PeakTech 5201 Wood and Material Moisture Meter Instruction Manual

PeakTech 5201 Wood and Material Moisture Meter

Safety precautions
This product complies with the requirements of the following directives of the European Union for CE conformity: 2014/30/EU (electromagnetic compatibility), 2011/65/EU (RoHS). We herewith confirm that this product meets the essential protection standards, which are given in the directions of the council for adaptation of the administration regulations for the UK of Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 2016 and the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016.

• Comply with the warning labels and other info on the equipment.
• Do not subject the equipment to direct sunlight or extreme temperatures, humidity or dampness.
• Do not subject the equipment to shocks or strong vibrations.
• Do not operate the equipment near strong magnetic fields (motors, transformers etc.).
• Keep hot soldering irons or guns away from the equipment.
• Allow the equipment to stabilize at room temperature before taking up measurements (important for exact measurements).
• Replace the battery as soon as the battery indicator “BAT” appears. With a low battery, the meter might produce false readings that can lead to electric shock and personal injury.
• Fetch out the battery when the meter will not be used for a long period.
• Periodically wipe the cabinet with a damp cloth and mild detergent. Do not use abrasives or solvents.
• Do not operate the meter before the cabinet has been closed and screwed safely as the terminal can carry voltage.
• Do not store the meter in a place of explosive, inflammable substances.
• Do not modify the meter in any way.
• Opening the equipment and service- and repair work must only be performed by qualified service personnel.
• Measuring instruments don’t belong to children’s hands.

Cleaning the cabinet

Clean only with a damp, soft cloth and a commercially available mild householder cleanser. Ensure that no water gets inside the equipment to prevent possible shorts and damage to the equipment.

Introduction

The PeakTech 5201 is a capacitive moisture meter with a ball head, which is used to measure the moisture content of materials by using the electrical capacitance of the material. This type of moisture meter is widely used in the construction and timber industries in particular, as it provides accurate moisture measurements in nonconductive materials. The operation of a capacitive moisture meter with a ball head is based on the fact that the electrical capacitance of a material is
strongly influenced by its moisture content. The device normally consists of a spherical head that is brought into contact with the material to be measured (plaster, plasterboard, wood, etc.). The spherical head is used to generate an electric field, and the proximity of the material creates a measurable capacitance. The decisive factor is the influence of the material to be measured in the electric field, which is detected by the measuring device and displayed to the user.

The capacitance between the ball head and the material is influenced by the dielectric constant of the material, which in turn is strongly correlated with the moisture content. The higher the moisture content of the material, the higher the dielectric constant and consequently the higher the electrical capacitance. If the ball head is only surrounded by air, this theoretically results in a value of 1. If the ball head is surrounded by water, this theoretically results in a value of 80. The charge potential of water is therefore approx. 80 times higher than the charge potential of air, which this type of measuring device can measure due to its design.

Immediately after switching on, the device calibrates itself and displays “CAL”. Hold the device in your hand during the measurement and avoid any proximity of the ball head to the measurement object so that the device can calibrate itself to the surrounding air. There are many areas of application for capacitive moisture meters with a ball head. In the construction industry, for example, they can be used to monitor screeds, plaster or masonry. In the wood industry, they are used to measure the moisture content of wood products such as boards, beams or veneers. Accurate moisture measurement can prevent damage caused by moisture levels that are too high or too low, which is particularly important in terms of the quality and durability of building materials.

Features

• Quickly displays the moisture content of materials
• LCD with white backlight
• Function for measuring the moisture of building materials
• Penetration depth 20-40mm
• Measuring and HOLD function
• MIN / MAX hold function
• Alarm function
• Battery status indicator and automatic switch-off
• Robust and handy housing design
• Measured value-holding function

Specifications

Measurement Range

| ****

0.0 ~ 100.0

Resolution:

| ****

0.1

Penetration depth

| ****

20 ~ 40 mm

Low Battery Indication| ****

Symbol “  “ shown in the display

Auto Power Off| After 10 Minutes
DATA-HOLD| Holds measurement value in display
Power Supply| 3 x 1,5V AAA (UM-4)
Operating Environment| 0°C ~ 50°C; <80% RH
Storage Environment| -10°C ~ 50°C; <70% RH
Size (WxHxD)| 60 x 245 x 27mm
Weight| 220g

Panel Description

1. Moisture Sensor
2. UP / „Backlight-Symbol“- push button
3. ALARM SET-push button
4. DOWN-push button
5. ON/OFF-push button
6. LCD Display
7. MEAS-push button
8. Battery compartment (rear)

Display Indicator

1. Low battery Indication
2. Data-HOLD Symbol
3. Current moisture value
4. DRY Status-Symbol
5. RISK Status-Symbol
6. WET Status-Symbol
7. MAX Symbol
8. MAX moisture value
9. MIN Symbol
10. MIN moisture value

Operating Instruction

Turn the Meter ON by pressing the button “ON”, then press the MEAS button to start measuring. The user pressed the MEAS button for the first time when the meter turned on, please hold the meter up so that the ball sensor is in the air and not covered by your hand, any surface or object for an 8 to 10 cm distance.

