Moisture Content Reading of Hard vs Softwood

[neverstop]

I'm wondering if I need a new/different meter to measure softwood. I've burned a couple of loads of Eastern white pine and I've noticed lower than expected stove top temperatures with them. The catalytic converter also had some black sappy looking build up on it after the EWP loads. Normally I only burn hard woods, but had a massive 100ft EWP cut down this spring.

I have a cheap Stihl moisture meter that I assume is accurate enough. Previously standing dead white Ash on a freshly bucked/split face ~40%. Eastern white pine gave me what amounts to an beyond 42% reading.

Additional testing on fresh splits ambient temp ~70F:

• 4 month stacked/top-covered white ash ~32%
• 1 year stacked/top-covered white ash ~18-20%
• 2 year stacked/top-covered white ash ~15%
• 5 month stacked/top-covered eastern white pine ~10-15%
  • this surprised me because when I was splitting it there was water seeping out of the rounds
  • but we barely got any rain this summer (currently draught conditions) and it was hot

The EWP feels dry (super light, makes the sound dry wood makes when banging it together, lights up like dryer lint), but like I said I cat got "gunked" up quicker than normal and the STT temperatures were lower than expected.

 

[Wisco Shepherd]

Is the pine particularly sappy? Maybe punky and had some water on it? Punky wood seems to soak up moisture like a sponge.

 

[neverstop]

Is the pine particularly sappy? Maybe punky and had some water on it? Punky wood seems to soak up moisture like a sponge.

I don't have a reference point for amount of "sap", but the ends of the split do look to have visible dried sap on them. The wood was not punky, the tree was taken down and I bucked/split it and stacked it covered within a month's time frame. Like I said, the wood is measuring 11-15% on a freshly split face depending on the piece

 

[Wisco Shepherd]

Ok, If it has a fair amount of pitch that may just be what's doing it then. Clogging the catalyst with pitch would decrease heat production leading to lower stove temps. The wood may not be unusable but maybe try mixing it with some ash?

My moisture meter has different settings, what brand is yours?

 

[bunfoolio]

I'm wondering if I need a new/different meter to measure softwood. I've burned a couple of loads of Eastern white pine and I've noticed lower than expected stove top temperatures with them. The catalytic converter also had some black sappy looking build up on it after the EWP loads. Normally I only burn hard woods, but had a massive 100ft EWP cut down this spring.

I have a cheap Stihl moisture meter that I assume is accurate enough. Previously standing dead white Ash on a freshly bucked/split face ~40%. Eastern white pine gave me what amounts to an beyond 42% reading.

Additional testing on fresh splits ambient temp ~70F:

• 4 month stacked/top-covered white ash ~32%
• 1 year stacked/top-covered white ash ~18-20%
• 2 year stacked/top-covered white ash ~15%
• 5 month stacked/top-covered eastern white pine ~10-15%
  • this surprised me because when I was splitting it there was water seeping out of the rounds
  • but we barely got any rain this summer (currently draught conditions) and it was hot

The EWP feels dry (super light, makes the sound dry wood makes when banging it together, lights up like dryer lint), but like I said I cat got "gunked" up quicker than normal and the STT temperatures were lower than expected.

Seems like you are doing everything right. 5 months this summer with ewp could be at 14% moisture. I do not have a catalytic stove so all I can think of is adding more air in to get the temp up to burn more efficient. Maybe it is something else??????