katekev04 Posted April 14, 2009 Report Posted April 14, 2009 Hello, I just purchased a moisture meter and would like to know how everyone goes about asking if they can drill pin holes into their concrete? Seems a little intrusive? esp. with dry wall. I just bought the EXTECH instruments meter. Any help will be appreciated.
Brad Manor Posted April 14, 2009 Report Posted April 14, 2009 If was only going to own one type of meter it would be a pinless for that very reason. When the need to insert probes arises I get permission from the homeowner in writing. I make sure they fully understand that there will be some holes in their house that will need to be repaired. -Brad
katekev04 Posted April 14, 2009 Author Report Posted April 14, 2009 Is there a difference in the accuracy?
Steven Hockstein Posted April 14, 2009 Report Posted April 14, 2009 If I need to use my moisture meter it is because there are already stains and/or damage and I need to determine if the area is currently wet. The pinholes are insignificant. Never had a problem regarding the holes because patching and refinishing are needed anyway.
Scottpat Posted April 14, 2009 Report Posted April 14, 2009 About the only time I get permission to use a moisture meter is when I do an EIFS inspection. Even with that I patch the holes back to a point that it is almost impossible to see the holes. Like Steven, if I'm using a moisture meter it is for a good reason and most likely the area already has some type of damage. A good noninvasive meter will tell you if you have high, med high, med med low or low levels of moisture. In our profession that is about all we need to know. Now if you are testing concrete for moisture levels, then you have to drill and place the probes in the holes. My meters of choice and what I use are the Tramex Moisture Encounter, Protimeter SM and Delmhorst (J-10 I think). They all have a specific use in my book. If I had to select just one meter it would be the SM.
John Dirks Jr Posted April 14, 2009 Report Posted April 14, 2009 I want to get a Protimeter SM. If anyone has one they want to sell, email or PM me.
Chris Bernhardt Posted April 15, 2009 Report Posted April 15, 2009 John, you can find used ones on ebay. I already have 2 protimeters and 2 aquants and a hygrohawk that I snagged off of ebay. Chris, Oregon
John Dirks Jr Posted April 15, 2009 Report Posted April 15, 2009 John, you can find used ones on ebay. I already have 2 protimeters and 2 aquants and a hygrohawk that I snagged off of ebay. Chris, Oregon I've been looking. Are there any concerns when buying a used Protimeter SM? I mean, other than things like physical damage and stuff. Do they have a life span or a failure rate or anything to be concerned about?
hausdok Posted April 15, 2009 Report Posted April 15, 2009 John, you can find used ones on ebay. I already have 2 protimeters and 2 aquants and a hygrohawk that I snagged off of ebay. Chris, Oregon I've been looking. Are there any concerns when buying a used Protimeter SM? I mean, other than things like physical damage and stuff. Do they have a life span or a failure rate or anything to be concerned about? Yeah, There is a tiny wire transformer bonded to the circuit board with a pretty useless adhesive. The break loose and the hair-thin wires at the corner break. Then you have no choice; either send it back to Protimeter for a $125 repair or take it down to the local radio/TV repair shop and pay the guy $10 to solder it back together and bed it in a little bit of expoxy. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike
kurt Posted April 15, 2009 Report Posted April 15, 2009 Mine's been acting funny the last 2 days. Maybe that's it.......
hausdok Posted April 16, 2009 Report Posted April 16, 2009 Open the case, unscrew the board, gently turn it over, take the little plastic cover off the transformer and look at it under a magnifying glass. Mine worked screwy for months and then wouldn't work. I called Protimeter and they told me it was probably the transformer, send it back and it would cost $125. I figured that, if they already knew about it, the repair couldn't be that difficult so I opened her up to get a look at the transformer - that's when I found the break in the wire. Tip it one way and the ends would barely touch and it would work; tip it the other and they'd separate. It was too fine for me to solder with my ham-fisted soldering skills so I went down to the local radio/TV guy and he fixed it in five minutes. I'm missing one case screw I dropped somewhere and couldn't find and there's a crack in the case where I dropped her from the top of a stepladder. About two years ago - it might have been when I dropped her - the circuit board separated a little bit from one of the painted-on circuits and she wouldn't work. It seemed obvious that there was no way to fix the board, so I took a wad of toilet tissue, wadded it up and squeezed it onto the top of the damaged section of board to hold the "circuit" in place. She's worked like a charm every since. She'll be 10 years old in October and she's still going strong. Found some serious moisture issues at two homes in the past week with her. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike
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