Is There a Reliable Moisture Detection/Content Meter Available for the RV Industry?

[Guest]

I've seen marine surveyors use a moisture meter to check for water presence in the transom of boats and was wondering if there is a reasonably priced meter that we could use to monitor moisture content of our RV walls. If possible, this could provide an early warning to a potential delamination issue.

[Guest]

Found one! LOL. The price is really not so funny.

https://www.amazon.com/Tramex-SMP-Sk...4108404&sr=8-3

There are much cheaper options in a pinless design where I'm curious if a low cost version could be used once a baseline is measured on a known good wall?

Jim

[mpking]

Just looking further down the page, under the suggested items, they had this one:
https://amzn.to/3bzZ0gO for around $45 Does that meet your needs?

[Guest]

Just looking further down the page, under the suggested items, they had this one:
https://amzn.to/3bzZ0gO for around $45 Does that meet your needs?

Mike,

I have no idea. I was hoping someone might have some experience with the cheaper tool. I used to know a marine surveyor ( moved to FL) that used the expensive tool I posted. I watched him check the back of my in laws waterlogged fiberglass boat and it worked well.

Jim

[howson]

Cate&Rob is the only one I know that may have some insight.

I watched a YouTube video on the expensive tool and was stunned when the presenter said a boat's hull wasn't waterproof. He was standing next to a modern hull, too, that had a gell coat and everything else you'd expect in a modern boat. I would've lost that bet for sure!

Makes me wonder if our trailer walls are truly waterproof in the strictest sense of the word.

Howard

[Guest]

Cate&Rob is the only one I know that may have some insight.

I watched a YouTube video on the expensive tool and was stunned when the presenter said a boat's hull wasn't waterproof. He was standing next to a modern hull, too, that had a gell coat and everything else you'd expect in a modern boat. I would've lost that bet for sure!

Makes me wonder if our trailer walls are truly waterproof in the strictest sense of the word.

Howard

Howard,

Much of a fiberglass boat is wood where some makers have used stringers without wood. Wood provides great stiffness and strength for its weight. Not to derail us, most boat transoms have a plywood core. There was a time when makers were using end grain balsa wood in the hulls which did not work out so well. Balsa or plywood can be used in decking but needs to be glassed in.

So with the luan under fiberglass in our rigs, it seemed a moisture meter could be used for regular inspections of the roof, around windows and slide and so on.

I know Rob is an old salt and was hoping he may have some experience with the meters.

Jim

[Country Campers]

I am just going on the record to state that I did NOT call Rob "old" or "salty".

I wonder if a moisture meter for telling how dry wood is would work. I think that they have 2 prongs on them that you would touch to the wood to find the dryness before use , usually when coming out of a kiln dryer.

Brian

[Guest]

I hope he knows I respect him for his marine knowledge. I've seen pics of his boat. I believe (but have no facts) that the pin type may use conductance where the other style from what I remember may be a frequency based system? I'm not sure but the more videos I see of AZ Expert I feel to have a heads up on a wet panel would be nice.

Jim

[Cate&Rob]

Hi Guys,

Just catching up to this discussion. Although I have spent a lifetime around boats, I have never owned a moisture meter. I have seen them used (at survey time) and have held my breath waiting for the pronouncement by the surveyor . . . like everyone else. There is some knowledge required to correctly interpret the meter reading WRT different hull (wall) material and thickness. Metal will confuse the meter so I wonder what EGS backer sheets would read like. The ones that I have seen used on boat hulls were not the pin type used for raw wood. This article is a little old, but seems to be a good explanation and evaluation of the meters on the market. https://www.practical-sailor.com/boa...st-five-models

Rob

[Guest]

Cate&Rob Rob,

Thank you for an interesting article. Since our walls are much thinner than a marine hull. I'm wondering if a less expensive meter could be used to measure a baseline for reference. So rather than trying interpret a wet wall, use the instrument to log a known dry panel and some areas with metal and other sub-materials to compare for future reference. This could indicate that something has changed which would warrant further investigation. The following tool tested in the article (still expensive) uses this method. Of course there is always the light tapping of a small plastic mallet or knuckle which fits my budget.
What do you think?
I've written some companies that provide cheap meters since the laminate we are interested in is very thin. Any contractors on the forum that own a moisture meter?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZt53jeEwYw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxftvnarH-E

Jim

[Cate&Rob]

Guest
Hi Jim,

This would definitely be the best approach . . . to figure out how the meter measures a known dry wall . . . and then monitor for changes to this. The RV wall (considering both exterior skin and insulation) would be thicker than most boat hulls. It would also be important to understand how the meter responds to passing over an aluminum structural member inside the wall and perhaps an area of delamination between exterior skin and foam insulation.

Rob

[Guest]

Good points Rob,

I'm leaning toward checking the exterior and interior separately where the interest would be the first 1/4 inch or so. Still waiting for some feedback from a couple low cost vendors in measuring to depths of the luan. I'll attempt to contact General RV in my area to see if they use them.

Jim

[JBill9694]

Just to add to the confusion, infrared cameras or scanners can also be used to detect moisture in walls. Just do a search on your internet browser for more information.

[315RLTSinPA]

Lowes sells a moisture meter for about $45 that works very well. I know someone that buys trailers to fix up, and that is what he uses to look for water damage. It will even work thru aluminum siding.

[Guest]

Lowes sells a moisture meter for about $45 that works very well. I know someone that buys trailers to fix up, and that is what he uses to look for water damage. It will even work thru aluminum siding.

Thank you,
If you can ask your contact which model he uses that would be great. Also considering a combo unit where the pins can be used inside and the pinless pad for outside. From a few videos I've seen, the pins do not need to puncture the wallpaper for an inside measurement. Since the luan is directly under the wallpaper, a cheap unit at a minimum should pick up moisture on the inside walls.

Jim