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.

My Oslo heats my home

Minister of Fire
Sep 20, 2010
1,584
South Shore, MA
my off-season purchase, aside from minor stove repairs, will be a moisture meter.

Any suggestions, make/model on something that is about $60 or less

thanks
 
got mine from Amazon...around $30 and free shipping.
 
Hi -

I had it on my list for a long time... Didn't get around to buying one. The first year I was burning rough quality wood because that was all I could lay hands on.

The second year I was burning dry wwod. I really don't think I would use a meter if I had one.
 
zzr7ky said:
Hi -

I had it on my list for a long time... Didn't get around to buying one. The first year I was burning rough quality wood because that was all I could lay hands on.

The second year I was burning dry wwod. I really don't think I would use a meter if I had one.

Thanks for the interest zzr, my concern for the meter is mostly keeping an eye on the mc of some 1 yr old red oak
 
+1 harbor freight, can be real inexpesnive when on sale. No probs with mine.
 
My Oslo heats my home said:
my concern for the meter is mostly keeping an eye on the mc of some 1 yr old red oak
I got "The General" from Lowe's a few months back. I burned a few splits to test the tester, and found that wood that tests 20% MC on the meter hisses when burned. 15% wood burned much better, so that's my goal. Just a heads-up...
 
Woody Stover said:
My Oslo heats my home said:
my concern for the meter is mostly keeping an eye on the mc of some 1 yr old red oak
I got "The General" from Lowe's a few months back. I burned a few splits to test the tester, and found that wood that tests 20% MC on the meter hisses when burned. 15% wood burned much better, so that's my goal. Just a heads-up...

How much did you pay?
 
midwestcoast said:
I had this one in my "shopping cart" on Amazon maybe a year? My wife just went on to buy something else & I noticed the price had dropped about $12 so I bought it at $23.18 shipped. Can't comment on how it works.
http://www.amazon.com/PSI-MMETER2-D...ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1305300130&sr=8-1

I thought I should update this thread since I got my moisture meter last night. Well......it sucks. Sending it right back. As soon as I picked it up & felt the weight (or lack of any) I was skeptical. I tested 20 or so splits & found it seemed accurate on freshly split Red Oak (~28%) and 2 month split Mulberry (about the same), but read 0.0 on silver maple, elm & basswood none of which were split more than 2 months. I think one of the pins came loose almost immediately.
I probably won't buy a different one since I'm ahead on wood & plan to stay that way.
 
midwestcoast said:
midwestcoast said:
I had this one in my "shopping cart" on Amazon maybe a year? My wife just went on to buy something else & I noticed the price had dropped about $12 so I bought it at $23.18 shipped. Can't comment on how it works.
http://www.amazon.com/PSI-MMETER2-D...ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1305300130&sr=8-1

I thought I should update this thread since I got my moisture meter last night. Well......it sucks. Sending it right back. As soon as I picked it up & felt the weight (or lack of any) I was skeptical. I tested 20 or so splits & found it seemed accurate on freshly split Red Oak (~28%) and 2 month split Mulberry (about the same), but read 0.0 on silver maple, elm & basswood none of which were split more than 2 months. I think one of the pins came loose almost immediately.
I probably won't buy a different one since I'm ahead on wood & plan to stay that way.

Thanks for the heads up, will not consider that one. I think, with fathers days coming, I'll save my GC's and find something local. I think the input here really helped.
Todays is the first day I have seen the sun in like 6 or so days , bring on mother natures warm weather...
 
I have found the $30 "General" MM at Lowe's to do a pretty good job. Most of these things are not calibrated for cord wood and will indicate about 5% on the high side but will give you a good, relative point of reference. If I burn something that is indicating in the low 20s I know it's actually closer to the high teens. Certainly have had no hissing with that range of readings.
I think the best you can hope for when using a Moisture meter on cord wood is "Close Enough."
 
Kenster said:
I have found the $30 "General" MM at Lowe's to do a pretty good job. Most of these things are not calibrated for cord wood and will indicate about 5% on the high side but will give you a good, relative point of reference. If I burn something that is indicating in the low 20s I know it's actually closer to the high teens. Certainly have had no hissing with that range of readings.
I think the best you can hope for when using a Moisture meter on cord wood is "Close Enough."

I have had the "General" for about 4 weeks.. Went and picked up another load of Maple and Oak today. Dont know how well it "Truely" works.. As I have not "Burned" any of the wood I have tested. But it does "Test" consistent.. I can stick it in the same piece of wood. Over and over, and get the same result (Plus or minus 1%-3%). As long as its not a 5%-10% fluctuation, I think I can deal with it. Only gonna use it for this season. After this year I plan on being at least 3-4 yrs ahead... My Wife help me split the entire load I picked up today. She runs the Splitter, I grab the Rounds and stack them as there split. This may not be a big deal to many, But the catch is..... She is due to give birth to our daughter in 5 DAYS!!!! I Love this woman so much.... Puts up with all my $hit and will still give me a hand in the Duties.... May 25th and my daughter will join the family. The Wife and I are ready, and so is my 9 yr old son. He wants his Sister to get here, so she can finally "Help" with the chores (C/S/S wood, and Stacking pellets in the basement).
 
