MOISTURE METER SAYS DRY BUT WOOD IS HISSING AND LEAKING

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THEMAN

THEMAN

New Member
Oct 22, 2009
144
CENTRAL CA
Ok I don't know what to make of this. I got about 1/2 cord of dry eucalyptus free from a craigs list ad. When I split it it was definitely dry, the moisture meter read anywhere from 13-18*. So I only split some of the larger rounds and left the smaller ones intact. (they were all from the same recently felled dead tree). Enough background now for the problem. I loaded my stove with some pine and a few splits of euc. As the fire grew I heard a sound that I had not heard all winter, my stove sprung a leak :bug: that puppy was hissing up a storm. When I looked in the window I noticed that the euc had some moisture escaping from the outer edges of the ends. I thought perhaps it wasn't as dry as I thought or maybe I threw in a wet piece by mistake. I then realized that I had just split and checked the moisture on those splits they registered as dry! I don't get it. I have had several fires and every time I use the euc same issue. It is DRY I know it is. It looks, feels, sounds and registers as dry. Not only that, it catches fire quickly and coals up very well. I just don't know, perhaps its sap? I touched it and it seems like water not sticky so not sap. Has anyone had this happen to them when burning eucalyptus? Perhaps this is normal for euc. I don't know all I have burned so far is pine and redwood(I think).
 
Sounds like the moisture is near the surface, under the bark. Also, it could be that your moisture meter needs to be recalibrated for that species. Some meters come with a fudge factor table for different species. They can also read different with the grain versus across the grain.
 
I've had a slight hiss too, with wood reading reliably 17-20%, but 17% isn't zero. There's always going to be some moisture in the wood unless it's stored in a zero percent humidity environment. How dry it needs to be before you don't hear the hiss any longer probably varies based upon the species and the size of the pieces. I've also noticed that lots of smaller twigs that I use for kindling will hiss, even though they've been sitting in a box inside for more than 6 months.

Makes me wonder if something besides water boiling off can cause hissing.

I've been ignoring the hiss, if I get hot temps and great secondary burn.
 
I've noticed some wood can retain sap that does not read as moisture but when heated reverts to a flow-able state allowing the sap to ooze out the ends resulting in some hissing and such.
Joe
 
The mistake I made when first using my meter was going across the grain instead of with it when poking the split. Reads much different this way!
 
Eucalyptus trees that were planted in arid countries have had to be destroyed because they consume so much water to live. I've burnt some in a fireplace in South Africa and it hissed like a black mamba.
 
Leaking and hissing are signs of unseasoned wood. Why not test your MM on some fresh cut wood and see what it says?
 
I don't have a MM.
I'd be tempted to 'test' it at Lowes.
they have lots of kiln dried splits laying around.
 
you could also check the meter by testing the MC of a 2x4 it should read less than 5 on the meter.
 
LLigetfa said:
Sounds like the moisture is near the surface, under the bark. Also, it could be that your moisture meter needs to be recalibrated for that species. Some meters come with a fudge factor table for different species. They can also read different with the grain versus across the grain.
Click to expand...

For most species in the US the variation between species is only 1% +/- That being said the TEMPERATURE of the split can vary the results by as much as 5%. I'd recommend what others have said and test your MM against a scrap of KD 2x4 to see what you get, though now that I think about it it's possible that your meter is reading much lower than it should be--i.e. it says 11-18% when the split really 30% or so, but worth a check anyway on the 2x4.

Lastly, you did split a split open and check the moisture level INSIDE the split, right?


NP
 
Nonprophet said:
LLigetfa said:
Sounds like the moisture is near the surface, under the bark. Also, it could be that your moisture meter needs to be recalibrated for that species. Some meters come with a fudge factor table for different species. They can also read different with the grain versus across the grain.
Click to expand...

For most species in the US the variation between species is only 1% +/- That being said the TEMPERATURE of the split can vary the results by as much as 5%. I'd recommend what others have said and test your MM against a scrap of KD 2x4 to see what you get, though now that I think about it it's possible that your meter is reading much lower than it should be--i.e. it says 11-18% when the split really 30% or so, but worth a check anyway on the 2x4.

Lastly, you did split a split open and check the moisture level INSIDE the split, right?


NP
Click to expand...

Yes I split the wood open and checked both with and across the grain. The 2x4 in the garage read 08% on the meter, I also split a round of redwood that has been seasond for a couple of years and it read 13% this wood does not hiss nor leak when burnt. I guess as some of the other posters said perhaps its residual moisture.
 
Your moisture meter is lying to you. Believe nothing it tells you. Before you know it someone else will be drinking your beer! :lol:
 
burntime said:
Your moisture meter is lying to you. Believe nothing it tells you. Before you know it someone else will be drinking your beer! :lol:
Click to expand...

They can have the beer. They better not touch the rum and cigars or there will be hell to pay.
 
