Wood moisture %?

[hobbyheater]

Sorry for using these pictures for a third time.

These are pictures of wood at Granny's. The wood pictured in the indoor wood room and under the porch has been under cover for 2 years. The two other pictures represent wood that has been under cover 1 to 1 1/2 years. The wood species is second growth Hemlock. Granny's house is only 1/2 mile from tide water, so it is in the land of high humidity. I like to keep a cord or so in the basement room next to the furnace. Since joining "Hearth", I have acquired a moisture meter. Today I took several blocks from the center rows of each pile, cut them in two with a chain saw and was surprised to find that all the piles are at 15% moisture content with the ends and center of the blocks all reading the same. The wood stored indoors does not read on the meter. I changed the battery in the meter and got the same readings. Is the meter haywire or is this as dry as wood can get outdoors so near to the ocean? Granny has a older wood oil combination furnace so is 15% a safe moisture level to be burning? I have always thought that two years under cover was an adequate time for wood to dry. Would really like some help on this one.

 

[oldspark]

My MM will not read below 6% and it goes to 0%, pretty dry wood should light before you get it in the stove. :lol:
15% is prime

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I don't use a MM but one question comes to mind. You stated that you cut those in two with a chainsaw. That sounds then as if you were just measuring ends. Would it not be better to split with an axe to get at the center and then be sure to place the MM in the same growth ring? Perhaps I am all wet on this but it certainly makes me wonder as I've seen different folks get different readings depending on how the MM was placed.

 

[oldspark]

I don't use a MM but one question comes to mind. You stated that you cut those in two with a chainsaw. That sounds then as if you were just measuring ends. Would it not be better to split with an axe to get at the center and then be sure to place the MM in the same growth ring? Perhaps I am all wet on this but it certainly makes me wonder as I've seen different folks get different readings depending on how the MM was placed.

Fresh cut reads the same as a fresh split, tried it several times and always came out the same.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

15% is dry. Perfect. Good job.

 

[Gary_602z]

You have to love the Grandma's! Looks like she knows what she is doing. Don't need any internet or moisture meter! :lol:

Gary

 

[gzecc]

If you measure the palm of your hand you should get around 34%. IF you measure wood trim in your house you should get around 7%.

 

[hobbyheater]

15% is prime

:cheese: 15% is prime. I can sleep tonight. Just love it ( press "1" for English) hh:

 

[hobbyheater]

Would it not be better to split with an axe to get at the center and then be sure to place the MM in the same growth ring?

That is a really novel idea :coolgrin: to split with a axe. I will do that next time :lol:
I'm feeling a lot better that 15% is OK .

 

[hobbyheater]

15% is dry. Perfect. Good job.

Thanks once again. I am glad 15% is good :exclaim:

 

[hobbyheater]

You have to love the Grandma's! Looks like she knows what she is doing. Don't need any internet or moisture meter! :lol:

Gary

Granny is one special Lady. Knows her way around that wood furnace. Her version of the moisture meter "it sure burns good!" But about the Internet; she is a real fan of her wireless laptop :exclaim:

 

[hobbyheater]

If you measure the palm of your hand you should get around 34%. IF you measure wood trim in your house you should get around 7%.

The meter is at Granny's so I will try that tomorrow. :cheese: Thanks again.

 

[Wood Duck]

I'm not surprised that wood will never go below 15% stored outside on Vancouver Island near the coast. It is pretty humid there, I believe, and wood will only lose water until it reaches equilibirum with the air. Of course the air humidity rises and falls, but the wood changes much more slowly so the wood reaches a moisture level that is in equilibrium with an average air humidity. Indoor air has a lot lower relative humidity so it pulls more water from the wood. If my firewood is as low as 15% I'd be surprised.

 

[clemsonfor]

Yea im thinking most wont read below 7% and on the ends of my dried or drying wood it almost will never read. I just split with a kindling hatchet or maul or whatever to read, easier than fining saw cranking up warming up then cutting a tiny piecof of wood.

Here in the South (not sure if there a problem there) i would never stack that much wood that close to my house for that long, your just asking for termites. And i dont think my termite bond will cover me if they see i have 2 cords pilled next to my house forming a bridge and shady damp spot for them to get into the home.

 

[Jags]

Would it not be better to split with an axe to get at the center and then be sure to place the MM in the same growth ring?

That is a really novel idea :coolgrin: to split with a axe. I will do that next time :lol:
I'm feeling a lot better that 15% is OK .

Hobbyheater - Dennis is correct in that you want the prongs of the meter to be in the same growth ring (or at least to the next adjacent one). They measure by resistance. Going across several years worth of grain separation can change this a bit. I'm not saying that you are going to go from 15 to 25 because of it, simply a more accurate way to use the gadget.

 

[oldspark]

Would it not be better to split with an axe to get at the center and then be sure to place the MM in the same growth ring?

That is a really novel idea :coolgrin: to split with a axe. I will do that next time :lol:
I'm feeling a lot better that 15% is OK .

Hobbyheater - Dennis is correct in that you want the prongs of the meter to be in the same growth ring (or at least to the next adjacent one). They measure by resistance. Going across several years worth of grain separation can change this a bit. I'm not saying that you are going to go from 15 to 25 because of it, simply a more accurate way to use the gadget.

Well I dont see that in mine but I can go out and play with it some more.

 

[Jags]

Well I dont see that in mine but I can go out and play with it some more.

I think different wood types may have different swings, also. I have seen as much as 3% (not like that is a deal breaker) in some tests I have done with mine. Maybe a difference between meters??. The instructions for mine stated the practice that I mentioned.

 

[hobbyheater]

I'm not surprised that wood will never go below 15% stored outside on Vancouver Island near the coast. If my firewood is as low as 15% I'd be surprised.

Thanks for the info. It's good to know that 15% is as dry as we can get it here outside. I was very concerned about Granny burning wet wood. We have moved 2 cords into the wood room next to the furnace and this will last her about three months so by the time she is half way through, it should be good and dry.

 

[hobbyheater]

Yea im thinking most wont read below 7% and on the ends of my dried or drying wood it almost will never read. I just split with a kindling hatchet or maul or whatever to read, easier than fining saw cranking up warming up then cutting a tiny piecof of wood.

Here in the South (not sure if there a problem there) i would never stack that much wood that close to my house for that long, your just asking for termites. And i dont think my termite bond will cover me if they see i have 2 cords pilled next to my house forming a bridge and shady damp spot for them to get into the home.

Thanks for the tip on the termites but they are not a problem in this area. The wood stacked against the house has been pre-dried in one of the other covered wood sheds before being put there and seeing all the outside wood is at the same %, we are going to keep that stack as an emergency supply.

On splitting the wood to get a reading, that is a good idea.
The burn chamber and loading tube on my boiler is vertical and a total 42" tall and 12 " in diameter so quite often I will have to cut a block or two in half to get a full load so I have a 20 volt cordless chainsaw with a lithium battery to do this task with. This may sound a little strange but just never thought of just splittig the block in half :coolgrin:
Have included a picture of the saw and the front page of the owners manual.
Again, thank you very much for your imput!

 

[artmos]

Don't apologize for posting grannys pix 3 times hobbyheater-we never tire of looking at well split/stacked wood!