She is due to give birth to our daughter in 5 DAYS!!!! I Love this woman so much.... Puts up with all my $hit and will still give me a hand in the Duties.... May 25th and my daughter will join the family. The Wife and I are ready, and so is my 9 yr old son. He wants his Sister to get here, so she can finally "Help" with the chores (C/S/S wood, and Stacking pellets in the basement).[/quote]

The hell with the moisture meter right now, congratulations on your soon to be Daughter! I hope everything works out and everyone is happy and healthy.
 
My Oslo heats my home said:
She is due to give birth to our daughter in 5 DAYS!!!! I Love this woman so much.... Puts up with all my $hit and will still give me a hand in the Duties.... May 25th and my daughter will join the family. The Wife and I are ready, and so is my 9 yr old son. He wants his Sister to get here, so she can finally "Help" with the chores (C/S/S wood, and Stacking pellets in the basement).

The hell with the moisture meter right now, congratulations on your soon to be Daughter! I hope everything works out and everyone is happy and healthy.[/quote]

Thanks. She is a Great woman. I would never be able to find another like her. Still wakes up before I do, to make my coffee and my Lunch. Not many made like her anymore. A lot of my buddies think I brainwashed her. We love each other and go out of our way to make sure it stays that way. Getting ready to go to my Sons baseball game. And she WON'T stay home. Insists that she will rest once the baby comes. I am blessed to have her. Blessed to have a happy and healthy family. Thank you for the wishes again.. 4 days and counting...........
 
Intheswamp said:
Congrats to you and the missus, DexterDay!!! Mighty big blessing ya'll are getting!!! But I just don't get the part about her getting some rest after the daughter is born????? :)

Ed

Maybe I worded it wrong. By "Rest", I mean Relax a little. Example... Today. Told her to stay home and sit on the couch, I would take our son to his baseball game. She just went on Maternity leave yesterday..
She is taking 12 weeks off to be with the baby. I will be taking 4 weeks myself. Those 4 weeks with me, is where she will get some "rest", cause Good ol' Dad will be there to help out. 10 yrs ago when my Son was born, I only took the weekend. He was born Sat morning. I went back to work on Monday. Our Financial situation was different then. I just started a job (same job now)
I am really looking forward to the time with the baby. Couple more days and I will be able to hold her. Yes I truly feel blessed.
 
Fantastic on the maternity leave!!! You are going to be there during delivery? (I'm armchair quarterbacking here. :) ) Have your son to be the first to meet her after she's born...let the grandparents (I'm a granddaddy) and uncles and nieces wait outside while your son goes in to be properly introduced to her. I'm tickled for ya'll. We've got two granddaughters, 4 years and 3 months...the last few weeks I've been getting into some good conversations with the 3 month old. :)

The last advice that my father ever gave anybody was to a nurse who happened to have a picture of her son on the back of her name tag. She was telling him how she wanted to get her son some type of toy. Daddy told her not to worry about getting him "things" that all that kids want is their parents to spend time with them...they just want their parents, that's it. I thought it was good advice.

Best wishes,
Ed
 
Intheswamp said:
Fantastic on the maternity leave!!! You are going to be there during delivery? (I'm armchair quarterbacking here. :) ) Have your son to be the first to meet her after she's born...let the grandparents (I'm a granddaddy) and uncles and nieces wait outside while your son goes in to be properly introduced to her. I'm tickled for ya'll. We've got two granddaughters, 4 years and 3 months...the last few weeks I've been getting into some good conversations with the 3 month old. :)

The last advice that my father ever gave anybody was to a nurse who happened to have a picture of her son on the back of her name tag. She was telling him how she wanted to get her son some type of toy. Daddy told her not to worry about getting him "things" that all that kids want is their parents to spend time with them...they just want their parents, that's it. I thought it was good advice.

Best wishes,
Ed

That was not Good Advice. That my friend was GREAT Advice. I could not agree with you more. My Son is always looking, to see if I am looking at him. Making sure I see everything he does. Congrats on the Grandkids. I hope my children have a few of there own one day.... Yes I will be there (Was there for my Son also/ amazing thing, childbirth is), and that is good advice on my Son seeing her before anyone else. I think I will bring him in before anyone else. Let him feel special, so to speak.

The way the world is today, and the way some of the kids out there act. Makes you wonder were the world will be in another 50 years?

Sorry to the OP for the High-jacked Thread... Back to your regular sch programming......
 
I don't want to buy a junk one meter, but I don't want to break the bank either. Can anyone find one to recommend on this site: moisturemeter dot com? This is going to be my first winter heating with wood, and I was told to start buying now because it is cheaper. If anyone has any sources in the greater Indianapolis area for buying wood, I would really appreciate it.
 
Sycamore1622 said:
I don't want to buy a junk one meter, but I don't want to break the bank either. Can anyone find one to recommend on this site: moisturemeter dot com? This is going to be my first winter heating with wood, and I was told to start buying now because it is cheaper. If anyone has any sources in the greater Indianapolis area for buying wood, I would really appreciate it.

Several of us on this board have a "General" MM purchased at Lowe's for $30. Does a good job. Certain 'close enough' for our purposes. Even cheaper ones at Harbor Freight. Most anything will do the job.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.