My new moisture meter

[BrianN]

So, I went and bought a moisture meter yesterday and couldn't wait to get home and test my wood. I knew it was going to be dry, but, never thought it would be as dry as the meter said.
The first split I put it in read 12%, then another was 8%, yet another was 6%. I'm thinking this is not right. This is the wood that I picked up on the weekend off the burn piles about 20 minutes away.
I then went to the wood that I believe was causing my chimney to "leak" and the moisture content in there was reading 2%. Some wood was even reading 0%.
Now, I know I am not doing anything wrong. Well, I hope I'm not anyways. But, I think that I am going to have to find some one else with a moisture meter and test theirs on my splits.
This is a brand new meter, out of the box. Purchased at the wood stove store that did my chimney install. It has a brand new battery. ???

 

[PapaDave]

Are you splitting the wood and taking a reading of the inside face?
If the splits haven't been exposed to rain or a sprinkler, the outside will be much drier than the inside.

 

[BrotherBart]

Something ain't right. You don't have any 2% wood. Even in your walls.

 

[BrianN]

Are you splitting the wood and taking a reading of the inside face?
If the splits haven't been exposed to rain or a sprinkler, the outside will be much drier than the inside.

They are splits that were actually out in the rain yesterday. I took the measurement on the inside face.

Something ain't right. You don't have any 2% wood. Even in your walls.

I know. I actually checked some kiln dried 2 x 4. Just to see.

 

[PapaDave]

So, you took a measurement on the inside face of a re-split split, or the face that was away from the wet?
It's still not clear to me what you did.
What reading did you get on the 2x4?

 

[BrianN]

I took a measurement on both. The inside face of the split that was away from the rain, and that was soaked from the rain.
I went and re-measured. Came up with 14% - 20% on the wood I got last weekend, and 20% - 24% on the birch that was sitting in rounds in the back yard, for who knows how many years.
The kiln dried 2 x 4 stud came out at 3%, then, immediately went to 0%. So, think there is something wrong with the meter.

 

[PapaDave]

Let me ask again, did you resplit any of this?
It's the only way to get a true number.
This, of course, presumes the meter isn't fubared.
Does the meter have a switch for different types of wood? Like, hardwood or softwood maybe.
My old MM that I used for lumber had one.

 

[HDRock]

Does the meter have a setting for building materials ? if set on that it will read low

 

[StihlHead]

Your meter is messed up, or you are not using it right. 12% is about as low as you are going to get unless you live in Las Vegas or Arizona.

I got a cheapie 4 pin meter on Ebay and it works within a few percent, and the lowest I have read any wood here is 11%, which is for old dry framing wood from my garage remodel.

 

[DexterDay]

Wood must be split to test for M/C properly.

Also, pins should be BURIED in the wood.

Check the palm of your hand with the prongs. Lay them on your palm? What's the reading?

 

[BrianN]

Let me ask again, did you resplit any of this?
It's the only way to get a true number.
This, of course, presumes the meter isn't fubared.
Does the meter have a switch for different types of wood? Like, hardwood or softwood maybe.
My old MM that I used for lumber had one.

Sorry PapaDave, must have missed that part of the question. No, it was not resplit before testing. It was only split and stacked this past week. Then some has been sitting in the garage since then.

Does the meter have a setting for building materials ? if set on that it will read low

Nope, no setting for building materials. Just an on/off button.

Your meter is messed up, or you are not using it right. 12% is about as low as you are going to get unless you live in Las Vegas or Arizona.

I got a cheapie 4 pin meter on Ebay and it works within a few percent, and the lowest I have read any wood here is 11%, which is for old dry framing wood from my garage remodel.

Mine is an A.W. Perkins, 4 point. Cost about $40.

Wood must be split to test for M/C properly.
Also, pins should be BURIED in the wood.
Check the palm of your hand with the prongs. Lay them on your palm? What's the reading?

The wood is split, and I test in the split face. I bury the pins as far as I can.
On my skin, it is reading 32%

 

[PapaDave]

No problem Brian. I still think you should resplit a couple pieces and check the fresh split faces of those.
Might surprise you.

On my skin, it is reading 32%

You need to hydrate.

 

[DexterDay]

In the 30's is a normal range and also a way to check it.

Any piece split needs to be checked on a resplit piece. Not a piece you split last week or even yesterday.

Any time you check M/C, you must split it NOW and then bury the pins in the middle of the resplit piece.

Again. Split, bury pins, aquire decent reading.

 

[gzecc]

Sounds like your meter is fine, your technique is wrong. You need to split the wood than immediately test it.

 

[Sprinter]

Sounds like your meter is fine, your technique is wrong. You need to split the wood than immediately test it.

I'll +1 that. 32% on your palm is about right and a pretty good test of the meter (although not foolproof).

I wonder if the 4-point meters are a little more difficult to use properly? Most of us have the 2-pin type and they are probably easier to insert farther.

It may also be best to insert the pins in line with the wood grain, not against it. Edit: Maybe that's not valid with a 4-pin...

 

[colin.p]

I bought a MasterCraft MM from Canadian Tire (on sale for $30) last year and I just checked my wet clammy palm and it read 30%. So I think yours is pretty close. I wouldn't rely on it's reading as gospel, but it does give you a ball park idea, and it's cool to have a meter anyway, makes me look official.

 

[StihlHead]

As for 4 or 2 pin testers, there really no difference. 4 pin testers are the same as 2 pin in design. In a 4 pin tester, each pin has 2 prongs is all (tested it with an ohm meter and there is no resistance). More surface area of the 4 pin types give a better reading with less of the pins stuck into the wood, but they can be harder to stab the wood with. Orientation to the grain should not make any difference. You can also get RF type MMs, but they require that a pad be in contact with the wood, so they do not work that well with rough firewood. They are good for boards though.

Most all testers are designed for Doug fir at 68. deg. F. Some are designed for oak at 68 deg. F. Lower temps result in lower readings than actual, higher temps result in higher readings. Here are the pin type MM correction tables. There are two tables, one for species and the other for temperature: http://www.delmhorst.com/Product-Support/Correction-Tables

 

[Sprinter]

As for 4 or 2 pin testers, there really no difference. 4 pin testers are the same as 2 pin in design. In a 4 pin tester, each pin has 2 prongs is all (tested it with an ohm meter and there is no resistance). More surface area of the 4 pin types give a better reading with less of the pins stuck into the wood, but they can be harder to stab the wood with. Orientation to the grain should not make any difference. You can also get RF type MMs, but they require that a pad be in contact with the wood, so they do not work that well with rough firewood. They are good for boards though.

Most all testers are designed for Doug fir at 68. deg. F. Some are designed for oak at 68 deg. F. Lower temps result in lower readings than actual, higher temps result in higher readings. Here are the pin type MM correction tables. There are two tables, one for species and the other for temperature: http://www.delmhorst.com/Product-Support/Correction-Tables

Thanks for the link. So a reading of 20 could be anywhere from 16 to 23 depending on species at normal temps. Enough difference to be aware of.

 

[Sprinter]

I've not

...
The wood is split, and I test in the split face. I bury the pins as far as I can.
On my skin, it is reading 32%

I've noticed that it can make quite a difference in how far you bury the pins. I just did a few fresh splits of alder and if I put the the pins in only 1/8" which is a comfortable amount of force, I get 24, but if I push it in 1/4", I get 28, but I really have to push. On the other hand, on my better, 20% splits, it makes no difference.