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- čas přidán 12. 07. 2024
- In this video, we do a detailed moisture meter comparison and review with firewood. General MMD4E moisture meter review. R&D MT18 moisture meter review. Klein Tools ET1040 moisture meter review. I've wanted to do this experiment for a while. I like to test my firewood before putting it into our Buck Stove wood stove. In this video, I test and review the General moisture meter, the R&D moisture meter (cheapest on Amazon at the time of filming), and the Klein Tools moisture meter that does not have or use prongs. Links to all are available below.
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General Tools MMD4E moisture meter: amzn.to/36MseaF
(General Tools MMD4E Digital Moisture Meter, Water Leak Detector, Moisture Tester, Pin Type, Backlit LCD Display With Audible and Visual High-Medium-Low Moisture Content Alerts, Grays)
R&D Reddragon MT-18 moisture meter: amzn.to/2YP5lis
(Wood Moisture Meter Reddragon MT-18 Two Pins Digital Wall Moisture Detector Paper Humidity Tester for Wood Building Material Firewood Walls Paper Floor - Orange)
Klein Tools ET1040 moisture meter: amzn.to/39RiTQP
(Klein Tools ET140 Pinless Moisture Meter for Non-Destructive Moisture Detection in Drywall, Wood, and Masonry; Detects up to 3/4-Inch Below Surface)
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0:00 Intro
1:06 My firewood in IBC totes
2:14 General MMD4E moisture meter tests
5:49 R&D MT18 moisture meter tests
9:29 Klein Tools ET1040 moisture meter tests
14:40 comparison and results
17:01 Avoiding chimney fires and creosote build up
17:54 My recommendation and thoughts
19:13 Please click the like button! - Jak na to + styl
Check out our seasoned firewood moisture test video here: czcams.com/video/E4avQWrcbNI/video.html
Thanks for taking the time to compare these moisture meters, and for sharing your results and opinion! Good job!!
My pleasure!
Awesome product demo and comparison. Love all the helpful information you provide!!
Glad it was helpful! We really appreciate your comments and feedback!
I am glad that the R&D MT18 gives pretty accurate results as I'm using it now for about 1 month to test my firewood. Thank you for your review 🙂
Great to hear!
Good info Chad. I bought a Mertek off Amazon last year. Its pretty simple to operate like the ones you highlighted (it has prongs), it has done what I need to do. Keep the videos coming!
Thanks for the info! We appreciate you watching and commenting!
Good review. I've used the general moisture meter for at least the last 3 years and it has been reliable and accurate.
Thanks for sharing!
Very interesting comparison. The prong models are definitely the most accurate. Thanks for the video!
I think they are in this firewood application. I wouldn’t want to stick the prongs into my drywall or hardwood floors though. :). Thanks for watching and commenting!
I use the General meter. I like it because it has a calibration mode built into the cap. Without some way to calibrate, any meter is useless! Nice job on the video. Thanks for doing it! ! Cheers!
Thanks!
Great review. I'm going with the Klein simply because it is built more for woodworkers than firewood users (flat wood stock vs. rough split/sawn). Plus it can also double as a meter for checking my home without marring the surface.
Good choice!
Very timely video as I recently decided to purchase one. Last year I split oak from a tree that had been standing dead for a while, and one that was living when it blew over. I want to be sure it's dry before burning it.
I highly recommend using one if you burn in a wood burner or fireplace. I never would have guessed how much moisture stays in a piece of firewood for many months. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Chad... that was an interesting and well done comparison. Thanks for performing it on video.
I use a mini-Ligno moisture tester. It uses two prongs. It is for the woodworking tradesman. There are moisture range settings 6%-22% and 22%- 36%. Why two? When drying lumber you want to minimize warp/twist/bow and checking. That is best done by air drying slowly before putting it into the kiln. For most hardwood species, that sweet spot is between 20% & 25%.
Additionally, it comes with a chart that converts percentage at different temps. For example: wood indicated at 10% on the meter will actually be 13%@32f and 10%@68%... the tester always reads true at 68f... that’s it’s engineered calibration point.
I realize these small variations don’t make much difference for firewood testing. But, anyone who does fine woodworking will tell you horror stories of wood that was too wet or too dry when they milled, assembled or finished it.
