I picked up a moisture meter recently so I could put my mind at ease about my firewood, and I'm having a little hiccup with it. Hopefully the knowledgeable folks here can help me troubleshoot it. I purchased a pin style moisture meter made by General from Lowes, and it seems reasonably accurate, pressing the pins to my palm gets me a reading of between 24-30% over the times I've done it, and it almost always gives me a reading off of the exposed face of a split. However, when pushing the pins into a fresh split face, it basically never gives me a reading. It also won't register anything on the dead standing aspen I recently split. I highly doubt my wood is so dry as to not register, but I'm a bit stumped. I've tried it out on about 3 dozen pieces of wood and have been able to get readings off of maybe 6 fresh split faces. It appears to do this regardless of the species of wood as well. Any ideas, or should I return it and get another one?
Think it may have a limit. If it's super fresh and say over 50% or what not it might have maxed it out. Just my guess
I think you should return it. I have a General as well, and works fine. I am wondering if the act of pushing in the pins is somehow bypassing whatever connection to the "brain" of the thing? Sort of like the power cord that works only when lightly connected to the appliance, but goes dead when you shove it in all the way. Also, make sure you have is on the wood setting, rather than the concrete setting.
Here is a link not sure if its your exact one but it has a range on wood from 5-50% DIGITAL MOISTURE METER
Don't think that's the issue. Most of the wood I was testing is Box Elder and Lodgepole pine that has been split since May/June 2014. Think I'll just take it back and exchange it for a new one.
Did it quit giving you a reading at all, or does it still work for the Box Elder and Lodgepole? If the wood is too wet to get an accurate measurement, the unit will just beep rapidly instead of giving a reading. [EDIT] Nevermind, I read your post more carefully; if it's not giving you a reading on wood that's been split since last year, it's broken.
I do not even own one or have ever actually had one in my hand. I'm just wondering if wood dries from the outside in toward the center then how can it tell what is in the inner part of the split? I know that larger pieces take longer than small ones to season all the way through. I do know from forestry school 45 years ago that the moisture moves through the cells - tube like structures - toward the drier area and so gradually moves that way. It also likely moves radially as well but not sure how quickly. Seems like weight is the best way to estimate mc. If a split is air dry it seems to be about one third less in weight. If anyone has answers as to how they actually work (actual or by programmed s/w that estimates mc. If that's the case then it may have species bias.
