zeb Posted January 10, 2007 Report Share Posted January 10, 2007 Looking to purchase a moisture meter, however I don't want to mortage my house for it. And yes I want all of the features that you can get. ANY IDEA'S or suggestions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inspectorjoe Posted January 10, 2007 Report Share Posted January 10, 2007 Zeb, I don't think you can find all of the features that you can get in one unit, at any price. Your first decision is whether to go with the pin type or pinless. I have a pin type that I carry in my bag, but have used only once. I use a pinless electromagnetic wave type just about daily. You can spend close to a thousand bucks on a Tramex, that will 'read' the moisture several inches below the surface. For my needs, that may be overkill. I use an analog Wagner L606. I've had two. Both I bought from Amazon.com. It is on the fragile side, with the meter needle suspended in a jeweled bezel. http://www.amazon.com/Wagner-Electronics-L606-Hand-Held-Moisture/dp/B0000224D1/sr=1-1/qid=1168404444/ref=sr_1_1/102-8564288-8584121?ie=UTF8&s=hi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Katen Posted January 10, 2007 Report Share Posted January 10, 2007 Originally posted by Inspectorjoe . . . I use an analog Wagner L606. I've had two. Both I bought from Amazon.com. It is on the fragile side, with the meter needle suspended in a jeweled bezel. I also use the L606. It's worked very well for me since I bought it in 1997. Our ASHI chapter buys them in bulk to bring the price down. Last year I even bought a second one as a backup just in case, but the first one just won't die. I also carry a Delmhorst J-4 pin-type meter for those times when I want to get readings straight from the horse's mouth. I hardly ever use it. - Jim Katen, Oregon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Bernhardt Posted January 10, 2007 Report Share Posted January 10, 2007 Zeb, did you read the other moisture meter posts here? Several good threads. There is no one meter you can buy to satisfy all of your moisture scanning needs. I have the Tramex moisture encounter plus but if theres any moisture or dryed piss on the floor it will peg the meter. It scans a little deeper then the GE surveymaster but the surveymaster doesn't have the same problem with wet or contaminated surfaces as I understand it and it can get you into tighten spots. I have used both and would prefer to have both but just have the tramex. The tramex is a little easier to use then the survemaster in that I found that I could handle it easier when scanning larger areas quickly and like I said its more sensitive and it can pick up moisture anomalies deeper then the surveymaster. I actually have two moisture meters and the other one is a pin type. If money was no object and your really into moisture scanning I could see having several different models. If I had to choose its a toss up between a Tramex moisture encounter plus and the GE surveymaster they both have offsetting advantages and disadvantages. Chris, Oregon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randynavarro Posted January 10, 2007 Report Share Posted January 10, 2007 I have Delmhorst, Tramex and Surveymaster. They are all quality and you can't go wrong with any of them. I only like the Surveymaster the best and use it now because its the smallest and fits easiest in my tool bag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kibbel Posted January 17, 2007 Report Share Posted January 17, 2007 If I were only permitted to have one, it would be the Protimeter Surveymaster. It's the only one that's always in my pocket to "search and measure". Use the link to Home Inspector Essentials on the front page for a good price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisprickett Posted January 18, 2007 Report Share Posted January 18, 2007 Originally posted by inspecthistoric If I were only permitted to have one, it would be the Protimeter Surveymaster. It's the only one that's always in my pocket to "search and measure". Use the link to Home Inspector Essentials on the front page for a good price. What Bill said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mthomas1 Posted January 18, 2007 Report Share Posted January 18, 2007 The one I take into an attic or crawl space is the Protimeter Surveymaster (I have a previous older model, bought on eBay) along with the 36" extention cable with the pins at end - I find the latter REALLY useful for getting readings in tight spots where it would be difficult or impossible to read the meter's scale even if it fit. I also own a Tramex ME Plus, which I perfer for plaster walls and ceilings and ceramic tile (as long as the surface is dry). But I could live with just the Protimeter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted January 18, 2007 Report Share Posted January 18, 2007 What the previous 3 folks said; I'm a Protimeter SM devotee. Don't leave home without it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottpat Posted January 18, 2007 Report Share Posted January 18, 2007 What the previous 4 folks said, and I might add I use a Tramex Moisture Encounter as well. The J-4 stays in the truck, I tend to stick myself with it every time I use it! The Tramex has a learning curve so it is not one you want to take out of the box and use before you practice with it. Kind of like opening a Little Giant ladder for the first time, just not as painful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swarga Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 The previous 5 folks are correct. I have had mine for 5 years and it still works like new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hausdok Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 Hi, My Protimeter SM is 6 years old and still works like a charm - despite 3 separate emergency surgeries ($10. ea) by the local TV repair shop to repair that tiny transformer coil that keeps breaking loose. Brand new townhouse 2 days ago. The place looked perfect. Read moisture beneath a newly laid tile floor behind a toilet. Felt dry to the touch and the adjacent wall was dry, but the SM insisted there was moisture beneath that tiled floor. The agent thought I was barking up the wrong tree. Then the client's boyfriend, who didn't like the style of the escutcheon used around the supply tube stub-out to the toilet, reaches down to twiddle with the escutcheon and brushes the side of his hand against the supply tube connection and water starts dripping out to beat the band. The danged thing was only finger-tight! When it's flushed and pressure in the tube is lowered while the tank fills, it drips like crazy. Once the tank fills and the ballcock shuts off the water, the pressure stops it from leaking. Downstairs in the kitchen, it insisted that there'd been water on the dust cover on the bottom of the cabinet beneath the kitchen sink. Everything looked and felt dry. Got myself in under there, reached up and lo and behold, there was another finger-tight connection that was only leaking when the faucet was turned on. Like I said, 6 years and still going strong. OT - OF!!! M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeb Posted January 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2007 search is over. I bought a surveymaster and delmhorst accuscan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeb Posted January 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 I just received my surveymaster and it doesn't work right. Displays error code E-3. Anyone know what that means. