Posted on July 09, 2025
Whether for corn, soy or cereals, the accuracy of a moisture meter is essential, both to ensure grain preservation and to optimize the commercial value of your harvest. Several types of technology are available, each with its own advantages, disadvantages and limitations.
Do You Have a Perten?
Capacitive moisture meters, also known as dielectric moisture meters, measure grain moisture by evaluating the dielectric permittivity of the sample. In simple terms:
- The grain is placed in a measuring chamber between two electrodes (2 plates).
- An electric field is applied.
- The instrument measures how the grain modifies this field.
- Grain moisture has a strong influence on this reaction, enabling the moisture meter to deduce it.
The following graph shows the variability of results for resistive technology (Dimo's Labtronics 919) and capacitive technology (Perten AM5200-A), using an oven test as a reference.
5 Tips for Better Reading
For reliable, more accurate results, take note of these tips:
- Set up: place your moisture meter in a safe, controlled and clean environment
- Maintenance: clean your meter regularly.
- Follow-up and calibration: compare your results with a reliable source, and calibrate if necessary.
- Representative sampling: start with a 5 kg sample, mix it well, and remove impurities.
- Testing: perform several moisture tests (3 to 5): for each sample and calculate the average.
Find YOUR ideal moisture meter! Read our expert comparison of types, prices and more.