I used to be a quality manager at a huge furniture manufacturer. A good deal of our business revolved around the drying cycles of our kilns. We had the capacity to dry 100,000 board feet of lumber at a time. Monitoring the kilns to the exact percentage was key to minimizing cycle time and maximizing quality.
Each kiln was set up with a series of probes scattered throughout its lumber stacks. (Each stack was 10’wideXup to 20’longX10’high.) Each kiln was 40’ deep, so from 2-4 stacks per batch. The stacks were on railroad tracks.
The probes were monitored by a computer. When the computer said a stack was ready, my wood room QA tech would go out and cut two samples from it.
These were then brought into the lab where they underwent an approval test. That was performed by placing it into a dehumidifying chamber for 24 hours. The weight before minus the weight after gave us the amount of water lost in the test. An exact measurement of the specimen size yielded us its cubic inches. Comparison of that weight to the spec for the species gave us the remaining moisture in the specimen.
Imagine performing a dozen tests per day, doing all the math and keeping everything straight. Well, in 1995 I worked with Corporate IT to convert the spreadsheets we had developed, to calculate and track it, into software that did all of it for us.
But, enough about that... I would be interested in knowing how the test came out with all wood at the same temperature and all tests performed in the exact same place on the wood. You might find less difference between the two probe units...?unless of course the variations are inherent in their design.
Sorry for such a long dissertation... I just thought you might find it if interest. I posted my first edited video if you get a chance to stop by.
This is great! I figured that those in the wood industry (beyond firewood) would need precision measurements and have better experience with moisture. I appreciate your detail.
@@PurpleCollarLife FYI... if you know species, exact cubic volume and the wood is knot free, weight is a very reliable means of finding moisture content. That was used for centuries before moisture metering.
Great video. Good information. Thanks!
Our pleasure!
Great video. I have the general and enjoy it. I didn’t recognize you at first without a hat!!
Thanks for watching. I’m not sure if it’s good or bad that you didn’t recognize me. :).
Thanks for the information! I need to buy one.
Thanks for watching! I use mine regularly. It's a great tool to have.
Great Video. I currently have the first one you tested. The General. I like it.
My buddy, that has a wood kiln, said if you are going prong-less you should go all out and get the expensive ones and not the Klein. Can’t think of the brand but they are like $3-400. He also works with valuable hardwood slabs.
Wow - I didn't even know those super expensive ones existed - probably in the commercial paper, drywall, and wood world, that makes sense.
@@PurpleCollarLife yeah, my buddy uses it for his kiln business where he dries expensive slabs. They are super accurate and can measure deeper into the wood. The prong ones are very good, but they only measure as deep as you put the prong, and the center of wood is usually wetter. Other advantages to not having prongs is you don’t have to stab holes into the slabs or hardwood lumber. I can’t justify that much for a meter, and use the General. It’s very good for me. I think prong is the way to go, especially for firewood. If you go prong-less the expensive ones seem to be a lot more accurate. Buuuuut are too expensive for most jobs IMO
Great video... I think the Klein might be good for checking lumber off the sawmill...
Great point!
Nice test! I have the general model
Thanks! I like all 3. I wish the Klein worked the way I had wanted - set it on the log for a second and get a reading. That would be awesome. Oh well. I’ll keep pricking the firewood.
@@PurpleCollarLife that would be great! It would avoid bent prongs and pushing hard to get different moisture readings. I do like that the general model comes with extra prongs.
I just bought the Klein one for work! We’ll see how it goes. I went painless just to avoid damage on clients homes.
Good choice! Let me know what you think after you've used it a while!
Good test, I use the General, seems to work well!
Thank you We appreciate you watching and commenting! Have you ever had to replace the pins? I was surprised it came with spares.
@@PurpleCollarLife No, haven't used it lot but I always think I am going to break them!
great review thanks
Thanks for watching!
Good video. Nice testers
Thanks! 👍. Appreciate you watching, Larry.
Great video, now one more step in testing all of these meters, that is to split each piece of firewood, and truly measure the internal moisture.
Keeping in mind that wood drys from the outside in, a fresh split should give different readings, and most likely even higher then your original readings!
