DESCRIPTION
The numbers in the text refer to the diagrams on
page 2.
1. On/off button.
2. HOLD button
3. MODE button
4. LED bar graph
5. High-contrast, white-on-black LCD
6. Removable pin cover
7. Battery cover
8. Moisture level readout
9. Indicates wood measurement mode
10. Indicates operation in pin mode
11. Indicates building material measurement mode
12. Low battery charge indication
13. Indicates a held measurement
14. Measurement pin covers
15. Measurement pins
16. Calibration holes
3. ASSEMBLY
Inserting / Replacing the Battery (Fig. B)
The moisture meter is powered by a '9V' battery
(included in the package).
1. Push the tab on the battery cover (7) gently
until it pops open.
2. lnsert battery with correct polarity according to
battery cover indications.
3. Close the battery compartment cover (7).
To extend battery life in both operating modes, the
moisture meter automatically 1) dims the bright-
ness of its backlit LCD by one-half after 15 seconds
and 2) powers itself off after 1 minute of inactivity.
The low battery charge symbol (12) appears
when the battery charge is low, and thus must be
replaced.
4. OPERATION
Introduction
The moisture meter bases its measurements on
the relationship between the moisture content of a
material and its electrical conductivity. The wetter a
material, the higher its conductivity.
The two replaceable steel pins at the top of the
moisture meter serve as the electrodes of a con-
ductance meter optimized for measuring moisture
WWW.VONROC.COM
content. The meter displays measurements in the
unit %WME (Wood Moisture Equivalent).
For hard materials like wood, the meter's readings
largely reflect surface moisture content because:
1) Moisture close to a surface has a greater effect
on a reading than moisture deep below it; and 2)
The pins of the moisture meter are only 8mm long
and therefore cannot be driven deep into a hard
material. For softer materials like soil, paper or
powders, readings are more likely to reflect the
average moisture level of the material between
its surface and the penetration depth of the pins
(normally far less than 8mm).
Switching on and off (Fig. A)
To turn the moisture meter ON, briefly press the on/
off button (1). Press and hold the button for at least
3 seconds, to turn the moisture meter off.
LED Bar graph (Fig. A)
Below the LCD is an analogue bar graph comprising
three banks of different-coloured LEDs. The LEDs
light up in sync with changes in the digital readout.
As the test pins are moved around a sample, or
moved among samples, the colour of the right-
most 'lit' LED (green, orange or red) may change.
Any such change indicates a sizable difference in
the moisture content of different areas of the same
sample, or of different samples of wood or building
material. The following different moisture ranges
of wood and building materials are indicated by the
three LED bar graph bands:
• In wood mode, only green LEDs indicate that a
test area's moisture content is between 5% and
11.9% (dry). When only green and orange LEDs
are lit, the area has a moisture content of 12%
to 15.9% (medium moisture content). When
green, orange and red LEDs are lit, the area
has a moisture content between 16% and 50%
(wet).
• In building material mode, only green LEDs
indicate that a test area's moisture content
is between 1.5% and 16.9% (dry). When only
green and orange LEDs are lit, the area has a
moisture content of 17% to 19.9% (medium
moisture content). When green, orange and red
LEDs are lit, the area has a moisture content
between 20% and 33% (wet).
EN
5