Four Factors Affecting Moisture Meter Service Life
For woodworkers, a moisture meter is not just another tool, but an investment in building a business and reputation. Used properly, a moisture meter can provide years of reliable service before it needs to be replaced. Without proper care, even the most rugged, reliable meter can fail quickly and become virtually unusable.
To protect their investment so they can make the most of it, woodworkers need to take good care of their hygrometers. But before you can extend the life of your hygrometer as long as possible, you need to know what factors affect the life of your hygrometer.
To make things easier for you, we've rounded up a list of factors that affect the lifespan of your woodworking moisture meter:
Factor #1: Temperature Extremes
While most hygrometers should function properly at "normal" room temperatures, it takes a hygrometer specifically set up to withstand temperatures below freezing or above the boiling point of water. For example, a hygrometer exposed to temperatures below -4°F or above 140°F will begin to return false readings.
Hygrometers that are not specifically designed to withstand extreme temperatures of severe high or low temperatures for extended periods of time will not only reduce the accuracy of the woodworker's readings, but will also cause lasting damage to the meter's electronics, permanently rendering them ineffective.
Factor #2: Exposure to Moisture
Ironically, prolonged exposure to excess moisture can actually cause damage to your hygrometer. This damage can manifest itself in a number of ways, such as corrosion on the contact elements of the hygrometer (such as the pins of a pin meter) or failure of the internal circuitry of the meter itself.
Anyone who has ever put a phone in a swimming pool or other body of water can tell you that moisture and sensitive electronics don't get along well. However, you don't have to put electronics in water to expose them to excess moisture. Leaving a meter in a humid environment, such as a bag buried under damp overalls, can cause damage over time, just as dropping it in water can.
Factor #3: Damage from Mishandling
While woodworking moisture meters are often constructed to be rugged, long-lasting tools, improper handling in the field is still a major cause of failure for these devices. That's not to say that these types of incidents are the user's fault; accidents do happen, such as dropping a meter on a hard surface or in a bucket of water.
However, taking precautions to avoid mishandling the meter can go a long way towards preventing it from failing. For example, you can prevent accidents by having a steady, firm grip on the meter and handing it over to a colleague who needs to borrow it rather than throw it across the room. Wearing gloves with a gripping surface rather than one with a smooth surface can also make it easier to avoid accidentally dropping a moisture meter during use.
Factor #4: Exposure to Pollutants
This is a particularly sensitive issue with thermal moisture meters because their measuring elements are less easily replaced than the pins on pin-type meters. Over time, when a thermal hygrometer is repeatedly exposed to airborne chemicals, dust, mould and other particles, these substances can be deposited on the meter's measuring element. This causes the meter to provide inaccurate relative humidity readings over time, a phenomenon sometimes referred to as "drift".
As the sensor drift becomes worse, the meter becomes less reliable, eventually leading to the need to replace the meter entirely with a new one. Unfortunately, there is no way to directly control exposure to contaminants other than minimising airborne particles before using a hygrometer and keeping the meter itself clean and in good condition.
Ultimately, no hygrometer or thermohygrometer is completely immune to contaminants.
