Wagner Wagner ORION 950 Manual

TestEquipmentDepot.com

Phone 7

Toll Free 1-800-517-8431

81-665-1400

INSTRUCTION MANUAL

T ABLE OF CONTENTS

1 Introduction
5 Orion® 950 Parts
6 Quick Start: Basic Use for

Solid Wood
13 Correct Usage Guidelines for

Your Orion® 950 Moisture Meter
16 Function Buttons: Detailed
– ON/HOLD Button

– UP and DOWN Buttons
– DEPTH Button
– SPECIES/MATERIAL Button

• How to Program a Species Setting

• Relative Scale for Moisture
Measurement of Non-Wood

Building Materials
– DATA Button
– AUDIO Button

34 Summary of Orion® 950 Features

– Low Battery Alert Indication
–Auto Shut-Down to Preserve

Battery Life
–Calibration of your Orion® 950
–Protective Rubber Boot for Your

Orion® 950
–7-Year Warranty
–Wagner’s IntelliSense

TM

Technology

42 Specications

43 Changing the Battery
43 Meter Storage
44 Warranty
47 Glossary of Terms
49 Mobile App

INTRODUCTION

Congratulations!

Y ou have purchased one of the most accurate
moisture measurement instruments for wood
in the world. Using IntelliSenseTM technology,
hand-held moisture meters from Wagner
Meters have been proven by universities
and institutes worldwide to provide superior
measurement results.*

With its electromagnetic eld, your Orion®

950 moisture meter covers a relatively
large cross-sectional area each time you
take a reading, giving you a far better
representation than other technologies of
the true moisture content of your wood.

W agner moisture meters read IN the wood,
not just on the wood.

The 2.0-inch (50mm) wide by 2.5-inch
(63mm) long by either .25-inch (6mm)

or .75-inch (19mm) thick sensor eld

of your Orion® moisture meter closely
approximates the full-thickness cross­section method used when performing the
ASTM D4442-16 oven-dry lab method.
This ASTM standard (and its international
counterparts) is the standard to which all
moisture meters for wood are compared
for accuracy.

Your Orion® 950 is best-suited for wood
thicknesses from .25 inches (6mm) up to

1.5 inches (38mm). The meter can be used
on non-solid wood products, and the Species
Setting Booklet includes a few settings for
some of these common materials.

In the Standard Measurement mode, your
Orion® 950 measures moisture content
within the 4.0% to 32.0% moisture
content range.

NOTE: Measurement range may vary
slightly depending on species setting of the
meter.

1 2

The Orion® 950 has an easy-to-read digital
display, scaled in 0.1% increments, when in
the Standard Measurement mode, for your
solid wood applications.

Y our Orion® 950 has data collection capacity
to store readings and get statistical data. When
the data collection mode is activated you will
have the ability to store and review up to 100
readings and get the maximum, minimum,
and an average of all stored readings.

In addition to dual depth and data collection,
your Orion® 950 has the capability to measure
and record relative humidity, temperature,
dew point, equilibrium moisture content,
grains per pound, and grains per kilogram.

Your Orion® 950 also connects to a smart
device application, utilizing Bluetooth®
technology, so you can receive and record

data, set specications for separate jobs, and

much more. Simply scan the QR code on page
49 to arrive at the app location.

Wagner hand-held moisture measurement
technology is virtually unaffected by wood
temperature.**

Since 1965, Wagner Meters has been
providing quality moisture measurement
equipment and W agner’s technology has been
proven to provide some of the most accurate
results in the industry when compared to the
ASTM D4442-16 Standard. Wagner meters
have been used for years by professional
lumber-grading associations, and meters
from Wagner continue to provide reliable
and consistent moisture measurements, with
unsurpassed convenience and ease of use.

*Information available upon request.**Contact
a Wagner Meters expert at 844-689-0660 if your
wood is very hot or frozen.

3 4

ORION 950 PARTS

®

QUICK ST ART

BASIC USE FOR SOLID WOOD

LCD

ON/ HOLD

BUTTON

DEPTH

BUTTON

DATA

BUTTON

AUDIO

BUTTON

BATTERY

COMPART-

MENT

(Meter Serial

Number is
located in this
compartment)

SPECIES/

MATERIAL

BUTTON

With your Orion® 950
turned OFF, press and
release the ON/HOLD
button. Meter will turn

UP BUTTON

DOWN

BUTTON

model number, followed by the rmware
revision number. If this is the rst time

on and briey display the

you are using your new Orion® 950,
immediately after the revision number is
displayed, the meter display should revert
to Standard Measurement mode, with the
display showing 0.0% when the meter is
held in the air. If meter display does not show

0.0%, then refer to page 19 regarding the

SENSOR

PLATE

SPECIES/MATERIAL button.

