PCE Instruments PCE-MMK 1 Users guide

© PCE Instruments

Multifunction Moisture Meter PCE-MMK 1

User Manual

User manuals in various languages (français,

italiano, español, português, nederlands, türk, polski,

русский, 中文) can be found by using our

product search on: www.pce-instruments.com

Last change: 21 July 2020

v1.0

English

Contents

1 Safety notes ........................................................................................... 1

2 Description ............................................................................................ 2

2.1 Purpose ........................................................................................................................... 2

2.2 Technical specifications of the multifunction moisture meter ............................................. 2

2.3 Device overview ............................................................................................................... 3

2.4 Display indications ........................................................................................................... 3

2.5 Delivery contents .............................................................................................................. 4

3 Switching on/off .................................................................................... 4

4 Device settings ...................................................................................... 4

4.1 Set material temperature compensation ........................................................................... 5

4.2 Setting the moist / dry indicator ........................................................................................ 5

4.3 Setting the display backlight ............................................................................................. 5

4.4 Setting the temperature unit ................................................................ ............................. 5

5 Self test .................................................................................................. 6

6 Measurement of the ambient temperature and air humidity ............ 6

7 Moisture measurement ......................................................................... 6

7.1 Selection of wood group (W1, W2, W3) ............................................................................ 7

7.2 Selection of building material group (B1, B2, B3, B4) ....................................................... 7

7.3 Wet / dry indicator ............................................................................................................ 8

8 Battery replacement.............................................................................. 8

9 Contact ................................................................................................. 8

10 Disposal ................................................................................................. 8

© PCE Instruments

© PCE Instruments

1

1 Safety notes

Please read this manual carefully and completely before you use the device for the first time. The
device may only be used by qualified personnel and repaired by PCE Instruments personnel.
Damage or injuries caused by non-observance of the manual are excluded from our liability and
not covered by our warranty.

• The device must only be used as described in this instruction manual. If used otherwise,
this can cause dangerous situations for the user and damage to the meter.

• The instrument may only be used if the environmental conditions (temperature, relative
humidity, …) are within the ranges stated in the technical specifications. Do not expose
the device to extreme temperatures, direct sunlight, extreme humidity or moisture.

• Do not expose the device to shocks or strong vibrations.

• The case should only be opened by qualified PCE Instruments personnel.

• Never use the instrument when your hands are wet.

• You must not make any technical changes to the device.

• The appliance should only be cleaned with a damp cloth. Use only pH-neutral cleaner,

no abrasives or solvents.

• The device must only be used with accessories from PCE Instruments or equivalent.

• Before each use, inspect the case for visible damage. If any damage is visible, do not

use the device.

• Do not use the instrument in explosive atmospheres.

• The measurement range as stated in the specifications must not be exceeded under

any circumstances.

• Non-observance of the safety notes can cause damage to the device and injuries to
the user.

We do not assume liability for printing errors or any other mistakes in this manual.
We expressly point to our general guarantee terms which can be found in our general terms of

business.
If you have any questions please contact PCE Instruments. The contact details can be found at

the end of this manual.

© PCE Instruments

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2 Description

2.1 Purpose

The multifunctional moisture meter PCE-MMK 1 has been designed for mobile use. The universal
tester shows the moisture in building materials or wood as well as the air humidity and
temperature. The display immediately shows a humidity reference value in %, so no conversion
is necessary. The scope of delivery of the multifunction moisture meter PCE-MMK 1 includes
various insertion probes for wood, building materials and stacks of paper or cardboard. By means
of a self-test, the universal moisture meter can be checked for correct operation. In addition, the
universal humidity and moisture meter has manual temperature compensation.

2.2 Technical specifications of the multifunction moisture meter

Measurement
range

Wood

1 … 75 %

Building materials

0.1 … 2.4 %

Temperature

-40 °C ... +70 °C / -40 ... +158 °F

Humidity

0 … 100 % RH

Resolution

0.1 %

Accuracy

Wood
1 … 30 % / ±1 %

31 ... 60 % / ±2 %

61 ... 75 % / ±4 %

Building materials

±0.5 %

Temperature

-40 ... -10 °C, +40 ... +70 °C / ±2 °C

-10 ... +40 °C / ±1 °C

Humidity
0 ... 20 % RH, 80 ... 100 % RH: ±5 % RH

20 ... 80 % RH: ±3.5 % RH

Electrode length

8 mm (internal), 30 mm and 150 mm (external)

Measuring principle

electrical resistance

Auto Power Off function

after approx. 3 min without use

Automatic backlight cutoff

after approx. 10 seconds

Housing

plastic, shockproof

Battery

3 x CR 2032

Environmental conditions

0 ... +40 °C / 32 ... 104°F, 0 ... 85 % RH

Dimensions

139 x 47 x 25 mm / 5.5 x 1.9 x 1.0 in

Weight

100 g / <1 lb (without electrodes)

