# Moisture Meters



## Hugh (Sep 23, 2013)

If anyone has any tips on what brand/type of moisture meter is good but reasonably priced I would appreciate it. I want to measure moisture in the windrow.


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## Mike120 (May 4, 2009)

Cheapest, most accurate is using a scale/microwave or oven. Delmhorst makes a good handheld meter. Personally, I think the 3-twist method works best here and for me.


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

Have this one and going by feel is much more accurate and then knowing the relative humidity means far more. http://partstore.caseih.com/us/otccc/87299900-p1010299.html


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

I have the same as above, made by agritronix and labeled as Deere, I think it's fairly accurate....


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## gradyjohn (Jul 17, 2012)

Mike120 said:


> Cheapest, most accurate is using a scale/microwave or oven. Delmhorst makes a good handheld meter. Personally, I think the 3-twist method works best here and for me.


I have a Delmgorst that lets you put some in a bucket and you stick a round disc with spikes in it. Search moisture testers, meters, etc in the upper right and you will find a multiple of threads dealing with testers. I have three different ones and none read the same. Good Luck!


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## haybaler101 (Nov 30, 2008)

Experience makes the best and most accurate one available. But it is priceless!


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## hay wilson in TX (Jan 28, 2009)

I had a Delmhorst for ages. Got the Analog one plus a kit for on the go moisture testing using the manual meter button. If I am just interested in pulling the trigger to start baling I can hold in the button until I am satisfied. But I use a small C clamp to hold the read button in and can watch the needle swing on the go. Did that for 20 years. Then 5 or so years ago I learned to check the humidity.

The last two years I just checked the humidity, down at ground level. The hay is stem snapping dry Last Nigh.
I can bale starting at 70% RH for 18% moisture. For RB, I start at 65% RH and eliminated moldy hay from stem moisture.

The microwave or the heated tester will give us an AVERAGE moisture. This can be dangerous.
If the moisture is mostly in the stems that leads to mold. If the stems are stem snapping dry than the moisture will be surface dew on the leaves. This can be baled at 20% moisture, or with caution up to 24% read moisture. This is only leaf moisture and that dries in the bale no problem.

Two years ago I had to stop baling half done on one field, for leaf shattering. The next day I started baling at 75% humidity, we knew that hay was fully cured. That hay baled up very well and tested a little higher in CP than the hay baled the previous day.

On the go testing with hay that is mostly, just now, at 18% moisture have the sensor on the cut side and read the stem moisture. Other wise mount the sensor on the opposite of the bale chamber.

On the go baling using the moisture tester might be valuable if baling at night.

I picked up the idea of using the Humidity from West Virginia.


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## Hugh (Sep 23, 2013)

Bill,

Good idea about the RH. I've tried the microwave/weight method, but the results did not make sense to me. I have a very accurate scale (jewelry scale) and I was showing 25% moisture on alfalfa that had cracking stems. I'll get a meter of some kind and try that. Thanks everyone.


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## hay wilson in TX (Jan 28, 2009)

Used to use a hand held weather station from Gimplers. Held up well till I ran it through the washing machine.

Now from Farmtek I use a Jumbo Display visable from a distance $35 plus shipping etc. 

It is not overly robust but even on my third toy it is still cless costly then the Kestril. just set it on a board 10 feet away and start baling when the Humidity gets in range. 

See Forage Management from West Virginia


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## hay wilson in TX (Jan 28, 2009)

There are two truly accurate methods, one is the microwave and a postal scale. The other uses an electric heater weighing the hay.

These are used by researchers where timing is not criticle. But what is criticle is using stem moisture and surface dew. Stem moisture is difficult to bale safely. Leaf moisture is easy to get out of the bale.

A lot of the information from the universities are an average.

We can have an 18% average moisture, but have 9% leaf moisture and 27% stem moisture. The result is the leaves can and will shatter off, and the stems get baled. Result is less hay and what we do get baled will be moldy stems.

If the hay goes into the night dew at 9% average moisture the leaves will rehydrate but not the stems. With an average 40% moisture the leaves will for sure stick around when kicked around. As the night humidity increases, or the morning humidity decreases we have conditions where the leaves are limp and stick to the hay. HERE we see good baling atnight going from almost too dry to too damp, over about 4 hours. Really fairly simple. Start baling when the leaves quit shattering and stop when the Shear bolt pops or the tractor is grunting too much.

