TRAMEX Skipper Plus User manual
Skipper Plus
MOISTURE METER
FOR THE MARINE INDUSTRY
Non-Destructive Moisture
Detection Instrument for GRP
(Glass Reinforced Plastic)
and Wooden Boats
User
Guide
Skipper Plus
User Guide
Introduction ............................................................4
Fig. 1 Skipper Plus Non-Destructive Testing ....4
Instrument Features ................................................5
Diagnosis ................................................................6
Osmosis in GRP......................................................7
Wooden Boats ........................................................7
Important ................................................................8
Operating Instructions ............................................8
Fig 2. Skipper Plus Features ..............................9
Working With Your Skipper Plus ..........................11
RANGE 1 ................................................................11
Testing Hardwood ..............................................11
Wood Decking....................................................12
Depth Of Field Penetration................................12
Relationship Between Relative ........................
Humidity and Moisture Content ........................13
Fig. 3 Relative Humidity / ................................
Wood Moisture Content Relationship................13
Notes on Specific Gravity (S.G.) ......................13
Fig 4. Wood Density Categorisation. ................14
How to use the Wood SG Tables ......................14
Fig. 5. Wood Specific Gravity ..........................
Adjustment Table ..............................................14
RANGE 2.................................................................15
Testing Glass Reinforced Plastic (G.R.P.) ........15
RANGE 3.................................................................15
Testing for Elevated Surface Moisture ..............15
Notes ......................................................................16
Warranty..................................................................17
Warranty Claims ....................................................18
Product Development ............................................18
2
Skipper Plus
User Guide
3
TRAMEX MOISTURE/HUMIDITY INSTRUMENTS
SURVEY ENCOUNTER: The intelligent moisture meter.
“State of the art” non-destructive moisture meter for measurement
and data logging of moisture in building materials.
MOISTURE ENCOUNTER PLUS
General purpose non-destructive moisture meter employing
advanced analog and digital technology.
CONCRETE ENCOUNTER CME 4
Non-destructive moisture meter for concrete floors.
CRH FLOORING
Non-destructive testing and data logging of moisture content and
relative humidity measurements in concrete (to ASTM F 2170-02,
ASTM F 2420-05 and BS 5325:2001 & 8203:2001), gypsum
screeds and sub-floors.
FLOOR INSPECTION KIT
Complete kit for moisture testing concrete, hardwood flooring,
sub-flooring and environmental monitoring.
MRH
Digital Moisture and Humidity Meter with 4 scales for wood,
roofing, masonry and drywall. Humidity probe also available.
Suitable for humidity testing of flooring by either the in situ probe
method (to ASTM F 2170-02 and BS 5325:2001 & 8203:2001) or
the RH hood method (ASTM F 2420-05).
PROFESSIONAL MOISTURE METER
Digital resistance meter with probes, tests deep into wood.
COMPACT MOISTURE METER
Economical pin-type resistance meter for wood.
DEC SCANNER
Mobile non-destructive surveying of flat roofs.
WET WALL DETECTOR
Non-destructive moisture evaluation and tracing in EIFS.
RWS ROOF AND WALL SCANNER.
For moisture scanning and leak tracing on roofing, EIFS and the
building envelope.
MOISTURE & HUMIDITY INSPECTION KITS ARE
AVAILABLE FOR THE FOLLOWING INDUSTRIES:
Floor inspection / EIFS wall inspection / Roof inspection /
Indoor Air Quality / Water damage restoration.
Skipper Plus
User Guide
4
Introduction
The Skipper Plus is a moisture detection instrument
that uses the latest in electronic technology to take
non-destructive moisture readings in GRP (Glass
Reinforced Plastic) and wooden boats. It enables you
to quickly check hulls and decks both inside and out-
side for trapped moisture.
Your Skipper Plus meter features three Ranges
enabling you to select the correct range for the mate-
rial and environment in which you are working. Use
Range 1 to give you the percentage moisture content
in Wood. Use Range 2 to indicate
on the comparative scale, moisture in GRP and use
Range 3 to indicate Surface Moisture on the com-
parative scale.
The instrument operates on the principle that the
electrical impedance of a material varies with its
moisture content. To measure / detect moisture, the
two co-planar conductive rubber electrodes mounted
on the base of the instrument case are pressed onto
the wood or GRP sample. The instrument measures
the electrical impedance of the material being tested
by creating a low frequency alternating electric field
between the electrodes.
This field penetrates the material under test up to a
depth of approximately 30 mm (1.25 inches),
depending on material being tested and range used.
The very small current flowing through the field is
inversely proportional to the impedance of the mate-
rial. The instrument detects this current, determines
its amplitude and, after processing, drives the point-
er of the moving coil meter to the computed mois-
ture value.
Skipper Plus
User Guide
5
Fig. 1 Skipper Plus Non-Destructive Testing
As there is a wide variation in the nominal electrical
impedance of different material types, the instrument
is provided with three selectable ranges which are
optimized for testing (1) Hardwood, (2) GRP and (3)
Surface Moisture.
Instrument Features
Your Skipper Plus employs advanced analog and
digital technology to enable the incorporation of
many useful features, which greatly extend the capa-
bility of the instrument.
• Three simple pushbutton controls, ON, RANGE
and HOLD.
• Non-destructive moisture readings taken in Wood
from 5% to 30% are displayed on a clear, easy to
read moving coil meter with a linear scale.
Comparative readings between 0 and 100 can be
taken in GRP.
• Audio signal sounds when meter indicates high
reading and can be disabled if required.
