Moisture Meter Recommendation(s)

[Mark N MO]

I've read quite a few posts, in almost all the categories on this site. Many of them mention using a moisture meter to verify the moisture content of the wood, looking for <15%. The bulk of our home heating is with a Buck 91, and I'm very happy with it. I process the wood mainly from standing dead or dying trees on our property, stored under a shed roof for at least a year. One particular tree processed last year was a red oak that died in the autumn of 2014. When felled, the sapwood was punky so I split it off, resulting in some very nice looking heartwood. It was under cover for the last year. I'd planned on using it during colder spells, but it is still not dry enough to do the job with daytime temps in the teens and overnight lows in the single digits. I've got plenty of other red/white oak, hickory, and hedge to ward off the chill. Most of it was left bigger. I prepped that particular tree with colder weather in mind. By stripping off the sapwood, it left nice square cornered splits that could be stuffed into the maw of the 91. This method works well and leaves little space between the individual pieces of wood, giving some bodacious overnight BTUs.

All that to ask the burning question. What brand does everyone have/use/recommend. Thanks in advance.

 

[mcdougy]

I'm curious as well.

 

[tigeroak]

Some like them to see where it is on the moisture in the wood. Me I have never used or had one. I keep 4-5 years on hard wood ahead c/s/s and top covered- soft woods like maple ,walnut , pine and so on are ready in 2 years, so no need to buy one.

 

[ErikR]

I'm still kind of new at this whole firewood thing, but I've been gathering and stacking it for a few years now while we save up to replace our open fireplace with a wood stove. Meanwhile the wood keeps drying..
I use, and am happy with the moisture meter I got from Harbor Freight a couple of years ago. It looks like this.



You can find similar ones on Amazon too... I like this style because when I need to replace the batteries I just buy a 2 pack of Energizer A544 camera batteries and when you peel off the tin cover, there are 4 LR44 button batteries in each one..

 

[Hasufel]

I'm still kind of new at this whole firewood thing, but I've been gathering and stacking it for a few years now while we save up to replace our open fireplace with a wood stove. Meanwhile the wood keeps drying..
I use, and am happy with the moisture meter I got from Harbor Freight a couple of years ago. It looks like this.

View attachment 192134

You can find similar ones on Amazon too... I like this style because when I need to replace the batteries I just buy a 2 pack of Energizer A544 camera batteries and when you peel off the tin cover, there are 4 LR44 button batteries in each one..

View attachment 192138

Thanks for the tip! I've got the same MM from HF and it works well except that the batteries don't seem to last long when it's sitting idle. It has an "auto off" rather than a hard switch and I wonder if there's a small current draw when it's supposed to be off. Either that or maybe mine got jostled enough in the drawer to turn on from time to time.

 

[Gboutdoors]

I like toys no not that kind. I use a m/m to check the center of my rounds just after felling to see where to stack as I am splitting them. As you can see this one can go in any stack.

This is a load of dead standing Red Oak I c/s/s last weekend. I am 3-4 years ahead so not really that important to use but I like to know. Picked up the meter at Lowes a few years back works great and takes 1 nine volt battery. Come to think I have never put a new one in.

 

[Hasufel]

I like toys no not that kind. I use a m/m to check the center of my rounds just after felling to see where to stack as I am splitting them. As you can see this one can go in any stack.
View attachment 192168
This is a load of dead standing Red Oak I c/s/s last weekend. I am 3-4 years ahead so not really that important to use but I like to know. Picked up the meter at Lowes a few years back works great and takes 1 nine volt battery. Come to think I have never put a new one in.

Be careful about relying too much on that reading. MMs are calibrated to measure along the grain, not across it. Also you get the most accurate results from a fresh split. I think bucking a log can heat up the wood and drive out some of the surface moisture, so measuring along a cut could give you an artificially low reading. And of course it needs to be at room temperature unless the MM has a way of compensating. But at least that will give you an idea of the relative dryness of your haul.

 

[St. Coemgen]

What brand does everyone have/use/recommend.
View attachment 191986

Until proven otherwise, the internal workings of any and all "commercial grade" moisture meters are probably all made in the same factory in China (that is how global manufacturing works to keep retail prices low). So it is really a good question if any reasonably good quality consumer grade units, even between different makes and models, will show any significant difference at all.

So buy whatever good quality, reasonably positive reviewed, model you wish. It will probably be "good enough".

And then do a proper test.

And then, do the "knock test". That is, dry wood should "sound" hollow when two pieces are knocked together. That may take some time to learn the correct "sound", maybe over a few years with burning experience (and sure, some generic "truthing" with a moisture meter) over time, so that I find that acoustic test now as a "rule of thumb" as reliable, and maybe more reliable, than any moisture meter.

 

[Gboutdoors]

Hasufel you are somewhat right but I have rechecked many after splitting and they are usually very close to the hartwood reading on the end. That and 15-16-17-18-19-20% all good to burn so a few points one way or the other it's all good.

 

[Hasufel]

Hasufel you are somewhat right but I have rechecked many after splitting and they are usually very close to the hartwood reading on the end. That and 15-16-17-18-19-20% all good to burn so a few points one way or the other it's all good.
View attachment 192170

Roger that...I mainly wanted to flag the possibility of inaccuracies for the benefit of those who have finicky stoves and are relying on a specific moisture percentage. Measuring across a crack can give you some crazy readings. Over time you can get a good feel for how specific MM measurements relate to the actual moisture content, as I see you have done. And you also pick up other indicators along the lines of what @St. Coemgen described that will tell you when the MM is not to be trusted.

P.S. Nice stash!!

 

[Jeff in Maine]

I also have the Harbor Freight one and it has always worked but today something odd happened. I took it out of the draw I keep it in and tested it across the palm of my hand like I have done a bunch of times. It read about 35% bout right according to what I always read. Then I went to a piece of wood by the stove and stuck it in and it read 0 % so I checked 6-7 more pieces and the same 0% reading in each piece? I expected the wood to be about 10- 13% or so but I know 0 % is wrong. Is this typical of low batteries? Or is she all done?

 

[BrotherBart]

Yeah Jeff it sounds like battery change time. Same thing happened with my lil HF one the other day.

 

[Jeff in Maine]

Thanks for the response Bart,
I have a small battery tester I put each of the 4 button batteries in it one at a a time. Each one says poor condition. The unit supposedly has a battery icon that will show up when batteries are low but it does not show on the screen . But for a dollar two nighty eight what can I expect ha ha . I read at the top of the post that you can buy a camera battery and take it apart? and inside are 4 of the correct size batteries maybe I will try that?

 

[BrotherBart]

They are a common button battery. I have a bunch in a drawer for stuff around here that I bought off of eBay.

 

[Jeffm1]

...And then, do the "knock test". That is, dry wood should "sound" hollow when two pieces are knocked together. That may take some time to learn the correct "sound", maybe over a few years with burning experience (and sure, some generic "truthing" with a moisture meter) over time, so that I find that acoustic test now as a "rule of thumb" as reliable, and maybe more reliable, than any moisture meter.

When that sound sounds like bowling pins falling over I know the wood is ready.