Using the moisture meter correctly.

Split a piece and jam it in 1/4 inch in the middle of the log. Thats your reading. Some take an average towards both ends and middle...

I read somewhere that you would get completely different readings if you took the reading with the grain vs. against the grain... not quite sure which is right.....

I'm guessin that it did not come with instructions?

I have the same meter. Gently push the prongs in as far as they will go. Most accurate reading is in the middle of a freshly split piece, prongs WITH the grain.

NP

i dont understand, why would it matter if you were with or against the grain?

Middle holds the moisture better. Capilary action of the log will loose moisture at the ends so they dry quicker... Shorter path for the water to get out...

I had that same meter it broke after gently pushing it into a log. I only used it maybe 10 times max. Now it just reads 30 to 40% all the time, just holding it.

CowboyAndy said:

i dont understand, why would it matter if you were with or against the grain?

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When you're going against the grain, you've got lots of wood cell walls to cross, and since you're basically reading the resistance to current flow, the resistance will be falsely high, making the meter say your wood is drier than it is.

When you are parallel to the grain, you are reading across far fewer wood cells walls, and so you will get a much more accurate reading.

It is key though to split the wood right before you take the reading, and to push the prongs in as far as they will go without too much effort. If they won't go in very far, pick another spot to test.

What is a good number to look for as I just got mine today. Obviously the lower the better but on avg with redoak, maple, and birch what is acceptable levels of moisture?

nocdpc said:

What is a good number to look for as I just got mine today. Obviously the lower the better but on avg with redoak, maple, and birch what is acceptable levels of moisture?

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20% or below is generally accepted as a good target range.

NP

So if 20 % is good, what is too dry?

Too dry is zero. There really isn't too dry. The problem with 10% dry wood is it will over fire, get to hot too fast. In stoves and inserts you want a long hot fire.
The beauty of having very dry wood at your disposal is you can mix it in with lesser dry wood.
Makes a nice cocktail.

Alberta Burner said:

So if 20 % is good, what is too dry?

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I used to think that wood couldn't be "too dry," but I've learned that's not true. I think it varies species by species.

In my case, I have some coming 3 year old white oak that burns wonderfully now, and some coming 5 year old Madrone that burned slow and hot 1-2 years ago--now it just burns hot.

NP

Better go water your wood then.

heh crazy idea I just had... what if you stuck wood in a vacuum chamber and turned up the vacuum? would it dry quickly?