FIREWOOD MOISTURE METERS , variation in moisture readings!!

[cessna]

On 28/09/2020 at 10:30, arboriculturist said:

I think you will find that your Pin Moisture Meter measures on a 'dry basis', which is the wrong type of meter for firewood or forestry.

 

You need to obtain the correct meter that measures on a  'wet basis', which measures the water in the firewood (a solid), expressed as the weight of water as a percentage of the wet solid.

 

Pin Moisture Meters designed for the building trade are the wrong type for you.

If what you say is correct, I cant understand why the EXTECH MO220 comes with charts for 170 wood species?

May I suggest you visit  www.extech.com   and look at the EXTECH MO220 . 

[arboriculturist]

33 minutes ago, cessna said:

If what you say is correct, I cant understand why the EXTECH MO220 comes with charts for 170 wood species?

May I suggest you visit  www.extech.com   and look at the EXTECH MO220 . 

It is because the construction industry uses many species of timber.

 

Wet basis measurement is not mentioned in the vast majority of pin MM's specifications as their core market is surveyors and the construction industry who all measure on a dry basis.

[Rough Hewn]

Pin moisture meters are useless.
If you can’t tell if a piece of wood is dry to burn when you lift it...
Electo magnetic field moisture meters are much more accurate.
And expensive.
[emoji106]

[cessna]

Many thanks for your replies. I doubt whether it will do any good but I have sent an Email to the Woodsure organisation saying that the variation between moisture meters(pin meters)  measuring moisture on the "Dry Basis",and the  Woodsure basis of  testing wood by the "wet process" (oven testing) needs to be explained to the general public. As the general public and Myself included are measuring wood with a pin meter, which if you go by what Stoves On Line say at the very end of their advert for their  pin meter,  our meter  uses the "dry basis" for measuring moisture content of firewood, if our meter (Stoves on line meter) says a log is 25% moisture, the log moisture measured by the "wet  basis"  will measure 20% !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All very confusing ,just to stir things up will logs have to be 20% at dry basis or 20% wet basis ?? 

Edited September 29, 2020 by cessna

[Paul in the woods]

Good luck, I have wondered how the powers that be will enforce the new legislation, i.e. how will they test your logs. I assume it'll be trading standards, who seem to always claim they are too busy.

 

I have a cheap pin moisture meter and it is specifically sold for use for firewood testing. No idea what basis it uses but when I've compared it to oven testing it seems to be wet basis. As it's for personal use it doesn't really matter much.