OR as the new day progresses start baling at 70% humidity and stop when you can not keep enough pressure on the bale chamber to keep the weight up. Which my guess is about 50% RH.

If I had some precision instrumentation I would know but my not having automatic recorders or kids watching the gages I can only guess after I am off & running.


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## tmac196 (Aug 26, 2014)

Can someone please explain the "Three twist method" to assess when the stems are dry for this new to hay guy?

Also, what method do you use to assess relative humidity and where are you assessing it? What relative humidity is considered acceptable for baling operations and for which forage?


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## DSLinc1017 (Sep 27, 2009)

tmac196 said:


> Can someone please explain the "Three twist method" to assess when the stems are dry for this new to hay guy?
> 
> Also, what method do you use to assess relative humidity and where are you assessing it? What relative humidity is considered acceptable for baling operations and for which forage?


Will do my best here on these questions. First off Search for posts from Hay Wilson for the relative humidity questions and ways to use it in your baling operations. He is the one who educated me and opened up my eyes to this very important knowledge base.

I purchased and use this meter.

http://www.extech.com/instruments/product.asp?catid=37&prodid=165

I have found it even valuable to stick in a wind row to give me more information. It is just a tool not the end all in telling you what stage your hay is in.

Hence the twist test, tried and true.

Take a small handful of hay from the middle of the wind row, grasp the clump with both hands with a few inches between your fists. Twist the clump 3 rotations. If you end up with two separate handfuls your hay is ready, if you end up with a twisted mess. sit back and grease the baler.

I also use an on board moisture meter on my balers as well as a probe to check after or during if I suspect.

Agratronix on the balers and a delmhorst hand held

Perhaps others here will chime in with greater detail, or point out something I may have missed.

Again this is not an absolute. Only time and experience will teach you.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

DSLinc1017 said:


> Will do my best here on these questions. First off Search for posts from Hay Wilson for the relative humidity questions and ways to use it in your baling operations. He is the one who educated me and opened up my eyes to this very important knowledge base.
> 
> I purchased and use this meter.
> http://www.extech.com/instruments/product.asp?catid=37&prodid=165
> ...


I don't know if this is good or bad information, but to the twist test I would add that when I twist the hay, I twist it like ones feet would pedal a bicycle. Like two offsetting circles.

I like the way DSLinc explains the relative humidity at the windrow. Of course HayWilsonTX knows best, but I have this image of this 6'-6" Texan with a big cowboy hat, deep voice and war tattoos teaching me about humidity. I'm more intimidated than actually learning!!!! LMAO!! 
Sorry, I'm probably the only one who thinks its funny.

I want to get that meter. I just can't help thinking the humidity on the ground on any given field could vary considerably.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

I thought I had hidden that earlier response very early this morning but I somehow did not.....sorry for the delay folks.

Regards, Mike


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## SwingOak (May 19, 2014)

I have the Agritronix hay moisture tester, it is calibrated for 100% alfalfa and so grass hay reads higher than actual. The tightness of the bale affects the reading also - the tighter the bale, the higher the moisture reading. This is true of all moisture meters that work by measuring conductivity. Generally I found as long as the bale reading with my grassy hay was less than 20% the bale was dry enough.

The only way to get an accurate moisture percentage is through the loss-in-weight method, which is what the microwave thing is all about. I'm planning on doing some comparative analysis on my hay this season so I can graph the actual moisture content as measured by loss-in-weight as compared to the moisture meter reading. That way I will feel more comfortable using the moisture meter.


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## Nate926 (Apr 6, 2014)

Swing oak that is a really good idea! I just wonder if you would be able to use a chart like you are talking about if you had mainly stem moisture this time baling, and next time if you had leaf moisture and little stem moisture when baling with the dew. Just curious if the conductivity would be different.

I emailed Gazeeka who claims to have a moisture meter that is very accurate to see if they will have one for small squares in the future. They use microwave tech. Right now they only have one for large squares, but got no response. I have heard it's really expensive though.


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## hay wilson in TX (Jan 28, 2009)

I have not heard of anyone here using the fingernail method. Just scrap;e the stem with your thumb nail and if the surface of the skin of the stem peals the stem is too damp to bale.

If the finger nail slides on the stem like on a pointed surface the stem is dry.

I have used the microwave system, but by the time I get a reading the hay moisture has changed. Be good to calibrate the classic moisture tester.