Next, press the DEPTH
button to put the meter in
the Depth Setting mode and
press either the UP button,

DOWN button or DEPTH
button. The Depth setting will change from 3-4
or ¾” to 1-4 or ¼” or vice versa. Press the ON/

5 6

HOLD button to store the setting and return
the meter to the Reading Mode.

reading taken. Move the meter to the next
sample for more readings.

Press the DATA button
and the word DATA will

appear briey on the display,

immediately followed by the

word OFF. Next, using the
UP or DOWN button, either turn data ON for
collecting data manually or to AUTO if you
want the data collected automatically. Once
you have made your selection, press the ON/
HOLD button to activate the selected data
storage function.

If you chose the ON mode for collecting
the data, place the meter on the wood to be
measured and press the ON/HOLD button

briey to gather a data point. You will hear a

beep as the data is gathered. The number of
the data point will be displayed and then the
moisture recorded will be displayed.

If you choose the Automatic mode, place
the meter on the wood to be measured. Wait

briey until you hear a beep. The meter will

display the reading number and then the

7 8

When done sampling wood, turn the
Automatic Data Recording mode OFF by
hitting the data button again. This will
stop the recording of data.

After the data has been collected, press
the DATA button twice and the maximum
reading will be shown (MAX). Subsequent
presses of the DATA button will show
the minimum (MIN) average of all stored
readings (A VG). Press the DAT A button once
more and all individual recorded readings
can be viewed (REC). Use the UP or DOWN
button to scroll through the individual
readings. To clear individual readings, press
the UP and DOWN buttons simultaneously.
CLRD will show on the display followed by
NO. Press the UP or DOWN button to select
YES, then press the DA TA button to clear the
reading. Press the DATA button once more

and CL ALL will ash, followed by NO. To

clear all data, use the UP or DOWN button to
select YES and then press the DATA button
to activate the clear function. (Note: There is

no prompt after pressing the DATA button.
All stored data will be erased.)

Next, press the SPECIES/
MATERIAL button once,
and the current species

setting (calibrated to specic

gravity) will appear. The
factory default displayed will be 0.50 for
a new meter. Use the UP or DOWN arrow
buttons to set the correct
species setting for the wood
species you wish to measure
(refer to your Species Settings

Booklet to nd the correct

setting). Finally, press the
ON/HOLD button to place
the meter back in the S ta n d ar d
Measurement mode.

NOTE: If you cannot nd the correct setting

for the wood species or material you wish
to measure, go to www.wagnerspecies.com
where you can access Wagner’s extensive

Species Database. If you still cannot nd

the correct setting, contact a Wagner Meters
expert at 844-689-0660.

A small DP will appear in the lower left corner
of the screen to visually indicate that you are
in 3-4 (¾”) Depth Setting mode (Deep mode).

Grasping the meter on the sides, begin
taking measurements on the face of the

wood pieces by pressing down rmly,

making sure the rectangular sensor plate
area on the back of the meter is pressing

rmly on the wood surface and completely

covered by the wood. Minimum wood
dimension needs to be 2.0 inches (50mm)
wide by 2.5 inches (63mm) long by .75
inches (19mm) in thickness. When taking
measurements, make sure there is a 1-inch
(25mm) minimum air gap underneath the
wood you are measuring (refer to Correct
Usage Guidelines section of this manual).

Press the SPECIES/
MATERIAL button four
times and the Relative
Humidity mode will display

RH for 3.5 seconds, then it
will display the ambient Relative Humidity
(e.g., 34.5%). After 3.5 seconds, the mode
will c h an g e t o temperature and DEG (shown

9 10

on page 21) will display, then toggle to the
ambient temperature (e.g., 75.1F). Note:
The temperature display can be changed to
Celsius (e.g., 24.0C) by pressing either the
up or down arrow key.

On the fth press of the SPECIES/

MATERIAL button, EMC will be
displayed, then the display will show the
equilibrium moisture content based on the
ambient relative humidity and temperature
(e.g., 7.5%).

After the sixth press of the SPECIES/
MATERIAL button, the display will show
DP for 3.5 seconds, then will display the
dew point temperature (e.g., 39.1F). Note:
The temperature display can be changed to
Celsius (e.g., 3.9C) by pressing either the
UP or DOWN arrow key.

On the seventh press of the SPECIES/
MATERIAL button, the display will show
GPP for 3.5 seconds, then the display will
show the grains per pound (e.g., 37.1).
Note: The display can be changed to grains
per kilogram (e.g., 5.2) by pressing either

the UP or DOWN arrow key.

