading for firewood.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.