Putting your hopes in modern electronic gadgets and/or others words sometimes sets you up for disappointment or worse.

When you buy wood, don't know its history, are unfamiliar with the species, and have only the dubious words of the seller "It's seasoned.", your purchased wood is usually dry when:

1. The bark tends to fall off the split
2. Knocking 2 similar split pieces together "clink" rather than "clunk"
3. You see multiple radial cracks on the cut end
4. The color of the split has greyed or browned (weathered look)

Aye,
Marty
Grandma used to say, "Sometimes, take what others say with a grain of salt."
 
Marty S said:
Putting your hopes in modern electronic gadgets and/or others words sometimes sets you up for disappointment or worse.

When you buy wood, don't know its history, are unfamiliar with the species, and have only the dubious words of the seller "It's seasoned.", your purchased wood is usually dry when:

1. The bark tends to fall off the split
2. Knocking 2 similar split pieces together "clink" rather than "clunk"
3. You see multiple radial cracks on the cut end
4. The color of the split has greyed or browned (weathered look)

(SNIP)
Click to expand...

and 5) When it starts up on re-load quickly, comes up to temperature nicely, and burns completely. How it
burns is the ultimate test. I think that when you buy wood, you need to assume that it isn't ready. If it is ready,
it's a bonus.
 
northwinds said:
Marty S said:
Putting your hopes in modern electronic gadgets and/or others words sometimes sets you up for disappointment or worse.

When you buy wood, don't know its history, are unfamiliar with the species, and have only the dubious words of the seller "It's seasoned.", your purchased wood is usually dry when:

1. The bark tends to fall off the split
2. Knocking 2 similar split pieces together "clink" rather than "clunk"
3. You see multiple radial cracks on the cut end
4. The color of the split has greyed or browned (weathered look)

(SNIP)
Click to expand...

and 5) When it starts up on re-load quickly, comes up to temperature nicely, and burns completely. How it
burns is the ultimate test. (SNIP)
Click to expand...

The point is not to even put it in your stove until it is dry. Trying to burn wood you have no idea is dry or not, you become part of the problem, not part of the solution.

Aye,
Marty
 
Marty S said:
Trying to burn wood you have no idea is dry or not, you become part of the problem, not part of the solution.

Aye,
Marty
Click to expand...

I missed the part where someone advocated burning wood without any idea whether it was dry or not.
 
northwinds said:
I missed the part where someone advocated burning wood without any idea whether it was dry or not.
Click to expand...

How about the wood salesman who says "It's seasoned." implying it is ready to burn. Or the uninformed or ignorant or those who just don't care about their chimney emissions into everyones air. If they do it, they advocate it. They are out there. Some may even be reading this...

Aye,
Marty
 
Marty S said:
Putting your hopes in modern electronic gadgets and/or others words sometimes sets you up for disappointment or worse.

When you buy wood, don't know its history, are unfamiliar with the species, and have only the dubious words of the seller "It's seasoned.", your purchased wood is usually dry when:

1. The bark tends to fall off the split
2. Knocking 2 similar split pieces together "clink" rather than "clunk"
3. You see multiple radial cracks on the cut end
4. The color of the split has greyed or browned (weathered look)

Aye,
Marty
Grandma used to say, "Sometimes, take what others say with a grain of salt."
Click to expand...


1. The bark tends to fall off the split--Check there is no bark see pic
2. Knocking 2 similar split pieces together "clink" rather than "clunk" ---sounds like a clunk but you decide see video
3. You see multiple radial cracks on the cut end--more hemispherical than radial, again see pic
4. The color of the split has greyed or browned (weathered look), the large split has the graying look you describe and some of the splits look somewhat grayed on the outer edegs again see pic


 

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Well if they^ were in my pile I'd look at it and figure it was seasoned too. Although most, if not all of those rounds I'd split. Were they on the ground? Maybe that's why they hissed and leaks out moisture.

While I don't have a moisture meter the posts in the past have never reported any 08%...even in dimension lumber that's another reason I'm questioning the MM readings. Go cut something fresh that should give you a 30-34. If it don't ...there's your problem.
 
savageactor7 said:
Well if they^ were in my pile I'd look at it and figure it was seasoned too. Although most, if not all of those rounds I'd split. Were they on the ground? Maybe that's why they hissed and leaks out moisture.

While I don't have a moisture meter the posts in the past have never reported any 08%...even in dimension lumber that's another reason I'm questioning the MM readings. Go cut something fresh that should give you a 30-34. If it don't ...there's your problem.
Click to expand...

The 2x4 in the garage has been there for a few years I also measured some oak and cherry pieces that I had left over from a project and they also measured low. I split a round that had been cut about a week or so ago and below are the results. I honestly don't think its the meter, I know that its a highly accurate and expensive meter calibrated to the countries of its origins best standards. And it was on with the rest of the wood that I have been burning this season. As I know that there is a theory regarding with or across the grain I measured both ways. Below are the results.
 

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