When you are nished

taking measurements and
wish to turn the meter
off, press the ON/HOLD

button for approximately
2 seconds. Alternatively, the meter will
automatically shut off after approximately
60 seconds of no activity.

11 12

CORRECT USAGE GUIDELINES

FOR YOUR ORION® 950

MOISTURE METER

To make sure that you are getting the most
accurate readings from your Orion® 950
meter, Wagner Meters recommends that
you pay close attention to the following
guidelines:

1. If the thickness of the piece of wood
or other building material is greater
than .75 inch (19mm), and you wish
to get more of a full thickness rather
than a shallow measurement, it is a
good idea to take measurements in
3/4” mode on both sides and average
the readings.

2. To prevent high or inaccurate
readings, always have a minimum
1-inch (25mm) air gap underneath
the piece of wood you are measuring.
During this process, make sure your
hand is not directly underneath
the meter.

3. Your Orion® 950 meter was designed
for wood thicknesses from .25 (6mm)
to .50 (13mm) in ¼” mode and .75
inches (19mm) up to 1.5 inches (38mm)
in ¾” mode. If you wish to measure
wood pieces with thicknesses less than
.75 inches (19mm) in ¾” mode, the
meter will underestimate the actual
moisture content. Thicknesses that are
slightly thinner (example: .625 inches
(15.9mm)) will not be underestimated
substantially, but the thinner the piece
becomes, the more the measurement
will be underestimated. For pieces
thinner than .50 inches (12.7mm), you
should use the ¼” mode.

4. The actual sensing area is a 2.0-inch
(50mm) wide by 2.5-inch (63.5mm)
long rectangle on the back of the
meter (opposite side of the display).
In order to take a valid measurement,
this sensing area must be completely
covered with the wood or other material
you are measuring. If the sensing area is
not completely covered, your moisture
reading will be inaccurate.

13 14

5. If there is visible moisture or water
on the surface of the wood or material
to be tested, wipe off any excess, and
let the surface dry out for a couple of
minutes before taking measurements.
If possible, turn the board over and
measure the other side.

6. Be sure to press down rmly to
ensure good sensor plate contact with
the surface of the wood or building
material. This is especially important
when measuring rough-sawn lumber.

7. Do not take readings where there is a
noticeable defect or knot in the lumber.

Our Technical Staff Wants to Help You:

Contact us at our worldwide toll-free
number, 844-689-0660, for guidelines
to measure wood where measurement
corrections may be necessary or if you are
measuring lumber that is frozen, salt water­permeated, or is treated with CCA, ACQ,
metallic, or other components that might
bias the moisture readings.

FUNCTION BUTTONS:

DETAILED USA GE INSTRUCTIONS

ON/HOLD Button

When the meter is OFF,
pressing and releasing the
ON/HOLD button will

turn the meter ON, with the meter briey

displaying the model number, followed by

the rmware revision number. Immediately
after briey displaying the revision

number, the meter will be in the Standard
Measurement mode. At this point, the meter
is ready to take moisture measurements.
Be assured that any settings that you have
previously programmed/selected will be
active. In other words, turning off the meter
will not cause the meter to revert to factory
default settings, but will retain whatever
settings you programmed it with.

When in the Standard Measurement mode,
pressing and releasing the ON/HOLD button
will freeze whatever reading is showing on
the display. Additionally, the word HOLD

15 16

will show in the upper right-hand corner.
This HOLD feature is valuable when taking
measurements in hard-to-reach places where
you cannot see the display.

If the AUDIO function of the meter is
turned on (refer to the “Audio Button”
section on page 32), the meter will emit a
short beep every 4 seconds that the current
reading remains on HOLD.

AUDIO) that you are in at
a given time will determine
how these buttons will
function. Settings values will

be increased or decreased,
or different functions activated according
to the specic instructions outlined for each
settings button.

DEPTH Button

The current reading will remain on the
screen until the ON/HOLD button is

briey pressed again, returning the meter

back to Standard Measurement mode and
HOLD will disappear from view.

NOTE: Meter will shut down automatically
after 60 seconds if the meter is left on HOLD
with no measurement activity. Pressing the
ON/HOLD button for 2 seconds will turn the
meter off.

UP and DOWN Buttons

The particular settings mode
(SPECIES/MATERIAL or

17 18

Your Orion® 950 meter

features dual depth capability

that allows you to measure
from the surface down to ¼ and ¾ inch depths
depending on the setting you have chosen.
If the meter is in the Depth Setting mode
and either the UP button, DOWN button or
DEPTH button is pressed, the Depth setting
will change (e.g., from 3-4 to 1-4) or vice versa.
Press the ON/HOLD button to store the setting.
If the meter is in the Depth Setting mode and
the ON/HOLD button is pressed, the meter will
return to the Standard Measurement mode.

