Moisture Meter for building measurements

[DavidE]

Hi there,

I've searched the forum for moisture meters and found that most of the topics tend to aim towards good machines albeit at a price.

I'm interested in buying a moisture meter that will be accurate (absolute value). I need to take some readings of woodwork (and probably masonry) in a building for a report I'm writing so need some traceability/credence. After that I'll be using it for general purpose moisture measurements of wood I'm working with.

I think I've probably narrowed it down to the following choices (websites linked to are arbitary):

Protimeter Surveymaster (this has both probes and sub surface RF measurement)
http://www.damp-meter-direct.co.uk/Protimeter-Surveymaster.htm

The Tramex Professional
http://www.axminster.co.uk/product.asp?pf_id=719279
(They do a higher model with the RF sensing - it is really more money than I'd like to pay though)

and an outsider is the Testo 606 - I think this is probably not in the same league as the other two though as it's lower end of measurement seems limited.
http://www.jmwlimited.co.uk/Testo_606_Moisture_Meter.html

I'm very open minded to any moisture meter so if there are any I've missed please let me know. If anyone has experience of using these for building measurements or otherwise it would be good to hear which one you went for or would go for. Also if anyone knows of a good deal/site to get one from please let me know.

Thanks

David

 

[Mr Ed]

Protimeter is the one I come across most commonly in construction circles, but I've never used one.

If I was buying I would go for Electrophysics;

http://www.electrophysics.co.uk/products.htm

Ed

 

[DavidE]

Hi Ed,

Thanks for your reply - I'd not seen the electrophysics one. They look pretty good - I'll have to e-mail them for their specification as the website seems partly broken.

Are there any specific reasons that make you favour the Electrophysics meters?

Cheers
David

 

[Mr Ed]

In regard to use on timber you can adjust for the specific gravity of the species giving far more accurate measurements. I also like the idea of pinless measurements as having had a cheapo pin meter it was not good.

Ed

 

[DavidE]

Hi Ed,

Okay thanks for your reply - it does seem a good feature that there is a lot more adjustment then just two curves which a lot of the meters seem to have. I must admit I don't know how much range there to get the discrimination. I have e-mailed them asking for the resolution and tracability of the calibration.

If anyone else has other suggestions or thoughts I'm still very open minded. I like the idea of having a dual function pin/pinless instrument.

Cheers
David

 

[RogerM]

David - you might want to have a look at this one. Usually retails at about $350. I'm not connected with this item in any way, but I have a Wagner and am very pleased with it.

 

[Ironballs]

I was looking at the electrophysics ones Ed, the 110 seemed a good buy for home woodworking needs, not too expensive either

 

[Mr Ed]

It was the CT808 that I fancied...just trying to justify the cost to myself as usual!

Ed

 

[head clansman]

hi

try this company, called easy life products from ebay .

i bought mine there from hong kong at half the price as axminster , works fine (does what it says on the box )

Identical to the axminster one at less than half there price. I paid about £36 + i think about £8.50 postage took three weeks .

http://www.axminster.co.uk/product.asp? ... e=1&jump=0

hc :lol: :wink:

 

[DavidE]

Thanks for all the replies...

Roger - thanks for the suggestion I looked briefly at lunchtime and didn't notice how quick the auction ran out (I don't use ebay! ) Anyhow they look like interesting meters and I found a UK distributor. When I get the specs for the Electrophysics I'll compare the two - it appears the later might have a better interface for tweaking for different species.

HC - I had a look at that one. As I want to take some measurements in a building I'm willing to pay for more accuracy/ a traceable calibration... If I was just after something for checking wood at home I'd probably be more inclined to go for one like that as it would be ideal.

Cheers
David

 

[RogerM]

Roger - thanks for the suggestion I looked briefly at lunchtime and didn't notice how quick the auction ran out (I don't use ebay! ) Anyhow they look like interesting meters and I found a UK distributor. When I get the specs for the Electrophysics I'll compare the two - it appears the later might have a better interface for tweaking for different species.

Yep - you need to be quick off the mark sometimes at Ebay - but even at £120, someone got a good buy - about half price, and no moving parts so nothing to wear out. I like the Wagners because there are no pins to push in to the wood, so no damage. And I suspect that pins would be hard to push in to, say, English Oak. Not wishing to gloat, but I picked up a Wagner for £28 on Ebay. :roll: You could set up a search on Ebay so that you get an email whenever a new listing comes up containing the key words "Wagner moisture" for instance. Saves continually having to look. You can also set up a best offer so that the system will bid up to your limit without you having to sit glued to the screen at the end of the auction with "palsy of the finger" which makes you overbid or maybe sometimes even under bid and make you wish you had gone higher.

 

[DavidE]

Hi Roger,

Thanks for the tips - I'll look into setting the search up (I need to get more ebay savvy). Well done on the £28, that really is how you should buy stuff on there. I'm still waiting for the Electrophysics spec. so I've not been able to make any comparisons yet.

Cheers
David

 

[DavidE]

An update...

The electrophysics meters are not being sold by decorating direct now - so I'd have to order direct from Canada. Therefore, I'm still evaluating and pricing up the various options.

Cheers
David

 

[Mr Ed]

An update...

The electrophysics meters are not being sold by decorating direct now - so I'd have to order direct from Canada. Therefore, I'm still evaluating and pricing up the various options.

Cheers
David

Thats a shame - they were on my list to purchase one day.

 

[Ironballs]

If you find a suitable alternative Ed then please post on here