J-4
owners manual
WHEN ACCURACY IS THE POINT.
®
TM
TABLE OF CONTENTS
2 J-4 Features
3 Check Calibration
3 Taking a Reading
3 Understanding Your Readings
4 Temperature Correction Table
4 Pin Talk
5 Care of Your Meter
5 Service For Your Meter
6 Warranty
7 Species Correction Chart
$
J-4 FEATURES
hResistance technology recognized worldwide as the most
accurate method for measuring moisture
h6% to 30% moisture range
hAnalog readout
hBuilt-in calibration check
hTemperature-stable circuit
hErgonomic case design
hEasy one-hand operation
hIncludes (1) 9-Volt Battery
hIncludes sturdy carrying case
hOne-year warranty
h60 years of proven quality, accuracy and service
#2497/A-100 contact pins
with 5/16” penetration
Read Button
Calibration
Check Button
#
Analog
Readout
%
External
Connector
@
!
DELMHORST J-4
2
CHECK CALIBRATION
Press the calibration check button @. Meter is in calibration if the
needle pointer moves to "20" on the scale. Any reading within the
green band on the dial is acceptable. Make sure the contact pins
are not in contact with anything when checking the calibration.
If you check the calibration and the needle does not read within
the green band, it is likely an indication of a low battery. If this
occurs, change the battery immediately. Continued use with a
low battery may cause the meter to go out of calibration. If you
have a fresh battery and the instrument still does not indicate a
proper calibration, return it to DELMHORST for service. See
Service for Your Meter section.
TAKING A READING
The contact pins $ provided are best for stock up to 6/4. On
stock over 6/4 or for hardwoods over 4/4 we recommend using a
remote probe such as the 26-ES slide hammer electrode. Mount
the 26-ES directly to the external connector
%. See additional
information under the
Pin Talk section.
hRemove the protective cover to expose the pins. Check that
the contact pins
$ are firmly hand tightened.
hAlign the contact pins $ parallel to the grain, pushing
them their full penetration into the wood, if possible.
Insulated pins read only at the tip and can be driven to the
desired depth.
hPress the read button ! and read the moisture content on
the meter scale.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR
READINGS
Delmhorst uses the USDA standard-Douglas Fir as the basis
for all calibrations. For any species other than Douglas Fir and
for wood temperature out of the range of 50°F (10°C) to 90°F
(32°C) temperature and species adjustment must be made.
Correct for temperature first, then species. See temperature
correction table on page 4 and species correction table at the
back of this brochure for more information.
The J-4 can be used for more than just wood. It will also give
a relative reading on plywood, OSB, particleboard and MDF. It
can be fitted with a 26-ES slide hammer electrode for specific
applications. Call Delmhorst at (877) DELMHORST or e-mail
info@delmhorst.com for information on how to interpret the
readings for other materials.
3
PIN TALK
There are two types of contact pins - uninsulated, which were
provided with your meter, and insulated. When using uninsulated
pins, push them in to the wood to their full length, if possible.
This will give you the highest measured reading. Insulated pins
read only at the tip and can be driven to a desired depth to
gather shell and core (gradient) information. Additional types
and lengths of both the insulated and uninsulated pins are
available for specific applications.
4
TEMPERATURE
CORRECTION TABLE
WOOD
TEMP. METER READINGS
˚C ˚F 6 7101520253035405060
-20 0 9 11 15 22 31 38 45 53
-10 20 8 10 14 20 28 34 40 47 55
540 781218243036 42 48
15 60 6 7 11 16 21 27 32 38 43 54
30 80 6 7 9 14 19 23 28 33 38 47 55
40 100 5 6 8 12 17 21 25 29 34 42 50
50 120 5 5 7 11 15 19 22 26 30 38 44
60140 4 5 71014 172023273440
70 160 4 4 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 30 36
80 180 3 4 5 8 11 13 16 19 22 27 33
95 200 3 4 5 7 10 12 14 17 19 24 28
105 220 2 3 4 6 9 11 13 15 17 21 26
Moisture content values shown in bold are only qualitative,
since they are above the fiber saturation point.
CARE OF YOUR METER
To keep your meter in good working order:
hStore your meter in a clean, dry place. The protective
carrying case provided is an ideal storage place when the
meter is not in use.
hChange the 9-Volt battery as needed. Continued use with a
low battery may cause the meter to go out of calibration.
hChange contact pins as needed. Keep contact pins hand
tightened.
hClean the meter and contact pins with any biodegradable
cleaner. Use the cleaner sparingly and on external parts
only. Keep cleaner out of the external connector
%.
hRemove the battery if the meter will not be used for one
month or longer.
