Concrete Moisture Meter

What is a Concrete Moisture Meter?

Probably the best way to answer what a concrete moisture meter IS may be to say what a concrete moisture meter IS NOT. A concrete moisture meter is not, by any means, a tool for quantitative analysis of the moisture condition of a concrete slab. Due to the significant variables in the preparation and pouring of concrete, there will, arguably, never be a standard for measuring the levels of moisture in concrete using an electromagnetic meter because the concrete to be measured will never be of consistent mixture and concentration. Therefore, the simplest definition of what a concrete moisture meter might be is to describe it as a tool for wet/dry indication. Accordingly, the ASTM F2659 standard stipulates a “non-destructive electronic concrete moisture meter” as a means for “…preliminary evaluation of the comparative moisture condition of concrete, gypsum cement, and other floor slabs and screeds…” The keyword being “comparative.” In other words, seeing how wet or dry one slab section may be when compared to another.

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If You Use the Rapid RH® in situ Concrete RH Testing System, Think of the C555 as a Targeting Device

The Rapid RH® in situ concrete RH testing system from Wagner Meters already provides you the easiest, fastest, and most reliable method to test the moisture condition of concrete slabs. It’s fully compliant with ASTM F2170 and features wireless Bluetooth® technology to keep an unbroken stream of data from each L6 Smart Sensor all the way to the final report. “How do you improve upon perfection?” you may ask. Imagine a device that gives you X-ray vision into potentially problematic areas of the concrete slab that need more attention. Places where concrete RH levels may be abnormally higher due to a variety of factors. The C555 emits an electromagnetic wave to ideally measure moisture down to 3/4" below the surface. "Ideally" because dense aggregate mixes or large chunks can certainly inhibit or block the effectiveness of the wave signal. That being said, the C555 is, by itself, a pretty good tool for “wet/dry indications” but when employed within the Rapid RH in situ concrete RH testing system, the C555 Concrete Moisture Meter becomes an effective targeting system helping you place your L6 Smart Sensors in the areas where they are most effective.

The C555 gives you a speedy indication of high and low moisture zones giving you optimal targeting of areas to place Rapid RH sensors and get the best readings from your in situ RH testing. The C555 is fully compliant with ASTM F2659 to function as a “...non destructive electronic concrete moisture meter” as a means for “…preliminary evaluation of the comparative moisture condition of concrete, gypsum cement, and other floor slabs and screeds…"

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When to Use a C555 Concrete Moisture Meter

We believe the most useful application of the C555 Concrete Moisture Meter is to support the most effective placement of Rapid RH L6 Smart Sensors according to the processes outlined in ASTM F2659. Also, the built-in temperature and relative humidity sensor will give you ambient readings to assist with your ASTM F2170 reporting. However, there are certainly more uses for the C555 that don't necessarily require the strict oversight of ASTM or other established regulations. Bearing in mind that the C555 is a qualitative measuring device, there are other applications that can benefit from comparative moisture data collection of concrete or similar materials. At this point, it's important to point out that, because the C555 utilizes an abrasion-resistant sensor pad to emit an electronic signal, the surface you are measuring MUST be smooth enough to assure complete contact with the entire surface of the sensor pad. Scanning over any raised areas or scanning on materials that do not contact the entire surface of the sensor pad may result in misleading or inaccurate readings. With all this in mind, consider using the C555 in these applications:

• If a leak, high humidity levels, or recent flooding have you questioning whether that old slab is dry, the C555 will tell you pretty quickly. Simply measure a section of concrete that you know is dry, then measure sections of the concrete slab to get a better map of the scope and intensity of the moisture intrusion into the concrete slab.
• Relative indication of moisture intrusion on other materials such as:
  • Brick
  • Cement
  • Gypsum
• Ambient temperature and relative humidity monitor.
• If you need a quick reading of ambient conditions, press the "MODE" button 4 times and the C555 screen will alternate between showing temperature and relative humidity every 3.5 seconds.

Proper Use and Best Practices

The C555 sensor pad that emits the electromagnetic signal measures 2.0-inches (50mm) wide by 2.5-inches (63mm) long. This entire surface should be fully contacted with the material you are scanning. Bumps, ridges, and other raised areas will disrupt full sensor pad contact and will cause the C555 to give inaccurate or potentially misleading data. You may find it useful to use rough grit sandpaper or another abrasive grinding system to create smooth areas of concrete to scan with the C555 for the most accurate readings. In the Standard Measurement mode, the C555 measures moisture within a 1% to 6.9% moisture reading range. The C555 also features a Relative Measurement mode which will give you a comparative indication of moisture in other materials than concrete with a numerical scale from 1 to 100. However, all measured surfaces should be smooth to ensure the most accurate readings.

The C555 features an alarm audio sound that corresponds to a high moisture content alarm threshold, within the Standard Measurement mode, and programmable to sound the alert at readings from 0.0 to 6.9. This function is perhaps most useful when scanning a section of concrete to locate higher moisture content areas without continually looking at the digital display.

If you are ever unsure whether the C555 Concrete Moisture Meter is calibrated, an On-Demand Calibrator platform is included to allow the user to calibrate the C555 back to original factory standards in less than a minute. The calibration process is simple and fast so that the user can very quickly get back to using the C555 with as little delay as possible.