Absolutely. I’ve actually done that before. IF the wood is well-seasoned, I usually still see 5% higher on the inside. If the wood hasn’t seasoned much, it’s a huge difference in the internal moisture. Excellent point.
I've got ta cheaper version of that General, never gave much thought to it, always just trusted what it told me. I probably should test my firewood, I've always just used it for woodworking.
Thanks so much for watching and commenting. It’s like having a celebrity watch our video! We really appreciate the support.
@@PurpleCollarLife hey no problem thanks for watching my channel also!
Thanks for the Video. R&D MT18 moisture meter is our company made.
Thanks for the info! I see you've used this section of my video on your page. Please place a link in the description to our Purple Collar Life channel. Thanks!
@@PurpleCollarLife Yeah. you are doing a Great Job. thanks so much
@@PurpleCollarLife We will have 2 different types of moisture meter into the market.. i will show you and send them to you as a gift..keep in touch, my friend
To properly use probe-type meters you should measure with (parallel to) the grain of the wood, not across the grain. I suppose it has something to do with the tiny tubes (xylem & phloem?) that carried water and nutrients for the tree.
Thanks for sharing! I had never heard that. I figured the signal flowing through the wood to determine moisture content wouldn't matter if it was running with the grain or against it.
What if the large difference is due to pin types tend to measure resistance between the pins? i.e. they measure as deep as you can probe. Whereas the Klein measures ¾" inside? That would mean it's drier on the inside than it is on the outside. That also seems contrary to what we'd expect. But also does measuring along the grain (as opposed to across the grain) affect the results? I know we can't get those probes in ¾" inside to have something definitive so I'm still not sure how to think lol. Thanks for the video tho - super helpful!
Glad you liked the video! You bring up some good questions. I just can't quite trust that pinless meter. Just like I don't quite trust the temporal thermometers. I think you need to stick it under your tongue for what feels like an eternity to get the temperature right. :)
I’m looking for a meter, thanks!
No problem 👍
Cool
Thanks, Sam!
1st!! And also I have the Klein moisture meter.
Thanks for watching. Do you use it on firewood? What do you think about the results?
@@PurpleCollarLife I bought it to find water leaks that soaked drywall. It only works sometimes and only if the circumstances are perfect.
I was really excited when coming across this review as I wanted a clear comparison between pinned and pin-less meters for firewood. Unfortunately this review is flawed due to not splitting the wood to measure the reading near the centre of the wood with the pinned meters. A pinned meter will measure the moisture at the depth the pins enter the wood, in the review the pinned meters are only used on the outer surface and in some cases along the grain. Most pinned meters state the reading should be made across the grain. Wood dries through the outer surfaces (at about 2 inches per year) so it will nearly always be wetter inside than on the outer surface. The reviewer even says that the pin-less meters reads moisture levels below the surface and then only measures the surface with the pinned meters. This review needs to be updated by comparing the pin-less meter measuring below the surface to pinned meters measuring wood split at the time of review. Until then this review will just confuse users with pin-less results that appear lower at the centre of un-split wood.
Hi, I have a quick question. For a moisture meter, it says it'll go .75in thick. Does this mean it would not be good if you want to read the moisture of 4x4 studs? Or would this still work fine?
These pin versions only read as deep as the pins go and a little deeper. The pinless versions actually read a little deeper. So when I'm testing wood, I make a fresh split and check the fresh split surface to see the moisture level that was in the center of the wood.
It would be difficult to use the pinned version to find the moisture level at the center of a 4x4 since it would be so deep. I would suggest the pin-less version for that.
@@PurpleCollarLife thanks! I actually bought the Klein pinless model, but I'm getting readings that are way too low. Do you know if it needs to be calibrated or anything before using?
When using the Klein meter, why would you not use it on the cut ends? Wouldn’t that be the flattest area?
Thanks for asking. Yes, the cut ends are flat, but they're often deceptive. They will be the most dry portion of the firewood piece. The ends typically get the most air and dry the quickest. When checking firewood moisture levels, it's best to check a fresh split area, in the center of the piece of wood.
@@PurpleCollarLife thanks for that info
I have the General, & the R&D MT-19 they both came with extra pins, but the MT-19 looks a good bit different than your MT-18
Thanks! I haven't seen the new MT-19.