SERVICE FOR YOUR METER
h Before sending in your meter we recommend you give one of
our trained technicians a call. Many times troubleshooting
can be taken care of over the phone. Call us at
877-DELMHORST.
hPack your meter securely. Enclose a purchase order or letter
with a brief description of the problem.
hThere is no need to call us for a return authorization number
if you are within the U.S. Customers outside the U.S. must
contact us for more specific instructions prior to returning
a meter.
hInclude your name, address, daytime phone and fax
numbers or e-mail address. If you believe the meter is
under warranty, please provide the original sales slip or
invoice.
hShip via UPS, Express Mail, Priority Mail, or any
overnight courier who provides prompt service. Do not use
standard parcel post.
hInsure your instrument for its full value and ship prepaid.
We are not responsible for damage in transit.
hWe do not accept COD shipments or cover any incoming
freight or duty charges on returned merchandise
hTurnaround time on repairs is approximately two weeks.
hWe will call you with an estimate if you specifically request
one, or if we determine that the meter may be too costly
to repair.
5
hNon-warranty repairs will be returned via UPS/COD
unless you have already established other payment terms.
There is no COD service outside the U.S. To pay by credit
card, include the card number and expiration date with
your repair. We accept Visa/MasterCard and American
Express.
hWarranty repairs will be returned at no charge if shipped
within the U.S. via UPS Ground Service. Freight charges
for expedited services (i.e., Federal Express, UPS/2 Day,
UPS/1 Day, etc.) are the customer’s responsibility and
will be charged as per the above terms.
WARRANTY
Delmhorst Instrument Co., referred to hereafter as
Delmhorst, guarantees its J-4 meter for one year from date
of purchase and any optional electrodes against defects in
material or workmanship for 90 days. If, within the warranty period, you find any defect in material or workmanship
return the meter following the instructions in the
Service for
Your Meter
section. This limited warranty does not cover
abuse, alteration, misuse, damage during shipment, improper
service, unauthorized or unreasonable use of the meter or
electrodes. This warranty does not cover batteries or contact
pins. If the meter or any optional electrodes have been tampered with, the warranty shall be void. At our option we may
replace or repair the meter.
Delmhorst shall not be liable for incidental or consequential
damages for the breach of any express or implied warranty
with respect to this product or its calibration. With proper
care and maintenance the meter should stay in calibration;
follow the instructions in the
Care of Your Meter section.
Under no circumstances shall Delmhorst be liable for any
incidental, indirect, special, or consequential damages of any
type whatsoever, including, but not limited to, lost profits or
downtime arising out of or related in any respect to its
meters or electrodes and no other warranty, written, oral or
implied applies. Delmhorst shall in no event be liable for any
breach of warranty or defect in this product that exceeds the
amount of purchase of this product.
The express warranty set forth above constitutes the entire
warranty with respect to Delmhorst meters and electrodes
and no other warranty, written, oral, or implied applies. This
warranty is personal to the customer purchasing the product
and is not transferable.
6
51 Indian Lane East
Towaco, NJ 07082
(877)-DELMHORST
www.delmhorst.com
e-mail - info@delmhorst.com
©1999, Delmhorst Instrument Co.
510INS-0002 REV. 1/06
WHEN ACCURACY IS THE POINT.
®
TM
For more detailed information about
using a wood moisture meter, call us
toll-free at 877-DELMHORST. Ask
for your free copy of “
Measuring Wood
Moisture Content: Straight Talk from
Delmhorst
”.
Or find it on our web site at
www
.delmhorst.com
.
For 60 years Delmhorst has been the lead-
ing manufacturer of high quality moisture
meters and thermo-hygrometers. Today we
offer the innovative KIL-MO-TROL
®
in-
kiln monitoring system. We also offer a
wide range of meters for a variety of
applications including woodworking/
lumber, agriculture, construction, paper,
restoration, IAQ and flooring.
