Wagner Meters Orion 910 Instruction Manual

INSTRUCTION MANUAL

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 Introduction

4 Orion® 910 Parts

5 Quick Start: Basic Use for
Solid Wood

8 Correct Usage Guidelines for
Your Orion® Moisture Meter

11 Function Buttons: Detailed

– ON/HOLD Button

– UP and DOWN Buttons

– SPECIES/MATERIAL Button

• How to Program a Species Setting

• Relative Scale for Moisture

Measurement of Non-Wood

Building Materials

– AUDIO Button

22 Summary of Orion® 910 Features

– Low Battery Alert Indication

–Auto Shut-Down to Preserve
Battery Life

– Calibration of your Orion® 910

–Protective Rubber Boot for Your
Orion® 910

–7-Year Warranty

–Wagner’s IntelliSenseTM Technology

30 Specications

31 Changing the Battery

31 Meter Storage

32 Warranty

1 2

Congratulations!

You 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®

910 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.

Wagner moisture meters read IN the wood,
not just on the wood.

INTRODUCTION

The 2.0-inch (50mm) wide by 2.5-inch
(63mm) long by .75-inch (19mm) thick

sensor eld of your Orion® moisture

meter closely approximates the full­thickness cross-section 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® 910 is best-suited for wood
thicknesses from .75 inches (19mm) 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® 910 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.

3 4

The Orion® 910 has an easy-to-read
digital display, scaled in 0.1% increments
when in the Standard Measurement mode
for your solid wood applications.

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

Since 1965, Wagner Meters has been
providing quality moisture measurement
equipment and Wagner’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.

LCD

ON/ HOLD

BUTTON

SPECIES/

MATERIAL

BUTTON

DOWN

BUTTON

UP BUTTON

AUDIO

BUTTON

ORION 910 PARTS

BATTERY

COMPART-

MENT

(Meter Serial

Number is
located in this
compartment)

SENSOR

PLATE

®

5 6

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 Standard 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.

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 side of the meter is pressing

rmly on the wood surface and completely

covered by the wood. Minimum wood

With your Orion® 910
turned OFF, press and
release the ON/HOLD
button. Meter will turn

on and briey display the
model number, followed by the rmware
revision number. If this is the rst time

you are using your new Orion® 910,
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 display

0.0%, then refer to page 15 regarding the
SPECIES/MATERIAL button.

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

QUICK START

BASIC USE FOR SOLID WOOD

7 8

To make sure that you are getting the most
accurate readings from your Orion® 910
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 1.5 inches (38mm), it is a good
idea to take measurements 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® 910 meter was designed
for wood thicknesses from .75 inches
(19mm) up to 1.5 inches (38mm).

CORRECT USAGE GUIDELINES

FOR YOUR ORION® 910

MOISTURE METER

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).

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.

9 10

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:

Please contact us at 844-689-0660

for specic guidelines on how to

properly measure wood with unusual
characteristics. Additional measurement
corrections may be necessary if you are
measuring lumber that is frozen, salt
water-permeated, or is treated with CCA,

If you wish to measure wood pieces
with thicknesses less than .75 inches
(19mm), 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), it is recommended that
you put two or more pieces together
to obtain a composite measurement (if
needed, contact Wagner Technical Staff
for additional assistance).

4. The actual sensing area is a 2.0-inch
(50mm) wide by 2.5-inch (63.5mm)
long rectangle on the meter’s
backside (opposite side of the display
and keypad). 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.

11 12

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 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 19), the meter will emit a
short beep every 4 seconds that the current
reading remains on HOLD.

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.

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.

FUNCTION BUTTONS:

DETAILED USAGE INSTRUCTIONS

ACQ, or any other treatment with metallic
or other components that might bias the
moisture readings.

13 14

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 or

engineered ooring). 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 18.

3. Meter Calibration mode. Follow the
instructions on page 24 to perform

your own eld calibration using

the included Orion® Calibration
Reference from Wagner.