Try testing the Klein on the end of the wood - that is pretty flat and gives a different reading than the split sides of the wood.
The Klein does test better on the flat end of the wood. But that seems to dry faster than the center sections.
Great video I just ordered a tester 2 days ago. Lol
Hope you enjoy it! Which one did you get?
Typo tech wood moisture detector off of Amazon once I get it I’ll let you know how I like it I’m going to do a review of it after a couple weeks
Tyho Tech
@@hayesoutdoorsandtractors3278 We'll watch your video to see what you think. Remind us when you post it!
I don't know the others but the scale for the Klein moisture meter is 0-35% for hardwood and 0-55% for softwood. It's uses 100% scale for drywall and masonry.
Thank you. That is great to know.
You did not mention the fact that the Klein meter measures moisture into 3/4 inch of the wood. Since wood dries from the inside out maybe that is why the Klein measures higher.
Hi Jim - thanks for watching and commenting. I'm not sure about this - maybe different wood dries differently? I am pretty sure that all our hardwoods here in PA dry from the outside in. That's why if you take a piece of firewood and do a fresh split, there is typically higher moisture content in the freshly split part of the wood (the former center of the piece) than on the original outside edges.
There are many inconsistent variables not taken into consideration during this "comparison". First, when testing split wood the pins should be positioned parallel to the wood grain, not across. Also to be fair the testing area should've been clearly marked and all three meters tested in that designated area in order to be considered for accuracy comparison between all three brands. Perhaps an idea for a future video?
Thanks for the tips toward a future video! All good points.
Not going to pretend to be an expert but just wondering if the Klein isn't more accurate than any of the others. Firewood dry's from the outside in. Jabbing prongs into the wood is still pretty much a surface reading and what you want to know is the internal moisture. The fact that the Klein agreed with the others about the two unseasoned pieces was very telling.
Interesting thought!
I'll tell you why , it's because moisture content of 4% isn't possible under normal circumstances. This Klein moisture meter is shit to say the least!
EDIT. After going ahead and purchasing a known good moisture meter with pins from bosch , measuring how professionals do it by drilling holes 5cm from the sides and 1cm deep , I found out the softwood setting is very close to the actual value of the hardwood +3% to be safe. For people that are struggling with this moisture meter , the data is for walnut.
In other words walnut with moisture content of 12% , will show as approximately 9 % on the softwood setting on the Klein moisture meter. To be on the safe side , you can also use the masonry setting which shows 1-2% more than the actual moisture content. That's if you can't afford the Orion or other more expensive brands and want to work with wood anyways.
For firewood anything under 20% goes. Cheers. Hope this helps.
Test the difference between the Klien hard and softwood setting. Then compare the readings on the r and d between a,b,c,d
Sounds like a good test. I don’t have any wood other than oak, maple, and cherry. That’s pretty much what grows in our woods.
Try the soft wood settings on the hard wood and see how they compare. Maybe a different setting will get you closer
@@dodgetrucksrule0620 This was a great idea. Using the soft wood setting on the Klein Tools meter got me within 2% of what the prong meters read. You still have to be on a fairly flat/smooth section of wood, but I think it's fast and easy. Great suggestion.
Does frozen wood read high or lower then thawed wood.
Great question. I'll have to try it.
If you say you need a flat surface for the one with no prongs, how about testing the flat ends of the wood ? See if that is closer.
The ends do work okay, but they're usually the most dry portion of the wood. I think they get the most air when the wood is stacked. Good suggestion though.
@@PurpleCollarLife yes I understand they are dryer, so not a good test for your firewood. But do all three meters read the same on the flat end of the wood ?
For firewood you're best using something with prongs because a flat sensor has to have good contact or it won't read accurately.
Around 7:40 you test a piece too close to the end of the wood. The end is what's going to suck up moisture more than in the middle. Bad testing technique.
@ 9:40 you talk about the Klein tester. NO NO NO - it doesn't use EMF it uses capacitance testing. I have one. Was curious to see what you're getting.