If the meter is in Depth Setting mode
and on the ¼” (6mm) depth setting, in

addition to displaying ‘1-4,’ the meter

will repeatedly ash 2 dashes in a vertical

sequence on the digital display screen.

If the meter is in Depth Setting mode and on
the ¾” (19mm) depth setting, in addition to

displaying ‘3-4’, the meter will repeatedly ash

3 dashes in a vertical sequence on the digital
display screen.

NOTE: A small DP will appear in the lower
left corner of the screen to visually indicate
that you are in 3-4 (¾”) Depth Setting mode
(Deep mode).

SPECIES/MATERIAL
Button

correct setting for the wood species
you wish to measure. When in this
mode, the meter display will indicate
settings values from 0.20 up to 1.00.
Factory default is 0.50.

2. Relative Measurement mode. Used for

obtaining relative, rather than absolute,
measurements, typically for non-solid
wood applications (example: relative
measurements on drywall). When you
toggle to this mode, the display will
show REL in the lower-left corner of
the display when you are in the Standard
Measurement mode. More information
concerning Relative Scale can be found
on page 32.

The SPECIES/MATERIAL

button on your Orion®
950 is used to place your meter into one
of three different modes by pressing the
button until you are in the desired mode.
The available modes are:

1. Species Settings mode. This mode

is for programming the meter to the

19 20

3. Meter Calibration mode. Follow the

instructions on page 37 to perform your

own eld calibration using the included

Orion® On-Demand Calibrator from
Wagner.

4. Relative Humidity and Temperature
mode. Once in this mode, your meter

will be in a relative humidity (RH)

measurement mode (showing 0-100%)
and temperature measurement mode
(showing 32°F to 110°F or 0°C to

43.3°C) for measuring ambient RH
and temperature. Press and release the
SPECIES/MATERIAL button until the
display shows RH. The display will
toggle every 3.5 seconds to display
the following:

• RH with a small RH in the middle
left corner followed by the ambient
RH (e.g., 35.4%).

• DEG with a small TEMP in the
upper left corner followed by the
ambient temperature in Fahrenheit

(e.g., 75.1F). While the temperature
display is active, the display can be

changed to Celsius (e.g., 24.0C) by
pressing either the UP or DOWN
arrow key.

5. Equilibrium Moisture Content
(EMC) mode. Based on the ambient

RH and temperature, the equilibrium
moisture content (EMC) will be
shown in this mode (ranging from
0-40.7%). Press and release the
SPECIES/MATERIAL button until
the meter displays EMC followed
by the equilibrium moisture content
(e.g., 7.5%).

6. Dew Point mode. This mode will
provide you with dew point temperature
ranging from -85°F to 110°F, -65°C to
43°C. Press and release the SPECIES/

21 22

MATERIAL button until the meter
displays DP followed by the actual dew
point temperature in Fahrenheit (e.g.,

39.1°F). The display can be changed to
Celsius (e.g., 24.0°C) by pressing either
the UP or DOWN arrow key.

7. Grains per Pound / Kilogram mode.

This mode displays grains per pound
(GPP) from 0-431.1 lb and grains per
kilogram (GPK) from 0-61.6 kg. Press
and release the SPECIES/MATERIAL
button until your meter displays GPP
followed by the actual grains per pound
(e.g., 46.5). The display can be changed
to kilograms by pressing either the UP
or DOWN arrow key while ‘GPP’ is
displayed. The display will then show
‘GPK’ and then will display the correct
reading in kilograms (e.g., 6.4).

not set to record data) or ON (if the meter is
set to record data) or AUTO (to indicate the
meter is set to automatically take readings).

To change the Data Recording mode, press
either the UP button or the DOWN button,
the display will change from OFF to ON
or AUTO and then press the ON/HOLD
button, the corresponding Data Recording
mode will change.

When the Data Recording mode is ON or
AUTO, moisture readings can be stored
in the moisture meter. Moisture readings
are stored sequentially in the meter up to a
limit of 100 readings.

Note: When the meter’s Data Recording
mode is set for either ON or AUTO, the
meter’s HOLD function is disabled.

DATA Button

When the DATA button is

pressed, the meter will briey

display DATA and then

display either OFF (to indicate the meter is

23 24

If the meter is in the Standard Measurement
mode, the Data Recording mode is set to
ON, and the ON/HOLD button is pressed,
the meter will record the current reading
to the lowest available reading location,
display REC at the top and the stored

location (e.g., REC 1) for 0.5 seconds and
then return to the Standard Measurement
mode. If the maximum of 100 readings has
already been reached, the meter will start
overwriting the oldest readings and the
display will continue to read REC 100.