METER READINGS WITH NON-INSULATED PINS
SPECIES 7 8 9 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
ALDER 8 9 10 11 13 15 17.5 19.5 21.5 24 27
APITONG 8 9 10 11 13 15 17 20 22 24 27
ASPEN 7 8 9 10 11.5 13 15 16.5 18 20 21
ASH, WHITE 6.5 7.5 8 9 11 13 14.5 16 18 19.5 21
BASSWOOD 7 8 8 9 10.5 13 15 17 19 20.5 22
BIRCH 8 9 10 11 13 15 17 19 21.5 23.5 25.5
CEDAR, EAST. RED 8 9.5 10.5 12 14 17 19 21 23 25 26
CEDAR, INCENSE 7 8 9.5 10.5 12.5 15 17 19 21 23 25
CHERRY 8 9 10 11 13.5 15.5 18 20 22 24 26
COTTONWOOD 6 7.5 8.5 9.5 12 14 15 17 19.5 21 23
CYPRESS 7 8 9 10 12 14 16 18 19.5 21.5 23.5
ELM, AMERICAN 7 7.5 8 8.5 10 11.5 13 15 16 18 19
FIR, DOUGLAS 7 8 9 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
FIR,RED 7 8 9 10 12.5 15 17 19 21 23 25
FIR, WHITE 8 9 9.5 10.5 12.5 15 17 19 21 23 25
GUM, BLACK 7.5 9 10 11 13 15 16 18 19 20.5 22
GUM, RED 7 8 9 10 12.5 14.5 16.5 19 20.5 22.5 24
HEMLOCK, WESTERN 7 8 9 10.5 13 15 17 19 20.5 22 23.5
HACKBERRY 7 8.5 9 9.5 12 13 15 17 18.5 20 22
HICKORY 8 8.5 9 10 11 12.5 14 15.5 17 19 20.5
KERUING 8 9 10 11 13 15 17 20 22 24 27
LARCH 7.5 9 10 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25.5
MAGNOLIA 7.5 9 10 11.5 14 16 17.5 19 21 22.5 24.5
MAHOGANY, AFRICAN 8 9.5 10.5 12 15 17 19.5 22 24 26 28
(ALSO KHAYA)
MAHOGANY, HOND. 7 8 9 10.5 12.5 14.5 16 18 19.5 21.5 22.5
MAHOGANY, PHIL. 6 7 7.5 8 9.5 11 13 14 15.5 17 18
MAPLE, HARD/SOFT 8 9 9.5 10 12 14 16 18 20 22.5 25
MERANTI, DARK RED 8.5 9.5 10.5 11.5 12.5 16 18 20.5 22.5 24.5 26.5
OAK, RED 7 8 9 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
OAK, WHITE 7 8 8.5 9.5 11.5 13.5 15 17 18.5 20 22
PECAN 6.5 8 9.5 11 12.5 14 16 17.5 19 22 24
PINE, LONGLEAF 8 8.5 10 11 13 15.5 17.5 19.5 21 23 25
PINE, PONDEROSA 7.5 8.5 10 11 13.5 15.5 17.5 19.5 21 23 25.5
PINE, SHORTLEAF 7.5 9 10 11 13 15.5 17.5 19.5 21.5 23.5 25
PINE, SO. YELLOW* 8 9.5 10.5 12 14.5 16.5 19 21 23 25 28
PINE, SUGAR 7 8 9 10 12 15 17 19 21 23 25
PINE, WHITE 7 8 9 10 13 15 17 19 21 23 25.5
POPLAR, YELLOW 8 8.5 10 11 13 15.5 17.5 19.5 22 24 26
RAMIN 7 8 9 10 11 13 15 16 18 20 21
RADIATA PINE 10 11 11 12 14 16 18 20 23 25 27
REDWOOD 7 8 9 10 12 13.5 15 17 19 22 24
SPRUCE, SITKA 7 8 9 10 12.5 14.5 17 19 21 23.5 26
SPF** 9 10 11.5 13 15.5 18 20.5 23 25 28 30
SPF/COFI 8 9 10 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25
TEAK 7 8 8.5 9 11 12 14 15 17 18.5 20
VIROLA 6.5 7 8 9 11 12.5 14 16 18 18.5 20.5
WALNUT, BLACK 7.5 8.5 9.5 10.5 12.5 14.5 16 18 20 22 23.5
*Meter readings taken with 26-E 2-pin electrode. Do not apply 2-pin correction.
**SPF correction based on 2-pin 26-E reading with insulated pins. It is based on USDA/Forintek data and can be used for the following species:
Lodgepole Pine
Alpine Fir
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