For logs, need a mondeo version rather than a Bentley!

Mate is donating some wood but has no idea of moisture content. Keen not to ruin my new stove…

Dont be daft!

Look at the rings on the wood, if there are cracks through them its dry, if not leave longer.

If it hisses when on the fire its not dry either.

Certainly you do not need a moisture meter

Wot FD just said. I got a cheapo MM off ebay and it’s now dead for no apparent reason – but seeing as my logs burn nicely and don’t hiss when burning I conclude that they’re fine and only going to get better as time goes on.

hmmmm, Im going to have to disagree there FD.

Dry wood can still spit, cracked/shaked wood can still be wet.

For £7 on eBay, a moisture meter is a very handy thing to have around.

OP – you wont necc ruin your new stove, your flue might not appreciate wet wood fumes going up it though. Really though, it’s mainly a matter of getting the most energy out of the fuel as reasonably possible. Waiting a year can really up the net energy output.

I have one of these and the results seem to be fairly consistent even if I havent checked it’s calibration.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Industrial-Wide-Range-Digital-Moisture-Meter-Wood-Cotton-Paper-Damp-Detector-New-/380713280174?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Test_Measurement_Equipment_ET&hash=item58a447a2ae

At £7.49 posted you can’t really say no. I just bought one and I don’t even have a wood stove….

poke it with a bread stick, if the sick becomes soggy it is too wet, if it breaks then you’ve ether poked it too hard, too quickly or its dry*

*Disclaimer: it may still not be dry enough to burn, if in doubt repeat until really sure and then ask a second opinion.

Just get a cheap one and calibrate by weighing ‘wet’ logs, dry in your oven and re-weigh. Weight loss is water, so you can work out % and compare to what the metre said.

Thanks all – the 7.49 one will do fine.