Right. Most of my stacks are in the woods, so no sunlight, but splitting a little smaller and stacking in single rows so it gets good air flow, coupled with a hot dry summer, will still dry wood in a hurry. Oak notwithstanding.
I seem to get similar readings on fresh-cut but dead wood, weather on the end, across the grain or what have you. But like you say, a meter is not necessary once you get ahead. But if you are out in a woodlot trying to find stuff that is good to go now, the meter is a useful tool. Since I'm ahead on wood, I mainly use the meter when I'm cutting dead trees, to see how much more it will have to dry. If some of the upper branches are pretty dry I might throw them in with the stacks I will be burning the following season.