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolan Kienitz Posted January 28, 2007 Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 Originally posted by zeb I just received my surveymaster and it doesn't work right. Displays error code E-3. Anyone know what that means. No documentation with meter? Anything at manufacturer's website? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randynavarro Posted January 28, 2007 Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 Originally posted by hausdok Hi, My Protimeter SM is 6 years old and still works like a charm - despite 3 separate emergency surgeries ($10. ea) by the local TV repair shop to repair that tiny transformer coil that keeps breaking loose. M. Mike, is that why my meter sometimes pegs 'wet' when I just turn it upside down and its not near anything? I have to tap it a bit and then it 're-sets' itself and works normally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeb Posted January 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 The paper work doesn't give codes and the website doesn't either. I hate to send it back before I get to play with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hausdok Posted January 28, 2007 Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 Hi, Rick, if it's not in the manual, call them first thing Monday morning and ask them to explain it to you. If they say to send it back, tell them to send you the new one first, accompanied by a self-addressed, pre-paid container for the doinked one. That way, they'll be the ones waiting, not you. Randy, If you've got the Protimeter SM (Prre-GE takeover) you may have the same trouble I had. When I called Protimeter about it way back when, mine was a couple of years old and out of warranty. They told me it was probably a faulty transformer and said to send it back and they'd fix it. Cost $125.00. I said, "What the f***!" no way, and disassembled the littler feller myself and found that there indeed was a tiny little transformer glued to a circuit board with what is the equiv of rubber cement. It had come loose and a little tiny wire at one corner had broken and was barely making contact when I jiggled it around. I took it down to the TV repair guy on Lake City Way near 125th, opened it up, showed him the problem and he walked in the back, soldered it and returned about 5 minutes later. It worked like a charm. $10. I thought that was reasonable. When I'm on the job and walking around outside checking the exterior, roof, etc., I can hear the Korean Konnection inside, thunk, thunk, thunking that thing on the walls, floors and ceilings in radio and pin mode. It doesn't matter how many times I tell her to be gentle with that puppy, I can still hear the thunk, thunk, thunk going on for a good 30 minutes while she works her way through the interior. I've given up arguing with her about it. Been back to Lake City twice more to have it resoldered and the last time he tried bedding it in some goop to try and keep it from coming loose. That was a year or two ago and it's been holding up pretty well, despite the crack that she'd managed to develop in the case. One of these days, though, I know I'm going to have to bite the bullet and get a new one. I hope the new ones made since GE bought them out are as good as the old ones. Thunk, thunk, thunk, thunk,....... ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Katen Posted January 28, 2007 Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 Originally posted by zeb I just received my surveymaster and it doesn't work right. Displays error code E-3. Anyone know what that means. I suppose you've already tried taking the battery out and reinstalling it? - Jim Katen, Oregon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottpat Posted January 28, 2007 Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 My past experience with error codes on any electronic device has not been good. Give them a call and try what Mike said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeb Posted January 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 I did try the battery. I even left it out thinking that it may need time to re-set. Nothing changed. New battery, nothing changed. I will call them in the AM. Thanks for all of the ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Katen Posted January 28, 2007 Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 Originally posted by zeb I did try the battery. I even left it out thinking that it may need time to re-set. Nothing changed. New battery, nothing changed. I will call them in the AM. Thanks for all of the ideas. Wagner L606. 10 years - No problems. I can even turn it upside down, Randy. - Jim Katen, Oregon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randynavarro Posted January 28, 2007 Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 Yea, but Jim, sometimes its all about the style!! The Protimeter just . . . looks cool! The Wagner is kind of . . . dorky!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon_ran Posted April 22, 2007 Report Share Posted April 22, 2007 In the absence of a moisture meter, I often us my laser thermometer. A wet/damp spot on the ceiling, wall, etc. is cooler than the area just inches away. This is due to the heat loss when the water evaporates. Sort of like when your sweat cools your skin. I would like to get a non-invassive moisture meter in the future so I can "see" behind tile, drywall, etc. but the laser thermometer works on obvious spots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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