Transmit
Electrode
SKIPPER PLUS
Alternating
Electric Field
Material sample
under test
Receive
Electrode
Skipper Plus
User Guide
6
• The HOLD button freezes moving coil meter,
which facilitates readings taken out-of-sight.
• If HOLD was selected prior to supply timeout, the
held reading is restored next time the meter is
powered on.
• Automatic supply timeout (2 minutes) conserves
battery life.
• Supply timeout is automatically extended if a
change in the meter reading is detected or if any
button is pressed.
• Bleep warning on instrument sounder 10 seconds
prior to end of supply timeout period.
• Last used RANGE is memorized at supply time-
out and automatically selected next time ON but-
ton is pressed.
• Three LEDs indicate selected range, indicate if
HOLD selected and provide warning of battery
nearing end of useful life.
Diagnosis
Your Skipper Plus can be used to diagnose trapped
moisture which can contribute to osmosis in GRP
boats and rot and decay in wooden boats and wood-
en components. The Skipper Plus is also essential in
monitoring drying out of hulls and other boat com-
ponents prior to remedial treatment.
Skipper Plus
User Guide
7
Osmosis in GRP
Use Range 2 when checking GRP boats. Osmosis is
a general term used to categorise a condition where
GRP degrades under water. This degradation is
caused by water penetrating the gel coat and reacting
chemically with uncured resins, binders and other
elements in the GRP lay-up. Once reaction takes
place, pressure builds up and eventually blisters
form.
Osmosis is most often found on the underwater area
of the hull or immediately above the waterline. If the
Skipper Plus gives a high reading, it may indicate
osmosis. It is recommended that the immediate area
is thoroughly examined for blistering or other evi-
dence of osmosis.
(Note that some anti-foulings may give elevated
readings due to the presence of conductive material
in its composition. In these circumstances, it is sug-
gested that the anti-fouling be removed and further
testing carried out on the area.) The Skipper Plus
can be used to monitor the drying out prior to the
remedial treatment. Tramex Ltd. cannot accept any
responsibility for incidental or consequential dam-
age or cost caused as a result of using this instru-
ment.
Wooden Boats
Use Range 1 for Wooden boats. Moisture readings
for wood should be read from the top scale of the
meter marked %H2O Wood, which gives percentage
of moisture by weight from 5% to 30%.
In wooden boats, excess moisture trapped in the
wood itself or beneath layers of paint or within joints
HOLD
Skipper Plus
User Guide
8
in keel, bow etc. can lead in time to rot, decay and
structural damage.
As with a GRP boat, your Skipper Plus is a useful
preventative maintainance tool which can be used
for the annual examination of the hull above and
below the waterline, decks, cabin and inside and out-
side the boat.
The Skipper Plus can also be used to ensure the
wood is sufficiently dry to accept paint or other
coatings.
Important
Always drain water from the bilges before inspect-
ing a boat as water from within the boat could be
detected through the hull by your Skipper Plus . You
may get a slightly different reading from some
species of wood which may be of higher or lower
density than 0.6 S.G. (Hardwood), at which your
Skipper Plus is calibrated. See notes on Specific
Gravity and reading adjustment in Fig. 5 on page 11.
Operating Instructions
The instrument face with brief notes on the push but-
ton controls and LED indicators is shown below.
Skipper Plus
User Guide
9
Fig 2. Skipper Plus Features
1. Press the ON button to power up. The LED for the
last used scale will light. [Note – If the battery
voltage is getting low, the three LEDs will flash
sequentially for a short period. The instrument
will continue to operate for some time but it is rec-
ommended that the PP3 (9 volt) battery be
changed as soon as convenient.]
2. To change range, press/release the RANGE but-
ton until the LED opposite the required range
lights.
3. Press and hold your Skipper Plus directly on the
material being tested, ensuring both conductive
rubber electrodes are fully in contact with the sur-
- Surface Moisture
-Hardwood (0.6 S.G.)
Power On button.
Automatic switch off after
2 minutes if :
-
1. No button pressed.
2. No change in meter
reading.
Range Select button
LED indicators show:
-
1. Selected Scale/Power on.
2. Hold –
flashing LED .
3. Low battery
-
LEDs
flash sequentially.
Moving coil meter
Hold button
ON
RANGE
Range 1. (%H2
O
Range 2. (Comparative
)
Range 3. (Comparative
)
5
30
10
15
20
25
0
20
40
60
80
100
%H?O
Wood
Com parative
- G.R.P.
Skipper Plus
User Guide
10
face. (Partial contact will give reduced readings).
4. Select RANGE 1 when measuring moisture con-
tent in Wood and read the upper line (% H2O
Wood) of the meter dial which is marked from 5%
to 30%. The audio signal will sound when meter
indicates a reading above mid scale.
5. Select RANGE 2 when surveying or inspecting a
GRP hull or fitting and read the bottom compara-
tive scale, which is marked from 0 to 100.
6. Select RANGE 3 when testing for elevated near
surface moisture in GRP and Wood materials and
read the bottom comparative scale, which is
marked from 0 to 100.
7. To turn audio signal on or off, press ON button
twice in quick succession.
8. The instrument will automatically power-off after
two minutes if no button is pressed or if no change
in meter reading is detected. If a button is pressed
or the meter reading changes, the power-off will
be extended for a further two minutes.
9. To hold readings press the HOLD button once.
While on Hold, the LED for the selected range
will flash. This facility is extremely useful if read-
ings are being taken in areas where it is difficult
to see the instrument dial. To release HOLD, press
the HOLD button again.
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