The LCD will display a “CAL” indication and then the moisture value will be displayed on the LCD. The value must be below 0,5. If not, please turn the meter on over again and repeat herein before operation. Then the meter starts to measure the object. Press the MEAS button again, the moisture measurement shall latch on the display for 30 sec. HOLD symbol will displayed. After 30 sec. the meter will turn off automatically.

Note
The hand of the user influences the measurement result. If you hold the device naturally in your hand and turn it on, calibration will be performed to zero (zeroing) to remove this effect. If you turn off the meter, it will be recalibrated after powering up again. If you change the position in the hand to a greater extent or if you change from one location to another, you should also perform a new calibration (zeroing) by switching it off and on again.

Moisture Table of Comparison

Construction Material| Display

(Unit)

| Moisture Status
---|---|---

Gypsum

| <30| DRY
30-60| RISK

60| WET

Cement

| <25| DRY
25-50| RISK

50| WET

Wood

| <50| DRY
50-80| RISK

80| WET

Note

• Before measuring, the surface in question should be cleaned of any paint residue, dust, etc. and any surface moisture should be removed, e.g. by spraying with water.
• Hold the moisture meter in the lower third of the housing and do not change the position of your hand after calibration, as your hand can also influence the sensor.
• The measuring device is not suitable for measuring metal or other highly conductive materials. If there is metal (e.g. nails, screws, cables, pipes, etc.) in the measuring range of the sensor, the measured values will increase considerably.
• This device is used for comparative measurements in which the measured value is compared with a reference value.
• The reference value is determined by measuring a specific dry area of the same material. If the subsequent measurements are significantly higher than the reference value, it can be concluded that the measured surfaces are wet.
• If the ball heads in corners, it maintains a minimum distance of 8 to 10cm from corner areas.
• The ball head must be kept perpendicular to the measured material during the measurement, pressed firmly against the surface and not slanted. Metal parts on the surface will falsify the measurement values. Measure only in places that have the most homogeneous possible material composition
• In the case of material thickness of less than 20mm, there is the danger of moisture value. maybe the values are not correct.
• If “BAT” appears in the display, the battery should be replaced.

Alarm Set Mode
Press the SET button will enter the alarm set mode when the meter is already in data hold mode, the “RISK”-Icon appears on the LCD, You can use the UP and DOWN buttons to adjust the threshold. Press the “SET” button shall save the alarm setting. Then the “WET” icon appears on the LCD, you can use the UP and DOWN buttons to adjust the threshold. Press the SET button shall save the alarm setting and then the meter back to the data hold Mode if the moisture measurement is higher than the RISK alarm setting. It shall beep once every 2 sec. If moisture measurement exceeds the “WET” alarm setting, it shall beep four times every 1 sec.
Note: The RISK value is adjusted from 0 to 50. The default value is 30. The WET value is adjusted from 50 to 100. The default value is 60.

Backlight
Press the UP button to switch the backlighting on or off.

Battery Replacement
If the sign “BAT” appears on the LCD, it indicates that the battery should be replaced. Remove the back cover and open the battery compartment. Replace the exhausted battery with a new battery. Batteries, which are used up dispose of duly. Used-up batteries are hazardous and must be given in the – for this being supposed – collective container.

NOTE

1. Keep the instrument dry.
2. Keep the probes clean.
3. Keep the instrument and battery out of reach of the infant and child.
4. When the symbol ” ” appears, the battery is low and should be replaced immediately. When you install a battery, ensure the polarity connections are correct. If you do not use the instrument for a long period, remove the battery.

Notification about the Battery Regulation
The delivery of many devices includes batteries, which for example serve to operate the remote control. There also could be batteries or accumulators built into the device itself. In connection with the sale of these batteries or accumulators, we are obliged under the Battery Regulations to notify our customers of the following:

Please dispose of old batteries at a council collection point or return them to a local shop at no cost. The disposal of domestic refuse is strictly forbidden according to the Battery Regulations. You can return used batteries obtained from us at no charge at the address on the east side of this manual or by posting with sufficient stamps. Contaminated batteries shall be marked with a symbol consisting of a crossed-out refuse bin and the chemical symbol (Cd, Hg or Pb) of the heavy metal which is responsible for the classification as a pollutant:

1. “Cd” means cadmium.
2. “Hg” means mercury.
3. “Pb” stands for lead.

All rights, also for translation, reprinting and copy of this manual or parts are reserved. Reproductions of all kinds (photocopy, microfilm or other) only by written permission of the publisher. This manual is according to the latest technical knowledge. Technical alterations reserved. Misprints and errors are reserved. We herewith confirm that the unit is calibrated by the factory according to the specifications as per the technical specifications. We recommend calibrating the unit again, after one year. © PeakTech® 12/2023 MP/EHR/MI/JTH/Ehr

PeakTech Prüf- und Messtechnik GmbH
Gerstenstieg 4 – DE-22926 Ahrensburg / Germany
+49-(0) 4102-97398 80 +49-(0) 4102-97398 99
 info@peaktech.de www.peaktech.de

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