Moisture Content “Frozen” Wood

[mcstatz5829]

This being my first year burning, I have been resplitting almost 100% of the splits that go into my stove and moisture content. The ones with <=20% go in the stove - the rest go into the next year pile.

Past several days it’s been lows in the teens and highs in the thirties. Outside of the wood is frozen. A bigger proportion of the splits have shown <=20%, but when I put it in the stove, I’m getting a lot more sizzling and water boiling out of the ends. More coaling too which is making it difficult for reloads.

What should I do to better estimate the moisture content? I’m not sure it’s feasible to bring in a weeks worth, let it warm up a day, and then bring it back out the split it! Definitely don’t want to wake up the bugs before putting them in the fire.

 

[Slocum]

You need to let the wood warm up to get a accurate reading on a moisture meter.


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[mcstatz5829]

You need to let the wood warm up to get a accurate reading on a moisture meter.


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So... April then...

 

[mcstatz5829]

Anyone know of meters that will temp correct?

Or any rules of thumb - “add x% to the reading when below y degrees”?

 

[MissMac]

So... April then...

No, but bring enough wood inside so that you can let it warm up for 24-48 hrs in your house, then split it to make the reading. If all your wood is from the same pile and has been sitting the same amount of time you don’t have to test each one - just pick a few to sample.

 

[XmasTreefarmer]

Anyone know of meters that will temp correct?

Or any rules of thumb - “add x% to the reading when below y degrees”?

If you find a "rule of thumb", please post! I've been digging for something like that as well, but have not found anything. What I have found so far is this - "most" meters are very close between 50 degrees and 90 degrees. I think they are "right on" at 70 degrees and close at +/- 20 degrees. Seems odd that there seems to be nothing out there. For example, if the actual moisture content is say 20%, at 30 degrees will it show 18% - just slightly optimistic, or will it show say 12%, totally optimistic?

I thought about trying to build my own table - take some wood at say 30 degrees, see what it measures, then bring it in to warm up, re-split and see what it measures. Instead, I'm just cutting more wood so that I'm w-a-y ahead in the coming years and won't need to care!

 

[mcstatz5829]

No, but bring enough wood inside so that you can let it warm up for 24-48 hrs in your house, then split it to make the reading. If all your wood is from the same pile and has been sitting the same amount of time you don’t have to test each one - just pick a few to sample.

Yeah I think the tree service that delivered it just pulled it from a mixed pile. Ranges from 15-35% when I split in warmer weather

 

[mcstatz5829]

Sounds like no easy answer. I’ll probably save my splitting for 40ish temps and mentally add a few %

 

[kennyp2339]

Take 2 warm splits that you know measure less then 20% moisture, while loading other splits outside compare the weights if similarly sized, obviously the heavier split will have more moisture, try to bring out dry oak splits with you since they are usually the heaviest dry wood.

 

[Dobish]

standard calibration for moisture meters is between 68 and 72 degrees, so that is the optimal temperature range for both the wood and the meter to get the best measurement.

 

[kborndale]

Anyone know of meters that will temp correct?

Or any rules of thumb - “add x% to the reading when below y degrees”?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0038KT6Y0/?tag=hearthamazon-20

not cheap, but has temp compensation.

 

[Chas0218]

This is the one I have, I really like it and seems to be pretty accurate. It allows you to change the settings in a way that allows you check different materials. Softwood, Hardwood, drywall, and masonry. It says that it works down to 32*, I checked a piece or red maple last night that I brought in and it was 20% on softwood setting and 13% on the hardwood setting. I threw 5 pieces in the stove and no moisture at the ends. I originally bought this to check moisture in boat stringers when I was looking at used boats. I'm not sure that it read through the fiberglass but it has worked great for firewood. I will admit that it saw a rain storm once this past fall and hasn't missed a beat pretty durable and inexpensive.

(broken link removed)

 

[mcstatz5829]

Thanks!