If the Data Recording mode is set to ON
and the meter is turned off, when the meter
is turned on again the Data Recording mode
will have defaulted to OFF .

1. Data Viewing. When the meter is in

Data Recording mode (above) and
the DATA button is pressed again, the
meter will display MAX and display
the highest reading stored. As with the
other modes, if there are no readings
stored, the meter will display MAX
and ‘- - - -’.

In MAX reading view mode, if the
DATA button is pressed again, the
meter will display MIN followed by
the lowest reading stored. If there
are no readings stored, the meter will
display MIN and ‘- - - -’.

If the meter is in MIN reading view
mode, and the DATA button is
pressed again, the meter will display
AVG and immediately display the
average of all the readings stored. If
there are no readings stored, the meter
will display AVG and ‘- - - -’.

When the meter is in AVG reading
view mode, and the DATA button is
pressed again, the meter will display

REC, briey display the most recent

reading’s location number (e.g., 4), and
then will display the actual moisture
reading stored in that location (e.g.,

18.2). If the reading is at the meter’s
maximum of 32.0, the display will
show RECMAX along with the actual

32.0 reading. If there are no readings
stored in the meter, the display will
show REC and ‘- - - -’.

2. View Readings mode. While in REC
(View Readings) mode, if the UP
button or the DOWN button is pressed,
the next or previous reading location
will be displayed (e.g., 2) for 0.5

25 26

seconds, and then the meter will display
the reading stored at that location (e.g.,

18.2).

If the UP button or DOWN button
is held down for 0.7 seconds, the
current reading location will increase
or decrease to the next multiple of
10 (e.g., if the reading location is
currently 6, pressing the UP button
will change the reading location to

10). Every 0.7 seconds thereafter that
the button is held down, the reading
location will continue to change by
10 (e.g., from 10 to 10).

When the UP button or DOWN
button is released, the reading
location that was stopped on will
be displayed (e.g., 90) for 0.5
seconds, and then the meter will
display the reading stored at that
location (e.g., 18.2). All throughout
View Readings mode, REC will
be displayed to indicate that the
user is currently accessing the
recorded readings.

If the meter is in the View Readings
mode and the DATA button is pressed
again, the meter will display CL for

0.7 seconds, ALL for 0.7 seconds,
and then display NO. This is called
the Clear Reading mode.

3. Clear Reading mode. If the meter is
in the Clear Reading mode and either
the UP button or the DOWN button is
pressed, the display will change from
NO to YES.

If the DATA button is pressed when
YES is displayed, all readings will
be cleared from the meter memory.
If the UP button or DOWN button is
pressed instead of the DATA button
when YES is displayed, the display
will change from YES to NO and the
meter memory will not be cleared. If
the DATA button is pressed while NO
is displayed, the meter will return to
the Reading mode.

To clear an individual reading,
press the UP and DOWN buttons

27 28

simultaneously. CLRD will show on
the display followed by NO. Press the
UP or DOWN button to select YES
then press the DATA button to clear
the reading.

NOTE: If the meter is in any of the modes
associated with the DATA button (Data
Setting, High Reading View, Low Reading
View, Average Reading View, or Clear
Reading) and the ON/HOLD button is pressed,
the meter will return to Reading mode.

How to Program a Species Setting

.

for Different Wood Species

NOTE: If you cannot nd the correct setting

for the wood species or material you wish to
measure, go to www.wagnerspecies.com. If

you still cannot nd the correct setting, contact

W agner at 844-689-0660.

NEXT , once the meter is turned on, press and
release the SPECIES/MATERIAL button
until you are in the Species Setting mode.
Once you are there, the meter will show the
current setting with a decimal (e.g., 0.62 or

1.00). If the meter is being programmed for

the rst time, the default setting of 0.50 will be
displayed on the screen.

While in this mode, pressing and releasing
either the UP or DOWN arrow buttons will
increase or decrease the setting of the meter
by .01 each time a button is pressed and will
update the display accordingly.

If the UP button is held
down for 0.7 seconds, the
setting will increase to the
next multiple of .10 (e.g.,
if the setting is currently

.36, the setting will change to .40). Every

0.7 seconds thereafter that the button is held

down, the setting will change by another .10
(e.g., from .40 to .50).

If the DOWN button
is pressed and held for

0.7 seconds, the setting
will decrease to the next

multiple of .10 (e.g., if
the setting is currently .66, the setting
will change to .60). Every 0.7 seconds

29 30

thereafter that the button is pressed and
held, the setting will change by another .10
(e.g., from .60 to .50).

