PIN-TYPE LCD
MOISTURE METER
USER’S MANUAL
MMD4E
99 Washington Street
Melrose, MA 02176
Phone 781-665-1400
Toll Free 1-800-517-8431
Visit us at www.TestEquipmentDepot.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Key Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
What’s in the Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Product Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 –4
Operating Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 –6
Checking Calibration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Operating, Maintenance & Safety Tips. . . . . . . . . . 7 –9
Warranty Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 – 10
Return for Repair Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Manuel de L’utilisateur (en Français). . . . . . . . . 11 – 21
Manual del Usuario (en Español) . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 – 32
INTRODUCTION
Thank you for purchasing General Tools & Instruments’
MMD4E Pin-Type LCD Moisture Meter. Please read this user’s
manual carefully and thoroughly before using the instrument.
The MMD4E is designed for use in woodworking, water
damage restoration, building construction and home
renovation. Examples include:
• Checking for moisture on or beneath the surface of carpets,
sub-flooring, ceilings and walls
• Measuring the surface moisture content of wood and
building materials before painting, wallpapering, sealing or
treating
• Selecting dry lumber
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KEY FEATURES
• Includes separate moisture-resistance curves for wood
and building materials
• 99.9 count green backlit LCD w/0.3 in. high digits
• Low, medium and high moisture level lights
• Audible high moisture alert
• Reading HOLD button
• Replaceable stainless steel test pins
• Pin cap doubles as calibration checker
• Low battery indication
• 3-minute Auto Power Off
• Powered by “9V” battery (included)
• 1 year limited warranty
WHAT’S IN THE PACKAGE
The MMD4E comes in a blister pack with a factory-installed
“9V” battery. Two replacement 9mm (0.35 in.) long test pins—
General Part No. PIN3DE—are included.
PRODUCT OVERVIEW
Fig. 1 on the next page shows all of the controls, indicators,
and components on the front and top of the MMD4E, as well
as the location of the battery compartment on its back.
A. Protective pin cap with calibrating resistor inside
B. Test pins with black rubber sleeves (sleeves not shown)
C. LCD
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D. Blue LOW moisture level
LED
E. MODE button. Toggles
between wood and building
materials measurement
modes
F. Green MID moisture level LED
G. Red HIGH moisture level LED
H. Measurement HOLD button.
Fig. 1
Pressed briefly, “freezes” display readings. Pressed
and held, silences beeper until meter is powered off.
I. button. Press briefly to power meter on; press and
hold for >2 seconds to power meter off.
J. Battery compartment (on back)
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
To measure a moisture level:
1. Remove the pin cap.
2. Remove the black rubber protective sleeve from each test
pin.
3. Press the button to power the meter on. The meter will
sound one beep and the LCD will illuminate with a green
BLDG
_ _ . _
WOOD
%
%
backlight and the following readout:
4. If you are measuring the moisture content of wood, skip
ahead to Step 5. To measure the moisture content of a
building material, press the MODE button. This will change
the display to the following:
__ __ . __
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5. Carefully press the test pins into the material whose
moisture level you wish to measure. The level will be
displayed as a percentage. The following tables show the
display indications for all possible moisture level readings
in Wood and Building Materials Measurement modes.
Wood Measurement Mode Reference Table
Moisture Level Display Indication(s)
<5% _ _ . _%
5% to 11.9% XX.X% + blue LOW LED
12% to 15.9% XX.X% + green MID LED
16% to 50% XX.X% + red HIGH LED + beeper
>50% _ _ _
. % + red HIGH LED + beeper
Building Materials Measurement Mode Reference Table
Moisture Level Display Indication(s)
<1.5% _ _ . _%
1.5% to 16.9% XX.X% + blue LOW LED
17% to 19.9% XX.X% + green MID LED
20% to 33% XX.X% + red HIGH LED + beeper
>33% _ _ _
. % + red HIGH LED + beeper
To hold any reading (“freeze” the display), briefly press (but
do not hold) the HOLD button. To release the hold, briefly
press the HOLD button again. This feature allows you to make
a measurement in a dark place or around a corner, hold the
reading, and display it within 3 minutes later where the
lighting is better. Measurements can be held for no more than
3 minutes—the duration of the meter’s Auto Power Off
trigger.
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To power off the meter, press the button and hold it for
more than 2 seconds.
To silence the beeper at any time, press and hold the HOLD
button for >3 seconds. This will disable the beeper until the
meter is powered off. The beeper will automatically be reenabled when the meter is powered on again.
CHECKING CALIBRATION
You can verify the accuracy of the MMD4E’s readings by
manually checking its calibration at any time. To do so:
Remove the black rubber protective sleeves from the test pins.
1.