© PCE Instruments

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2.3 Device overview

1. Protective cap

2. Measuring electrodes

3. Digital and analogue display

4. Setting key [SET]

5. Delete key [CLR]

6. Power / menu key [MODE]

7. Function test points on the protective cap

8. Sensor for ambient temperature and relative
humidity

2.4 Display indications

1. Battery status indicator

2. Menu indicators:
"LIGHT" - Set backlight
"TEMP" - Set temperature compensation
"UNIT" - Select °C or °F

3. Self test mode

4. MIN / MAX graph

5. Dry / wet: indicator
DRY, MOIST, WET

6. Wood class (W1, W2, W3)

7. Building materials (B1, B2, B3, B4)

8. Moisture display (numerical)

9. Moisture display (graphic)

10. Temperature display

© PCE Instruments

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2.5 Delivery contents

1 x multifunctional moisture meter PCE-MMK 1
1 x measuring cap for self-test
1 x measuring cap for external electrodes
1 x ram electrode, 1 x penetration electrode, 1 x paper electrode
2 x 30 mm measuring tips, 8 x 30 mm needles, 2 x 80 mm needles, 2 x 150 mm measuring tips
2 x 300 mm extension
2 x 10 mm needles (replacement for internal electrodes)
1 x user manual

3 Switching on/off

To switch on the device, press the [MODE] key for 2 seconds. The display will show the ambient
temperature, a diagonal scale from 0 to 60 % and the moisture value 0.0 %. Below this, there is
a horizontal scale with the marking DRY / MOIST / WET. At the very bottom of the display, you
will see the indication WOOD W1 for woods of group 1 which is selected as standard material.
Press the [MODE] key again for 2 seconds to switch off the unit. If you do not press any button
within 3 minutes, the unit will switch off automatically to conserve battery power.

4 Device settings

Briefly press the "SET" and "CLR" keys simultaneously to open the settings menu. Use the
"MODE" key to select one of the menu items. Then change the values with the "SET" or "CLR"
key.

Set temperature Set dry index Set wet index Set light mode Set temp unit

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4.1 Set material temperature compensation

The relative material moisture depends on the temperature of the material. The instrument
automatically compensates this temperature by measuring the ambient temperature.
In addition, you can enter the temperature manually and thus increase the accuracy of the
measured value. You can set the value with the "SET" key and the "CLR" key. This value is not
saved and must be re-entered each time the instrument is switched on.

Increase value with SET
Decrease value with CLR

4.2 Setting the moist / dry indicator

With the values for the dry and wet indicator, you can adapt the display of the DRY/MOIST/WET
scale to a specific material. Once you have entered the appropriate values, you can see at a
glance whether the sample is dry or too moist for your application. Use the [SET] key and the
[CLR] key to increase or decrease the value and the [MODE] key to change from "Dry" to "Wet".

4.3 Setting the display backlight

AUTO: The backlight is switched off automatically after a period of inactivity and

is switched back on as soon as a measurement is started.
ON: The display backlight is permanently switched on.
OFF: The backlight is deactivated.
Press the SET key to switch between the backlight options. This setting is not saved. When the
unit is switched on again, the function is set back to "AUTO".

4.4 Setting the temperature unit

You can switch the temperature unit from °C to °F. This
setting will be saved to the device and is still available
even after the meter is switched on again.

© PCE Instruments

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5 Self test

Go to TEST mode by pressing and releasing the MODE key. Place the electrodes at the contacts
on the protective cap, marked with "T" and "B". Compare the display with the following pictures.

Contacts marked with B Contacts marked with T

correct incorrect correct incorrect

6 Measurement of the ambient temperature and air humidity

The universal moisture meter continuously measures the ambient temperature and relative
humidity. The ambient temperature is used for temperature compensation during material
moisture measurement, thus increasing the accuracy. Press and hold the [SET] key for 2 seconds
to toggle the display between ambient temperature and relative humidity.

7 Moisture measurement

Before starting the measurement, you must first select the material group by briefly pressing the
[MODE] key.

WOOD for measurements in wood, wood-based materials and cardboard / paper, divided into

3 groups
BUILD for building materials such as plaster, aerated concrete, screed and concrete, divided

into 4 groups
TEST to check the meter with the supplied protective cap
Then select the wood or building material group as described in the following sections 7.1 and

7.2. To measure the moisture content, slowly and carefully prick the measuring electrodes into
the material (without applying much force). The puncture in wood should be vertical to the wood
fibres. At a moisture content of less than 20 %, the penetration geometry is of no great
importance for the measurement result. Always measure at several points for comparison or to
be able to calculate an average value.

For hard woods and building materials, the use of ram electrodes is recommended. These are
connected to the plug on the protective cap via the connection cable. The paper electrode is
connected in the same way. For very hard material, where there is a risk of destroying the meter
(breakage of the needles), it is also possible to drive in two nails and apply the electrodes to
these.

© PCE Instruments

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7.1 Selection of wood group (W1, W2, W3)

The device has three groups (W1, W2, W3) for wood and wood-like materials. You can change
the group by briefly pressing the [SET] key. The following chart shows what kind of wood belongs
to which wood group.

