TM-170 Aquameter™

Description: The James Instruments Aquameter™ utilizes the latest electronic technology to measure the amount of water within the instrument's sensing area. The device has two working modes, pin mode and dial mode. In pin mode, two pins are pushed into the material and a high frequency field is created between these two pins. In search mode, the device uses a high-frequency capacitive sensor to instantly sample large amounts of material. The changes in this electromagnetic field are directly proportional to the dielectric constant of the material through which it passes. Since the dielectric constant of water is almost twice that of most non-metallic materials, changes in this parameter can be attributed to moisture content. After extensive testing of various materials, the relationships between change in this area and moisture content were determined. These relationships have been digitized and applied using the latest microcomputer technology, giving the user a direct reading of the moisture content for concrete, masonry, hardwood, softwood, gypsum and brick. The pin method has been found to be most effective on low density materials such as fir wood or pine wood. The search mode was found to be most effective for high density materials such as brick, masonry, gypsum and concrete.