Finally bought a moisture meter and surprised with the results

[Comanche79p]

I have been picking up a few loads of hardwood for a while and hoarding it to burn at my cabin in the mountains where only softwood is available. We live in S/W Kansas where the humidity level is normally really low and the wind blows a lot. This wood is stacked with only a cover over the top of the stack.
We stopped at Menards and picked up a moisture meter and came home and checked a few fresh splits and I was surprised at the results.
I have several face cords of hedge, commonly know as Osage Orange that have been C/S/S for about a year and a half. Couldn't get the meter to read anything because I couldn't penetrate the wood because it was so hard. I tried some red oak and white oak that has been C/S/S for almost 1 year and it was showing 8 to 10% moisture. I tried a stack of white oak that is about 3 years old and it showed 7%. The stack that was C/S/S in late November was showing 32%.
I have read that you need to let oak dry 2 to 3 years and I am sure that is right if you live in a different/humid climate. Plan to check the wood I have stored in the mountains to see how much variation there is.

Just thought I would pass my experience along to others-your mileage may vary.

 

[Applesister]

The meter is a fun toy to play with...and it helps to verify your weather/drying conditions. Its good to back up personal observations with some scientific numbers.
I always thought MM's were hundreds of dollars. Didnt know their prices have gone so Cheap.

 

[Applesister]

I think 7% might be a hard number to beat.

 

[BrotherBart]

Were those splits re-split and the measurements taken immediately on the inside of the split? Or on the outside or end of the split. The equilibrium moisture content of any wood left in outdoor atmosphere in Kansas in January is 13.8 percent. 11.5 percent in July. That includes kiln dried two by fours.

 

[Comanche79p]

Were those splits re-split and the measurements taken immediately on the inside of the split? Or on the outside or end of the split. The equilibrium moisture content of any wood left in outdoor atmosphere in Kansas in January is 13.8 percent. 11.5 percent in July. That includes kiln dried two by fours.

Brother Bart,
I took the axe to the woodpile and re-split the splits and immediately checked them as I split them. The splits were probably 4 to 5 inch diameter to start with and took the reading about mid ways of the length of the split-not on the ends. My part of Kansas is the epicenter of the dust bowl-if that matters-not eastern Ks.

 

[BrotherBart]

The data is from 30 years of readings around Wichita. Phoenix has a higher equilibrium moisture content in wood in January than 7%.

Just sayin...

 

[Comanche79p]

Just sayin.........what the moisture meter read.
First one I have ever seen. No clue how accurate they are.

 

[Makers Mark]

Been burning oak that was CSS January 2013 it is burning perfect.

 

[Hoozie]

My MM reads 34% on my palm.

On fresh split stuff it reads either 0-1%, or 10-15%.

Needless to say, I don't trust its readings, lol

 

[STIHLY DAN]

Was the wood cold? I believe the meters need the wood to be above 50*.

 

[Comanche79p]

Yes, the wood was cold but not how cold. maybe 35???

 

[Paulywalnut]

I had some six year old split locust. Fresh split was 15 percent. I never have much lower than that.
I'm happy under 20.

 

[Comanche79p]

My MM reads 34% on my palm.

On fresh split stuff it reads either 0-1%, or 10-15%.

Needless to say, I don't trust its readings, lol

Mine reads 39%

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

All wood is not created equal to the day you have it in your hand and what you do to it personally........although like what BB has said, your numbers are hard to believe, you just never know the cards you are delt, you may want to return that meter for a new one and try gain, if it comes up with the same numbers, you are golden.....

 

[Big Scott]

I was curious about meters and the cold too, since a lot of the logs I've scrounged have been sitting down in the woods a few years and "look" dry and I wanted to test them. I was thinking of getting a meter and checking some as I start splitting and stacking to see if they are gonna be seasoned and ready to burn sooner than others. A bunch of them feel about half as heavy as the others that are the same size, and have sawn (if that's the right word) much easier too. Do all meters only work in warmer temps?

 

[Comanche79p]

The brochure that came with mine says the working range for reading moisture is down to 0 degrees C. This wasn't a high dollar meter-I think it was 17 bucks.

I may try checking again when it is warmer and see if there is a difference.

 

[Hills Hoard]

The brochure that came with mine says the working range for reading moisture is down to 0 degrees C. This wasn't a high dollar meter-I think it was 17 bucks.

I may try checking again when it is warmer and see if there is a difference.

i am keen to get one also just to back up my current methods......i have a series of pretty crude techniques for gauging when my wood is good to burn...obviously i monitor how long its been seasoning, but i do a visual check, i split some of the splits into kindling and look and listen to how it splits....with some wood i tap two splits together to see of you get a nice resonating sound...or I will take some from the stack and burn outside while processing other wood and see how it burns....i gave some my 2014 wood to my dad to burn in his pizza oven the other week and he said it took off instantly....good sign!

PS...your profile pic is awesome!!...is that your house?!?....looks amazing there..

 

[Kosmik]

The brochure that came with mine says the working range for reading moisture is down to 0 degrees C. This wasn't a high dollar meter-I think it was 17 bucks.

I may try checking again when it is warmer and see if there is a difference.

Well if your meter range bottoms at 32 and your wood was maybe 35 (that's pretty close)...Let some warm up inside a few days, then check it to rule out temperature.

Even if the day warms up, the wood may still be closer to the average ambient temperature of it's environment.

 

[JoeyD]

I'm thinking something is not right unless you live in a dessert. Typically air dried lumber will settle in between 10-12% That is wood that takes one year for each inch of thickness.

 

[mstoelton]

You need to make sure the wood is not frozen, or more specifically the water in the wood is not frozen, and that you are measuring the same grain with both pins of the MM.

 

[Comanche79p]

I will do just that and report my findings. Thanks for the helpful input.

 

[jatoxico]

I will do just that and report my findings. Thanks for the helpful input.

Not based on anything precise but I give 3-5% difference cold to warm. Think others use roughly similar fudge factor.

 

[Ralphie Boy]

Everyone knows what's gonna happen now! I'm gonna come in and say: "The most accurate device for measuring the moisture content of split firewood is a multi-year calendar!"

 

[gzecc]

These cheap monitors really should be used as a gauge to compare, not an absolute number. Its best to check two contstants, the palm of your hand and a piece of unpainted trim molding in your house. Use these readings as your baselines.

 

[Ralphie Boy]

Most M,M's. are calibrated for Douglas Fur so readings should be species and temperature corrected, depending on how serious you want to be. I'm not sure if the attached chart is specific to a particular brand of meter or if it's good for any meter. Either way you get the point.