Testing barley DM with microwave

D C

Member
Location
Endmoor cumbria
can I test the D M of barley by drying it in a microwave? Would like an idea of moisture content for adding propcorn as I don't have a moisture meter.
Thanks
 

Brisel

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Midlands
An oven would be better. The microwave will just make it sweat until it catches fire.

Weigh the sample. Oven dry for 30 minutes at 200oC spread out on a baking tray so the water can escape. Weigh again.
 

Banana Bar

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Bury St Edmunds
An oven would be better. The microwave will just make it sweat until it catches fire.

Weigh the sample. Oven dry for 30 minutes at 200oC spread out on a baking tray so the water can escape. Weigh again.
Sure this is a stupid question, presume you weigh 100g before oven and then again after? Very accurate scales must be needed?
 

Brisel

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Midlands
Sure this is a stupid question, presume you weigh 100g before oven and then again after? Very accurate scales must be needed?

Yes, or you need to dry a big amount. I think you'd need to have a digital set that weighs in grammes to 2 decimal places. That's what a local central store had for placating farmers who didn't trust the £25k Foss machine! It was a special oven for doing just that.

The basic theory is that you remove all the moisture in the oven so the weight loss is (or was) the moisture content.
 

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