Poor contact with the Klein will reduce the moisture signature. You need a good flat piece of wood to test accurately. Firewood is anything but flat. Unless you run it through a planer or sand it smooth, THEN clean the sanding dust off - you can get a fairly accurate test reading. I say "Fairly" because just about everything I've tested has had less than 5% moisture. As a furniture and cabinet maker I'd like to know my wood is not going to swell or shrink excessively. A good moisture level is 6% for furniture and cabinet making.
Twelve minutes, 40 seconds - I'm done with your review. You're not going to be able to test firewood with a no-contact tester. YOU NEED PINS to test firewood.
Thanks for watching. As you probably saw - I mention in the video that the no-contact tester is not appropriate for firewood, and doesn't test as well. I also said that the reason I split a fresh split and test the center of the wood is because the center dries out slower than the edges. Hopefully this answers some of the concerns you mentioned.
I should get a moisture reader , I’m curious about how dry my firewood is
You should. They're worth the investment. How long do you typically season your firewood?
10 to 12 months
@@kirksawler1199 Thanks!
"Wagner" makes a more consistent unit. And you can put in the exact species of wood your testing. Because density matters when it comes to these things.
Great point! being able to let the sensor know what the wood species is would be very helpful. You're absolutely right that bulk density will impact the reading. Thanks for watching and leaving the comment.
On the R & D, which Letter is for pecan?
Hello - great question. We don't have any pecan trees here, so I consulted the manual. It doesn't list pecan as one of the wood types. I'd recommend you try several of the settings, and go with the one you think is the most accurate. You could go with the highest reading and know that once you're within your dry range at the highest % reading, you'd be good.
Thank You for Replying 👍😎
I just pushed the like and subscribed button. 👍😎
The lower readings make more sense to me anyway
Thanks!
You should test them all at the same time on the same piece of wood
Nice idea. I could give that a try.
@@PurpleCollarLife but writing the readings down also worked for you, seems like moisture testers are pretty unreliable
@@Dazhimself I’ve found them reliable enough for firewood. They’re all within a percent or two ( the pin versions). I think for determining if my wood is dry to burn, they’re relatively inexpensive and can do the job. Thanks for watching
@@PurpleCollarLife thank you kindly
I’d go with the cheapest one.
It does work great.
The pin models don't go as deep as the pinless one. The pinless goes up to 3/4" deep and the pin one is less than half that.
That's true - but I still find that the pinless unit isn't as accurate on firewood.
Мы по старинке смотрим на глаз высохли или нет
I like that method - but sometimes my eyes trick me.
That looks like SPF wood. You have the Klein set to "Hardwood" not "Softwood".
I'm not exactly sure what you're saying. This wood that we're testing is Pennsylvania hardwood timber. Oak, Maple, Hickory, Black Cherry - these are hardwoods and not soft wood.
So which one is accurate ? 🤷🏿♂️
Good question, Bill. They're so close that I don't know which one is "more correct". But I do know that for firewood purposes, the pinned versions are more accurate than the pinless ones.
They general
OL means overlimit
Thanks!
Wait you actually test your firewood? I have never seen that done and many many people in my area have wood stoves. Save your money on al these gadgets, buy would in spring season it till fall. Buy an extra chord so when you put your wood in, in the fall you still have 1 not only seasoned cord but it's been in the basement for a year also. If you run out or get low enough you know you'll have to use that extra cord cut some trees down aftsr freeze up, buck and split as usual, put in the basement....all ready to burn...a lot of peopls who only burn a couple cotd of wood a season get ALL there wood this way.
Yes, we do test our firewood. We have only ever purchased firewood one winter. Typically we cut, split, and stack our own firewood - and it’s difficult to know if it’s fully seasoned without checking the moisture level. Sometimes even wood that looks like it’s “dry” isn’t dry enough for burning in our indoor wood burner.
First
Thanks for watching and commenting!
B.S. Just know your firewood.
Thanks for watching. After many years of cutting/splitting, and burning firewood - I'm pretty good at knowing the firewood. I can usually tell by feel, color, and amount of time that it's been seasoning if it's dry. BUT - every once in a while, a piece tricks me. That's why I let the moisture meter be the science, confirming my predictions.
Split your wood and you will find the real moisture content!
I do pull a piece out from the stack and split it prior to testing. Then I test the freshly split side. That is a good point though - the outside dries faster (seasons) than the inside.