Now these are not accurate. it takes an educated operator to interpret the reading. If the strings are too tight the moisture will read high, if too loose the hay will read low. If you wish you can fool the system. but if the leaves are too dry the leaves will end up on the ground. I like to KNOW the stems were DRY at sunset. True at that time the leaves will be TOO DRY at sunset also.

Then you can use the night dew to your advantage. Or you can have a spray boom on a truck and spray water on the hay 15 minutes ahead of the baler. That works in California. There is a tool that you pull the devise down the windrow 15 minutes ahead of the baler and it will bale.

Or you can travel first class and pull a steam jenny immediately ahead of the baler's pickup and bale at high noon.

All this requires both money and operator skill. Two Years ago I did not have enough humidity to bale any time day or night. Not only that the hay Had to be raked immediately behind the mower. Most of the time I can use a rake or tedder at first light. By 8 AM DLST HERE I must be finished raking. I put the doors back on my old NH 411 mower and droppedthe hay in a windrow.

I have had to finish a field the next day rather than have baled a bundle of bermudagrass stems.

With a yield of 2 T/A or more I may rake a third of that field the day I bale, Roll that surface dew into the windrow and have enough moisture to bale an extra hour.

I realize most of the readers here are in the Humid East and want to start baling the instant the hay is 20% moisture. At Best that hay will heat. Been there and done that. Sitting right Here with this Climate I cannot tell anyone how to do their hay.

I will say that I look at the predicted yield, at the forecast pan evaporation, and figure roughly when the hay will be dry enough.

THEN I will make a stab at baling.

Now this is important. An Average moisture level will not work unless both the stems and leaves are both a go. Better is the leaves have a surplus of moisture and the stems be as dry as gunpowder. (as dry as a popcorn flatus)


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## Nate926 (Apr 6, 2014)

Haywilson that's the way I test my alfalfa stems. At my skill level, and our heavy humidity there is no way I would attempt to bale alfalfa without preservative after using it, and I pore it on to lol. I put 12-16 lbs a ton which I know everyone thinks on here is a lot, but I can sleep at night after selling my hay. It cost me $.50 a bale at 16lbs ton and I'm fine with that when I'm getting $8 to $9 for a 50-55lb bale . With our rolling hills you can bale 200 bales at 20% moisture or less, and then get 10 bales at 25-30%. And that's tedding it once and using a rotary rake. Plus the leaf retention I gain from being able to bale at a higher moisture allows me to sell more hay instead of leaving it in the field which helps of set the $.50 per bale.


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## eastsidehayguy (Aug 12, 2013)

JD3430 said:


> I want to get that meter. I just can't help thinking the humidity on the ground on any given field could vary considerably.


I cant help but think the same thing, and living 7 miles off of one of the largest bodies of fresh water in the world how much does that lake humidity play into humidity at the windrow... If the realitive humidity is say 90% will you ever get to 50 In the windrow my mind says no


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## hay wilson in TX (Jan 28, 2009)

eastsidehayguy said:


> . If the realitive humidity is say 90% will you ever get to 50 In the windrow my mind says no


It can be worse than that.

When I was using a nice two thermomitor tool to find the humidity, I had to spin the thing at waist height. The reading could be 50% RH while the ground was still wet with dew.

I got a nice $150 tiik that would read humidity right down next to the windrow, and learned my suspicions was correct. The Kestril machine was accurate but slow to react.

Then I saw in the FarmTek catalog a Mini Digital Temp & Humidity Meter. I chose the Larger (cost $10 more ) Numbers and itg works just fine sitting on a board down next to the windrow. Handy & fast reacting but tender. I have to keep my eyes open to notice any wet slugs. Using a preservative I could we a wet wad and up the application rate of the acid. I would up the aplication rate ahead of time when coming into a tree line shadow.

Now I no longer do custome baling and I have no tree lines on my own land.


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## [email protected] (Jun 5, 2013)

Nate926 said:


> Swing oak that is a really good idea! I just wonder if you would be able to use a chart like you are talking about if you had mainly stem moisture this time baling, and next time if you had leaf moisture and little stem moisture when baling with the dew. Just curious if the conductivity would be different.


I emailed Gazeeka who claims to have a moisture meter that is very accurate to see if they will have one for small squares in the future. They use microwave tech. Right now they only have one for large squares, but got no response. I have heard it's really expensive though.


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