2. Remove the pin cap and note the small circuit board attached
to the inside of its rear wall. The rear wall also has two small
holes (left photo below) that provide access to terminals on
the circuit board. The circuit board contains a resistor whose
fixed value can be used to simulate a precise moisture level
and therefore check the calibration of the meter.
3. Power on the meter and push the test pins into the
calibration holes (right photo below). If the meter is properly
calibrated, the displayed reading will be 18.3% ± 1% in
Wood Measurement mode. If you do not obtain a reading
within this range and your meter is still under warranty, call
General’s Customer Service Department at 212-431-6100
to arrange to return the meter for service or replacement.
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SPECIFICATIONS
Measurement Range 5 to 50% for wood; 1.5 to 33%
for building materials
Measuring Accuracy ±2%
Moisture Range Indications See tables on page 5
Operating Temperature 32° to 122°F (0° to 50°C)
@ <90%RH
Current Consumption <25mA
Auto Power Off Trigger 3 minutes of inactivity
Backlight Duration 15 seconds
Low Battery Icon Trigger <7.3V
Dimensions 5.7 x 2.4 x 1.1 in.
Weight (without battery) 3 oz. (86g)
Power Source “9V” battery (included)
(145 x 62 x 27mm)
OPERATING, MAINTENANCE &
SAFETY TIPS
• Some measurement tips:
1. Measurements of wood moisture level are skewed by
two variables: ambient humidity and the density of the
wood species. The best way to compensate for the effect
of these variables is to develop your own moisture level
curves, based on your experience working with different
species of wood on a day-to-day basis in your
neighborhood.
For example, the humidity level affects the dryness of
interior wood considered “acceptable” for finishing. In
the steamy Deep South, where 60% relative humidity is
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the norm, fine carpenters have learned how to work with
wood with 11% moisture content. But in bone-dry
Nevada, Utah, and Arizona, where 30% humidity is
common, the same piece of wood would have to have
less than 6% moisture to be considered ready for
finishing.
2. To locate the source of a leak behind wood, plaster,
drywall or a ceiling, make measurements at different
locations. The leak is where the meter displays the
highest reading.
3. Never use force to drive the test pins into a hard surface.
4. When measuring the moisture level of soil, surface
readings will be lower than readings with the test pins
deep in the soil.
• When the icon appears at the upper left of the LCD,
it’s time to replace the “9V” battery that powers the
instrument (although measurements will remain valid for
several hours after the icon first appears). To replace the
battery, turn the meter over and open the battery
compartment (Fig. 1, Callout J) by using your thumb to slide
the compartment cover down and away from the meter.
Plug a fresh “9V” battery into the wired socket inside the
compartment. The terminals of the battery and the socket
mate in only one way, with the smaller male terminal
plugging into the larger female terminal. Close the battery
compartment by replacing its cover and snapping it shut.
• Do not operate the MMD4E in the presence of flammable or
explosive gases.
• Be careful not to stab yourself with the extremely sharp test
pins.
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• Replace the pin cap and black rubber protection sleeves
after making measurements 1) for safety reasons and
2) to avoid bending or dulling the pins.
• After subjecting the meter to a large change in ambient
temperature, wait at least 30 minutes before making
measurements to guarantee the accuracy of readings.
• Remove the battery when storing the unit or when you do
not expect to use it for an extended period of time (months
rather than weeks).
• Do not drop or disassemble the MMD4E or immerse it in
water. Doing so voids the 1-year limited warranty.
WARRANTY INFORMATION
In the U.S, General warrants its instruments and accessories
against defects in material or workmanship for one year from
the date of purchase. General will replace or repair the
defective unit, at its option, subject to verification of the
defect.
This warranty does not apply to defects resulting from abuse,
neglect, accident, unauthorized repair, alteration, or
unreasonable use of the product.
Any implied warranties arising from the sale of a General
product, including but not limited to implied warranties of
merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, are
limited to the above. General shall not be liable for loss of use
of the product or other incidental or consequential damages,
expenses, or economic loss, or for any claim of such damage,
expenses, or economic loss.
State laws vary. The above limitations or exclusions may not
apply to you.
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We encourage you to register your product online. General
will extend your warranty an additional 60 days if you register
at www.generaltools.com/ProductRegistry.
RETURN FOR REPAIR POLICY
Every effort has been made to provide you with a reliable
product of superior quality. However, in the event your
instrument requires repair, please contact our Customer
Service to obtain an RGA (Return Goods Authorization)
number before forwarding the unit via prepaid freight to the
attention of our Service Center at this address:
Remember to include a copy of your proof of purchase, your
return address, and your phone number and/or e-mail
address.
99 Washington Street
Melrose, MA 02176
Phone 781-665-1400
Toll Free 1-800-517-8431
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Visit us at www.TestEquipmentDepot.com
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