When pressing the UP arrow button, once
the maximum setting of 1.00 has been
reached, the setting will wrap around to the
minimum (.20) and continue to increase
from there. Similarly, when continuing to
press the DOWN button, if the minimum
setting of .20 has been encountered, the
setting will wrap around to the maximum
(1.00) and continue to decrease from
that point.

Once the species value has been set, press
and release the ON/HOLD button to return
the meter to Standard Measurement mode.
Once in Standard Measurement mode,

0.0 will be displayed on the screen if the
meter is held in the air. The programmed
setting will be retained in memory even
if the meter is powered off or the battery
has been changed. If you press and release
the SPECIES/MATERIAL button in the
future, the last programmed setting will
appear on the screen.

Relative Scale for Moisture Measurement

of Non-Wood Building Materials

As mentioned earlier, this mode can be
entered by pressing and releasing the
SPECIES/MATERIAL button until you
are in this mode (display will show REL in
lower left corner). Once in this mode, your
meter will be in a relative measurement scale
(0-100) for measuring non-solid wood or
non-wood based materials. Press the ON/
HOLD button to return to the Standard
Measurement mode.

AUDIO Button

Your Orion® 950 AUDIO
button allows you to set

a high moisture content
alarm threshold (setting from 5% to 32%)
for solid wood measurement applications,
and also set the volume for the audible alarm.
This feature is useful, for example, when
quickly scanning a piece of wood, and trying
to locate any higher moisture content areas,
without having to continually look at the
digital display.

31 32

Press the AUDIO button and the display
will show the current moisture content high
threshold (e.g., 14%). The factory default
is 15%. Each press and release of the UP
or DOWN buttons will adjust the threshold
setting by 1%.

from there. Similarly, if the setting has been
decreased to the MC% minimum (5%) the
setting will wrap around to the maximum (32%)
and continue to decrease from there. Again, the
range of setting is 5% to 32%, in 1% increments
(no decimal place).

To get to your desired setting faster, hold
down the UP button for 0.7 seconds; the alarm
threshold setting will increase to the next
multiple of 5 (e.g., if the alarm threshold setting
is currently 12%, the setting will advance to
15%). Every 0.7 seconds thereafter that the
button is held down, the setting will change
by another 5 units (e.g., from 15% to 20%).
If the DOWN button is pressed and held for

0.7 seconds, the setting will decrease to the
next multiple of 5 (e.g., if the alarm threshold
setting is currently 23%, the setting will change
to 20%). Every 0.7 seconds thereafter that
the button is pressed and held, the setting will
change by another 5 (e.g., from 20% to 15%).

Once the setting has been increased to the
maximum programmable MC% threshold
(32%), the setting will wrap around to the
minimum (5%) and continue to increase

33 34

Next, press the AUDIO button again, and
you will be taken to a display that will show
the current volume setting for audible sound.
Simply use the UP or DOWN arrow buttons
to set the desired audible level. The volume
setting has a range of OFF to 9; 9 being the
loudest and 1 being the quietest, with OFF
indicating that the audible alarm is disabled.

When nished, you can place your meter back

to Standard Measurement mode by pressing
the ON/HOLD button.

SUMMARY OF

ORION® 950 FEA TURES

• Digital display resolution of 0.1%

(in Standard Measurement mode)

• MC measurement range for wood 4.0%

to 32.0%

• Relative scale for testing non-wood
building materials

• Programmable settings for a wide range
of softwood and hardwood species

• Large moisture measurement sensor area

• Current reading can be frozen on
display screen, great for note taking

• Low battery alert indication

• Audible alarm for programmable high
moisture content limits

• Programmable audio alert volume

• Can be eld-calibrated with the included
Orion® On-Demand Calibrator

• Protective rubber boot

• Hard shell storage case and a 9-volt
battery are included

• 7-year warranty

• IntelliSenseTM– Read beyond surface
conditions (¾” mode)

• Automatic shutoff when not in use

• Data collection –2 modes: manual or
automatic data storage with viewable
moisture content stats

• RH, Temperature, EMC, Dew Point,
and Grains Per Pound modes work with
the free app, via Bluetooth®, which is
available for download on page 49.

Low Battery Alert Indication

When the battery is low, BAT appears
in the upper right-hand corner of the
display. If ignored for too long, the meter

will ash a larger BAT three times and

then automatically shut down. The 9-volt
battery must be replaced immediately.

This shut-down action is to prevent
inaccurate readings.

Auto Shut-Down to Preserve

Battery Life

Regardless of which mode the meter is
in, if there is no change in measurement
activity over a period of 1 minute, the
meter will automatically turn off.

