Wood Moisture

[ChoppyChoppy]

Long story short....

I was playing with the moisture meter today on fresh cut bundle wood to get an idea of moisture, it's in the 25-30% area.

Does this even make sense? I expected it to peg out the meter.

The trees were cut summer 2018 and have been sitting in the yard. I processed them last week and they've been sitting in vented FIBCs outside.
It's not seasoned by any means. Before it all froze up it was wet enough to sometimes squeeze sap out in the splitter.

I'll pull one of the dry bundles (from late summer) apart tomorrow and re-split some to see what it the meter reads. As it sits, it's not registering anything (under 5%) which makes no sense.


I know 20% is the "magic" number, but this wood that is reading 25-30% I know won't burn very well. It's not "piss wet" but not far from.

 

[agvg]

Sounds a bit low, try a set fees batteries in the meter

Sent fra min Nokia 7.1 via Tapatalk

 

[al-k]

Looks like you need a new one. Make sure you really push the prongs into the wood. Try it in water,,LOL

 

[farmer steve]

frozen wood will give you a false reading.

 

[Mike Hunterts]

frozen wood will give you a false reading.

I like your style. I have a feeling that what you typed there and what you wanted to type, are 2 different things lol

 

[Trapper_Pete]

I would believe 25-30% depending on wood species , it sat 6 months from green already, once under cover things dry quicl

I don't get under 5% readings either , but think about it they only dry the hickory handles for axes to 10% before they call them ready for sale , that is considered dry 5% would be ultra dry.

I don't think it burns right at least for me till it is under 16%

mine has a calibration tester on the cover press contacts to that and 18.3 % +-.1

I had some doug fir it fell april 2018 in an wind storm got cut in December and is reading 15% now after only a few weeks in the shed

they talk about fresh fell green White Ash coming in under 30%

what species is it

 

[c5rulz]

frozen wood will give you a false reading.

I like your style. I have a feeling that what you typed there and what you wanted to type, are 2 different things lol

I agree with Farmer Steve. When I have taken readings in the Winter on frozen wood, all the readings end up surprisingly similar.

 

[panolo]

If I don't test at room temp the readings are always goofy.

 

[Jere39]

Without mention of specie, I couldn't really comment about your specific situation. I cut standing dead Red Oak. Much of it has been dead for several years, most has already shed its bark. A 30" round split into 4"x3" pieces will read in the mid 30's % right after splitting. Stacked in the open; subject to breeze, sun, and humidity in the middle ranges of about 60% for around here it will dehydrate by about 1-2%/month. So, that 36% mc chunk of split Red Oak will take over a year to get to 20%. Of course YMMV. My observations are based on about a decade of actually applying a MM to my various stacks and is quite consistent.. Well, it was until 2018 when we had over 300% of our average annual rainfall in this corner of SEPA. It was a miserable summer for outdoors folks and for seasoning firewood.

 

[Marshy]

For accurate moisture readings the wood should be at room temperature. Bring a round inside for 24 hours and make a fresh split, then make a reading.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Birch and poplar.

I'm working on firewood bundles. Had about 1300 bundles starting this fall (about 12 cords worth) and planned on that being enough to carry through early summer.
Well, I sold them all already. Have about 100 left.

Going to fire up the kiln to dry some. Did about 650 that will air dry for summer, but the other ~650 going to dry so they are ready sooner.

Was playing with the moisture meter to see how wet the wood was. Don't want to dry the wood anymore than needed as it's expensive to run the kiln.

frozen wood will give you a false reading.

Was at room temp.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Without mention of specie, I couldn't really comment about your specific situation. I cut standing dead Red Oak. Much of it has been dead for several years, most has already shed its bark. A 30" round split into 4"x3" pieces will read in the mid 30's % right after splitting. Stacked in the open; subject to breeze, sun, and humidity in the middle ranges of about 60% for around here it will dehydrate by about 1-2%/month. So, that 36% mc chunk of split Red Oak will take over a year to get to 20%. Of course YMMV. My observations are based on about a decade of actually applying a MM to my various stacks and is quite consistent.. Well, it was until 2018 when we had over 300% of our average annual rainfall in this corner of SEPA. It was a miserable summer for outdoors folks and for seasoning firewood.

View attachment 713560

When the state trained us on how to do the moisture readings, it was to have the pins with the grain of the wood, not across it.

Dunno if it really matters?

I'm finding that the meter is more of a guesser than anything accurate. Can take a reading, move it over 1/2" and have it 10% higher or lower.

Have 2 of these meters and other brand one, they are all reading similar, so don't' think it's an issue with the meter.

 

[Marshy]

Was at room temp.

You test a fresh split surface?

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

You test a fresh split surface?

Yes