When meter is ON, press the SPECIES/
MATERIAL button; the meter display will
indicate the current mode. If the meter is
in the Species Setting mode (indicated by a

UP and DOWN Buttons

The particular settings mode
(SPECIES/MATERIAL or
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.

SPECIES/MATERIAL
Button

The SPECIES/MATERIAL

button on your Orion® 910
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
correct setting for the wood species
you wish to measure. When in this

15 16

measure, go to www.wagnerspecies.com.

If you still cannot nd the correct setting,

contact Wagner 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

3-digit number such as 0.50, etc.), you can
use the UP or DOWN arrows to program
the meter for the correct setting. If you
need to change modes, press and release
the SPECIES/MATERIAL button. If you
choose Relative Measurement (REL)
mode, press ON/HOLD to select. For
Calibration (CAL) mode, see page 24 for
full instructions.

Regardless of the mode you choose,
when the meter is turned OFF (or shuts
off automatically), and then the meter
is turned back ON, the meter will be in
the mode it was in when it previously
turned OFF.

How to Program a Species Setting

for Different Wood Species

FIRST, consult the Species Settings
Booklet and locate the correct setting that
corresponds to the type/species of wood
being measured.

NOTE: If you cannot nd the correct setting

for the wood species or material you wish to

17 18

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.

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 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 measurement

19 20

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
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).

AUDIO Button

Your Orion® 910 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.

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%.

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

21 22

• 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® Calibration Reference (CR)

• Protective rubber boot

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

• 7-year warranty

• IntelliSenseTM– Read beyond surface
conditions

• Automatic shutoff when not in use

SUMMARY OF

ORION® 910 FEATURES

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.

23 24

Calibration of Your Orion® 910

If you have reason to believe your Orion®
910 may be out of calibration, it can be easily
recalibrated using the provided Calibration
Reference (CR). Before calibrating your
meter, please be aware that you must
ONLY calibrate to the correct CR that came
with the meter. Serial numbers on the CR
(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 CR. Place the CR
on its legs on a non-metallic surface.

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.

25 26

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.)

Place the meter on the CR, correctly

“seating” the meter sensor pad rmly on

the recessed area of the CR. IMPORTANT:

Failure to correctly and rmly “seat” the

sensor pad in the recessed area will cause an
inaccurate calibration.

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.

When the calibration procedure is
complete, the meter will display the word
LIFT. Immediately remove the meter from
the CR 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.

Press the ON/HOLD button to return the
meter to Standard Measuring mode.

To restore your meter to the original factory
default settings, including the original
calibration, press and hold the ON/HOLD
button for approximately 10 seconds, until
the word CAL appears on the display, then
release the ON/HOLD button.

If, after recalibrating the Orion® 910,
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® 910

In an effort to help avoid
damage resulting from
your Orion® 910 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® 910 meter.

27 28

7-Year Warranty

Wagner Meters offers an industry-best
7-year warranty on your Orion® 910
moisture meter.

Register your meter at

www.genuinewagner.com

This protective boot should remain in
place at all times even when calibrating
your meter on the Calibration Reference.*
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
Calibration Reference with the boot off.

29 30

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 Temperature

• +32˚F to +110˚F (+0˚C to +43˚C)

SPECIFICATIONS

Wagner’s IntelliSense

tm

Technology

Your Orion® 910 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’ hand-held 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!

31 32

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® 910 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

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.

When meter is not in use, we recommend
that it be stored in the hard shell carrying
case provided with each Orion® 910
meter. If meter is to be stored for a
period longer than 30 days, remove the
9-volt battery.

CHANGING THE BATTERY

METER STORAGE

33 34

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.

Technical Support/Repair Contact

Worldwide Toll-Free: 844-689-0660

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
Calibration Reference (CR) 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 CR that
matches the serial number of the meter.

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

35 36

NotesNotes

32

Wagner Meters

326 Pine Grove Road

Rogue River, OR 97537

Worldwide Toll-Free:

844-689-0660

WWW.WAGNERMETERS.COM

©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.

500-00910-001 REV NC