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Questions & Answers
#1 Theory of Operation
Q
: How do Wagner Meters’ hand-held moisture meters operate?
A
: Hand-held moisture meters from Wagner Meters send technologically advanced electromagnetic radio
waves deep into the wood without leaving destructive holes. Known around the world for speed and
accuracy, meters from Wagner Meters supply instant readings, scanning large amounts of board feet in
seconds. Virtually unaffected by temperature and humidity*, they scan right through finished products.
* For frozen wood with up to 15% moisture content, accurate measurements can be obtained. When the
frozen lumber moisture content is suspected to be over 15%, a relative reading can be obtained. Contact
Wagner Meters Technical Support if additional guidance is needed.
#2 Gradients and Wet Pockets
Q
: What about gradients and wet pockets?
A
: Although the various drying processes for green lumber can leave wet cores and pockets, moisture
continues to pass from fiber to fiber within the wood until it has equalized throughout the whole board,
and then continues to equalize to surrounding humidity levels. Determining if a board or load of lumber
will equalize within tolerance levels can be difficult and tricky, but moisture meters from Wagner Meters
provide this information automatically. Penetrating deep into the wood, they mathematically determine
equalized moisture content and are capable of checking truckloads of board feet for specified moisture
content in minutes. For even more convenience, many companies use their hand-held meters from
Wagner Meters to read right through the plastic wrapping around the wood on new deliveries before they
allow unloading.
#3 Where Readings are Taken
Q
: Where is the reading taken with a pin-type meter? With a hand-held from Wagner Meters?
A
: Pin-type Meters take their measurements at the depth that you’ve been able to drive the pins and only
in a line between the non-insulated portion of the pins (often only the tips). In contrast, hand-held
moisture meters from Wagner Meters generate a three-dimensional field that measures a 2 ½" wide, 2 ½"
long, 1" (minimum) thick volume of wood under the entire sensor.
Q
: When compared to a pin-type moisture meter, why does my Wagner hand-held moisture meter give
me a truer picture of the moisture content?
A
: If you’re using a pin-type meter, the moisture content you are reading is determined by the micro-thin
path the electricity takes to travel from one pin to the other. In effect, it measures only the moisture
content of that very tiny path. If there is a single wet fiber between the pins, the electric charge will flow
easily along that fiber and cause pin-type meters to exaggerate the moisture content in the wood when in
fact it is just a very small fiber that is wet. If the place you choose to drive the pins into the wood is
simply extraordinarily dry and untypical of the rest of the piece you will get an exaggerated dry reading.
Unlike pin-type meters, hand-held moisture meters from Wagner Meters take an average of the moisture
content discovered in the full scan of the three-dimensional field, meaning small wet fibers are not read as
large wet spots. Plus, it only takes seconds to scan the entire board.
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