Canadian Tire moisture meter on sale. Any good?

[scooby074]

In order to fully diagnose my wood stove issues, ive been told i need a moisture meter. Ive did a bit of searching and most are pretty expensive (no harbor freight here). I included a picture as this may very well be the same meter available in the states, just in a different package. If it looks familiar, please comment.

Has anybody used the Canadian Tire meter? Its marked down from $79.99 to $23.99. Thats a price i can afford :D

Only issue i see is accuracy. Its range is 7-25% but the accuracy is +-5%. Is this accurate enough for firewood?

If its a good machine than this is a heck of a deal for Canadians to get a moisture meter cheap.



(broken link removed to http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/6/Tools/MeasuringTools/SpecialtyMeasuring/PRD~0574553P/Mastercraft+Digital+Moisture+Reader.jsp?locale=en)

 

[MasterMech]

Don't know if they carry it up there but Lowes here carries on made by General for about $30 US.

 

[scooby074]

Is it this one?
(broken link removed to http://www.busybeetools.com/products/DIGITAL-MOISTURE-METER-GENERAL-TOOLS.html)


(broken image removed)

If so its $52.99 here

WOrth the money?

 

[MasterMech]

That's her. It's pretty popular here on Hearth.com along with the Harbor Frieght models. I like mine but at almost twice the price? I'd prolly just go back to judging splits by appearance, weight and sound. Nice thing is mine will read up to 50%. Prolly isn't accurate but wet is wet ya know?

The meter in your post only reads up to 25%... If you get a reading at all your wood would be usable.

 

[colin.p]

They had the same mm on sale at CT a couple of weeks ago. Of course none in stock at my local CT in Kemptville. However, I'm sort of glad they didn't have one, as on further reflection, I don't think it would have been all that useful. Especially only reading up to 25%.

 

[maple1]

I considered the CT one, but instead got one on Ebay for $16 with free shipping. Came right to my mailbox.

I didn't think much of the +/-5% thing - that means if it reads 20, it could be between 15 & 25.

I was leery of the one I got, but it seems to be pretty good - gives stable repeatable readings that seem to jive with what I was thinking the wood roughly was before I tested.

EDIT: Here's the one I got-

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280700742920&ssPageName=ADME:L:OC:CA:1123

 

[DanCorcoran]

Actually, if it has plus or minus five percent accuracy, that means that wood with 20 percent moisture content could read anywhere from 19-21 percent. That is well within the accuracy needed.

 

[scooby074]

Thanks for the replys. After reading this thread im going to try and get the General model. I want the wider range.

 

[Diabel]

I have the same reader & its max reading is 45%. I have been using it for about 5yrs & am quite happy with it. 5 years ago it was also on sale from 79.95 to 23.95 go figure!

 

[scooby074]

I have the same reader & its max reading is 45%. I have been using it for about 5yrs & am quite happy with it. 5 years ago it was also on sale from 79.95 to 23.95 go figure!

So it does, i read the description and it says "Detects only wood moisture content percentages: 7-25%, with accuracy +/-5% moisture content" but not that i look close at the picture it goes much higher.

 

[DanCorcoran]

Maybe they are saying that the 5% accuracy is only between 7 and 25 percent. Which would be plenty accurate, since if it's over 25% moisture, you don't need to worry about precision anyway.

 

['bert]

I have the CT meter (somewhere) I used it for a bit then just went and got a bunch of years ahead on my firewood. Have not really even thought about using it for a couple years. I don't know if it was accurate but it did seem to be consistent, if that counts.