Wood Moisture Meter

[biged92]

I just recently acquired a reverse flow offset smoker, and was wondering if anyone had recommendations for a good wood moisture meter. I appreciate the help.

 

[chopsaw]

I was at Lowes the other day to get an infrared Thermometer , and they had some moisture meters hanging on the display .

 

[Chasdev]

I get mine off Amazon, they start at around $30.
You will find that the probe tips get bent and will need replacing, so buy one with spares or that offers spares.

 

[bill1]

Just ordered one for $4 on Amazon. I suspect it's accurate enough for me. Shouldn't be too hard to maintain a soggy chip and a bone dry chip to use as test standards. My main worry is that it'll be hard to insert the pins fully into most woods without busting the cheap case.
Will report back.

 

[Smokin Okie]

I have two. I bought this General meter in 2018

General Tools MMD4E Digital Moisture Meter​

I thought I'd lost it and bought another one, this time I spent quite a bit more money , thinking I was gonna get a very accurate meter

Extech MO210 Pocket Size Moisture Meter​

And then of course, my first one turns up so now I have two. And I get almost identical readings from both of them. I would recommend the General .

 

[Smokin Okie]

My only other advise, is to take measurements from the inside of the split.

 

[Winterrider]

Never knew there was such a thing !

 

[DougE]

I thought about getting one, but I keep my splits inside the barn, so the humidity in the wood should not be greater than relative humidity in the air, which I can't change anyhow.

 

[bill1]

...humidity in the wood should not be greater than relative humidity in the air,...

You may be surprised the moisture that wood retains after splitting. If it dried quickly, lumber companies wouldn't need to invest in kilns.
Note too these meters read absolute water percentage in wood. Air is read as relative humidity to what would condense out, not relative to a 100% pool of water. 40% RH doesn't mean a wet rag only dries out to 40% water--it will get a lot drier than that.

 

[Retired Spook]

Do an experiment - stick a moisture meter all around the outside of the wood in question, write down the numbers, then split the wood and stick the moisture meter in the middle of the wood.

Wood takes a while to dry/cure and that is all there is to it - unless you have a kiln.

 

[DougE]

You may be surprised the moisture that wood retains after splitting. If it dried quickly, lumber companies wouldn't need to invest in kilns.
Note too these meters read absolute water percentage in wood. Air is read as relative humidity to what would condense out, not relative to a 100% pool of water. 40% RH doesn't mean a wet rag only dries out to 40% water--it will get a lot drier than that.

What I have is thoroughly dry. I break my wood down to 2 to 3 inch splits and they sit a year or better in the barn before I use them.

 

[Gonna Smoke]

I bought this General meter in 2018

General Tools MMD4E Digital Moisture Meter​

This is what I have...