35 36

Calibration of Your Orion® 950

If you have reason to believe your Orion®
950 may be out of calibration, it can be
easily recalibrated using the provided
On-Demand Calibrator. Before calibrating
your meter, please be aware that you must
ONLY calibrate to the correct Calibrator
that came with the meter. Serial numbers
on the Calibrator (found underneath) and
meter (found in the battery compartment)
MUST match for correct calibration. Also,
the sticker must not be damaged, as this may
cause incorrect calibration. Follow the steps
below for proper calibration. The instructions
are also printed on the back of the Calibrator.

1. Place the Calibrator on its legs on a
non-metallic surface.

2. Turn the meter on, and then use the
SPECIES/MATERIAL button to put
your meter in CAL mode. (Refer to
the SPECIES/MATERIAL button
section of the manual.)

3. Place the meter on the Calibrator,

correctly “seating” the meter sensor

pad rmly on the recessed area of the

Calibrator. IMPORTANT: Failure to

correctly and rmly “seat” the sensor

pad in the recessed area will cause an
inaccurate calibration.

4. Apply light downward pressure
and press the AUDIO button three
(3) times. The meter will make a
“beeping” sound which indicates
it is going through the automatic
calibration procedure.

5. When the calibration procedure is
complete, the meter will display the
word LIFT. Immediately remove the
meter from the Calibrator and hold
the meter in the air for approximately
5 seconds until the word DONE
appears on the display. During this
last phase in the air, be sure to keep
your hand and other objects away
from the underside of the meter.

6. Press the ON/HOLD button to return
the meter to normal measuring mode.

37 38

If, after recalibrating the Orion® 950,
there is still a problem with the meter,
please contact a Wagner representative for
further instructions at 844-689-0660.

Protective Rubber Boot

for Your Orion® 950

In an effort to help avoid
damage resulting from your
Orion® 950 meter being
dropped or banging the
edges against other hard
objects, Wagner Meters has

provided a tted rubber boot

which ts snugly around the perimeter of your

Orion® 950 meter.

on the On-Demand Calibrator.* All function
buttons as well as the display screen, sensing
plate, and battery compartment are accessible
without removal of this rubber guard. The boot

will t on the meter only one way correctly.

Failure to correctly place the boot will result in
inaccurate readings.

*Although not recommended, you may wish
to use the meter without the protective rubber
boot. If you choose to do so, make sure you
recalibrate your meter on the On-Demand
Calibrator with the boot off.

7-Year Warranty

W agner Meters offers an industry-best 7-year
warranty on your Orion® 950 moisture
meter.

This protective boot should remain in place
at all times even when calibrating your meter

39 40

Register your meter at

www.genuinewagner.com

Wagner’ s IntelliSense

tm

Technology*

SPECIFICATIONS

Your Orion® 950 moisture meter features
Wagner’s IntelliSense

TM

technology, going
beyond the surface conditions for accurate
measurements of moisture conditions inside
the wood.

Most pinless meters are unable to distinguish
between surface or ambient conditions
on the surface of the wood, and the real
moisture picture in the wood. Pin-type
meters may be able to bypass the surface
conditions, but they also damage the surface
of the wood each time you take a reading.
Air humidity, condensation, or other ambient
conditions can impact many moisture meters
and give inaccurate readings that cost you
money. However, Wagner Meters’ hand­held moisture meters with IntelliSenseTM
technology measure moisture IN the wood,
not ON the wood, giving fast, highly accurate
moisture measurement for woodworking or

wood ooring projects. In addition, it works

without damage to the wood surface!

* IntelliSensetm active in 3/4” mode only.

41 42

Dimensions with Boot

• Length: 5.75 inches (146mm)

• Width: 3.0 inches (76mm)

• Thickness: 1.0 inches (25mm)

Scanning Area

• 2.0 inches (50mm) x 2.5 inches (63mm)

Weight with Boot

• 7.2 oz. (204g)

Power

• 9-volt battery (Wagner recommends using
non-rechargeable Alkaline or Lithium, or
rechargeable NiMH batteries)

Auto Power Shut-Down

• 60 seconds

Measurement Ranges

• MC range for wood: 4.0% to 32.0%

Specic Gravity Range for Wood Species

• 0.20-1.0 SG

Storage Temperature and Humidity

• +50˚F to +90˚F (+10˚C to +32˚C), Maximum
relative humidity of 95%, non-condensing

Operating T emperatur e

• +32˚F to +110˚F (+0˚C to +43˚C)

CHANGING THE BATTERY

WARRANTY

As indicated earlier in this manual, if BAT
appears on the display, the battery must
be changed immediately or any further
moisture measurements will be inaccurate.
Replace with 9-volt, non-rechargeable
Alkaline or Lithium or rechargeable NiMH
batteries. Be sure to observe proper battery

polarity. The battery ts very snugly in

its compartment and will not become
dislodged while taking measurements.
Reattach the compartment door carefully
so that it snaps back in place.