Wood groups

W1

W2

W3

Abachi

Agba

Mahogany

Afrormosia / assamela

Pear tree

Maple

Pine tree

Rubber tree

Black afara

Alder

Chestnut

Coco-produa

Beech

Aspen

Khaya

Dabema

Balsa

Cherry

Cork

Ebony

Tree heath

Pine

Melamine chipboard

Red oak

Beech, European

Poplar (general)

Phenolic resin
chipboard

Oak

Birch, yellow birch

Plum

Ash

Logwood

Sandalwood

Ash, American

Oak

Swiss pine

Ash, Japanese

Aspen

Walnut

Lime tree

Alder

White maple

Rosewood

Alder, red

White birch

Rosewood

Alder, black

White beech

Copper beech

English oak

White Poplar

Silver poplar

Ash

Juniper

Teak

Yellow birch

Trembling poplar

Winter linden

Yellow pine

Cypress

Winter linden,
American

Douglas fir

Elm
Willow

Red cypress

White oak

Horse chestnut

Wood fibre insulation
board

Cedar

Tree of life

Fibreboard

Cypress

Larch

Kauramin chipboard

Cardboard

Chestnut

Paper

7.2 Selection of building material group (B1, B2, B3, B4)

The device has characteristic curves for four groups of building materials. You can switch between
these by briefly pressing the [SET] key.

B1 Plaster
B2 Aerated concrete
B3E Screed
B4 Concrete

7.3 Wet / dry indicator

Below the measured moisture value, the test instrument shows a moisture evaluation in the form
of a scale on the display. During the measurement, a small marking point above the scale moves
from left to right. The scale has 3 main ranges: DRY / MOIST and WET. These have 5 divisions
each. This indicator is only meaningful if suitable minimum and maximum values are set for the
material to be measured, see chapter 4.2. A minimum value of 70 and a maximum value 850 can
be recommended as a starting value and then the values must be adjusted upwards or
downwards, depending on the desired indication.

8 Battery replacement

If the battery voltage is too low, this is indicated by an icon in the display. You must replace the
batteries when the icon is visible. To do this, remove the screw on the back of the device and
replace the batteries, making sure the polarity is correct when inserting the new batteries.

9 Contact

If you have any questions, suggestions or technical problems, please do not hesitate to contact

us. You will find the relevant contact information at the end of this user manual.

10 Disposal

For the disposal of batteries in the EU, the 2006/66/EC directive of the European
Parliament applies. Due to the contained pollutants, batteries must not be disposed of as
household waste. They must be given to collection points designed for that purpose.

In order to comply with the EU directive 2012/19/EU we take our devices back. We either re­use them or give them to a recycling company which disposes of the devices in line with law.

For countries outside the EU, batteries and devices should be disposed of in accordance
with your local waste regulations.

If you have any questions, please contact PCE Instruments.

© PCE Instruments

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© PCE Instruments

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PCE Instruments contact information

Germany France Spain

PCE Deutschland GmbH PCE Instruments France EURL PCE Ibérica S.L.
Im Langel 4 23, rue de Strasbourg Calle Mayor, 53
D-59872 Meschede 67250 Soultz-Sous-Forets 02500 Tobarra (Albacete)
Deutschland France España
Tel.: [phone] Téléphone: [phone] Tel. : [phone]
Fax: [phone] Numéro de fax: [phone] Fax: [phone]
[e-mail] [e-mail] [e-mail]
www.pce-instruments.com/deutsch www.pce-instruments.com/french www.pce-instruments.com/espanol

United Kingdom Italy Turkey

PCE Instruments UK Ltd PCE Italia s.r.l. PCE Teknik Cihazları Ltd.Şti.
Unit 11 Southpoint Business Park Via Pesciatina 878 / B-Interno 6 Halkalı Merkez Mah.
Ensign Way, Southampton 55010 Loc. Gragnano Pehlivan Sok. No.6/C
Hampshire Capannori (Lucca) 34303 Küçükçekmece - İstanbul
United Kingdom, SO31 4RF Italia Türkiye
Tel: [phone] Telefono: [phone] Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone] Fax: [phone] Faks: 0212 705 53 93
[e-mail] [e-mail] [e-mail]
www.pce-instruments.com/english www.pce-instruments.com/italiano www.pce-instruments.com/turkish

The Netherlands China Hong Kong

PCE Brookhuis B.V. PCE (Beijing) Technology Co., Limited PCE Instruments HK Ltd.
Institutenweg 15 1519 Room, 6 Building Unit J, 21/F., COS Centre
7521 PH Enschede Zhong Ang Times Plaza 56 Tsun Yip Street
Nederland No. 9 Mentougou Road, Tou Gou District Kwun Tong
Telefoon: [phone] 102300 Beijing, China Kowloon, Hong Kong
[e-mail] Tel: [phone] Tel: [phone]
www.pce-instruments.com/dutch [e-mail] [e-mail]
www.pce-instruments.cn www.pce-instruments.cn

United States of America

PCE Americas Inc.
711 Commerce Way suite 8
Jupiter / Palm Beach
33458 FL
USA
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]
www.pce-instruments.com/us