Mysterious Moisture Measurements

[cg711]

I had some choke cherry that I had cut into 18" logs and stacked early April - I split it about 3 weeks ago with the intent to save it for next year but found the moisture in the middle of the splits to be 21%. Decided to use it now and noticed some smokey burns when running in the low air mode. I have a regency I3100 insert that I run 15 min at full air then 15min at 1/2 air before I choke it down to the low burn setting.
Split some of the largest pieces and verified the 21% in the middle but as I move to the outside of the piece I notice moisture at 27 % and above. I thought that wood seasoned from the outside-in mine seems to be seasoning from the inside- out.
Whats going on ??

 

[brogsie]

I would guess the wood was wet on the outside from rain or moisture picked up from the ground.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Was that cherry standing when you cut it or was it already on the ground? In the past we've cut cherry in the late winter/early spring and burnt it the following winter with no problem.

This serves as sort of a reminder that wood should be split in the spring and then seasoned during the warm summer months.

 

[Bill]

A few weeks before burning season I like to get my wood inside the barn. I don't think rain does you any good. Next thing I am going to make is a wood shed.