METER STORAGE

When meter is not in use, we recommend
that it be stored in the hard shell carrying
case provided with each Orion® 950
meter. If meter is to be stored for a
period longer than 30 days, remove the
9-volt battery.

43 44

Wagner recommends that you register your
moisture meter at www.genuinewagner.com

for faster support and benets.

Wagner Meters’ warranty offers this product
protection against defects in material and
workmanship for seven (7) years from the date
of purchase on all Orion® 950 moisture meters,
subject to the following terms and conditions:

Wagner Meters’ liability under this
warranty shall be limited, at Wagner
Meters’ option, to the repair or replacement
of this product or any part thereof,
which is demonstrated to be defective.
To exercise this warranty, visit www.
genuinewagner.com for instructions. This
limited warranty does not apply if Wagner
Meters determines that the product has
been damaged by accident, negligent
handling, misuse, alteration, damage
during shipment, or improper service not
attributed solely to the actions of Wagner
Meters. Wagner Meters’ liability for any

defect in material or workmanship in this
product shall be limited to the amount of
purchase price of the product.

With proper care and maintenance, the
meter should stay in calibration; however,
because Wagner Meters has no control over
the manner in which the unit will be used, it
makes no guarantee that the meter will stay

in calibration for any specic period of time.

Wagner Meters recommends returning the
unit to the factory for a diagnostic checkup in
the event the meter is dropped or otherwise
damaged. If the meter is suspected to be
inaccurate, using the provided On-Demand
Calibrator and performing a recalibration
will ensure the meter is reading correctly.
If the meter fails to calibrate properly
then it should be sent to the factory for a
diagnostic checkup.

When instructed to return a meter, the meter
should be returned with the Calibrator that
matches the serial number of the meter.

This warranty is in lieu of all other warranties,
whether oral or written, express or implied.

THERE ARE NO WARRANTIES WHICH
EXTEND BEYOND THE DESCRIPTION OF
THE FACE HEREOF. WAGNER METERS

HEREBY DISCLAIMS ANY IMPLIED
WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY
OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE. Under no circumstances shall

Wagner Meters be liable for any incidental or
consequential damages. Agents and employees
of Wagner Meters are not authorized to make

modications to this warranty or additional

warranties binding on Wagner Meters.
Accordingly, additional statements, whether
oral or written, except written statements from

an ofcer of Wagner Meters, do not constitute

warranties and should not be relied upon by
the customer.

This warranty is personal to the customer
purchasing the product from Wagner Meters
or Wagner Meters’ authorized distributors,
and is not transferable.

45 46

Glossary of Terms

Relative Humidity

The amount of water vapor in the air,
expressed as a percentage of the maximum
amount that the air could hold at the given
temperature.

Temperature

The degree or intensity of heat present
in a substance or object, especially as
expressed according to a comparative scale
and shown by a thermometer or perceived
by touch.

EMC (Equilibrium Moisture Content)

The moisture content of wood is directly
related to the humidity and temperature of
the surrounding air. The EMC occurs when
the wood has reached an equilibrium with
its environment and is no longer gaining or
losing moisture.

Dew Point

The atmospheric temperature (varying
according to pressure and humidity) below
which water droplets begin to condense
and dew can form.

GPP/GPK (Grains Per Pound/Kilogram)
In simple terms, a grain is a unit of
measurement for weight. It is used to

determine the specic amount of water

present in a pound/kg of air. On average,
one pound of air has a volume of 14 cubic
feet (178.4 cubic liters) and a weight of
7000 grains (3150 grains metric). This
means that one grain equals 1/7000th of
a pound (1/3150 kilogram). GPP/GPK
shows the actual weight of water vapor in

the air. It is often referred to as “specic

humidity” or “humidity ratio.”

47 48

Mobile App

Wagner Meters offers a free mobile app
that links your Orion® 950, through a
Bluetooth® connection, to your Android™
or Apple® smart device to receive and

record data, set specications for separate

jobs, and much more.

To download and install the app, simply
scan the QR code below to arrive at the app
location.

Notes

49 50

NotesNotes

51 52

500-00950-001 REV NC

5 Commonwealth Ave
Woburn, MA 01801
Phone [phone]
Toll

Free 1-800-517-8431

©Wagner Meters 2018

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any
form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission
of the publisher. The information in this document is subject to

change without notice.

32