THE BROWN-DUVEL MOISTURE TESTER 
33 
VOLUME OF OIL VERSUS MOISTURE-TEST RESULT 
Variation in the volume of oil used in making a moisture test 
may cause variation in the moisture-test result. Five series of 12 
moisture tests each were made on the same sample of corn, using 
varying volumes of oil in each series. 
The data, as shown in Table 10, indicate that there is an increase 
in the moisture-test result when less than 150 cubic centimeters of oil 
is used but show no appreciable variation in the moisture-te.st result 
from using slightly more than* 150 cubic centimeters of oil. 
Table 10. — A decrease in oil volume below 150 cubic centimeters causes an 
increase in the moisture-test result; an increase in oil volume above 150 
cubic centimeters will only slightly effect the moisture-test result 
Volume of oil used 
115 c. c. 
(per cent 
moisture) 
135 c. c. 
(per cent 
moisture) 
150 c. c. 
(standard) 
(per cent 
moisture) 
165 c. c. 
(per cent 
moisture) 
185 c. c. 
(per cent 
moisture) 
19.03 
19.2 
18.9 
.3 
+.17 
18.98 
19.1 
18.8 
.3 
.12 
18.86 
19.1 
18.7 
.4 
18.85 
19.1 
18.6 
.5 
—.01 
18.83 
19.1 
18.7 
Range 
Average variation from standard 150 c. c. 
.4 
—.03 
BROWN-DUVEL MOISTURE TESTERS EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRIC 
HEATERS 
Reports are frequently received stating that it is difficult to ob- 
tain the same moisture-test results when making comparative mois- 
ture tests on grain with the gas-heated and the electrically-heated 
Brown-Duvel moisture testers. In most instances, the reports show 
that the moisture tests on the electric machines run lower than the 
tests on the standard gas machines, although there are instances at 
some of the markets where the tests on the electrically-heated tester 
give moisture-test results higher than the results obtained when made 
on the standard gas tester, some of them reported as being higher 
by over 2 per cent. 
To determine the efficiency of the electrically-heated tester and 
the reasons for its failure always to check results obtained on the 
standard gas machine, investigations were conducted for the pur- 
pose of studying and comparing the factors which influence mois- 
ture-test results as made with the electrically-heated tester. These 
investigations covered such points as the types of heaters now em- 
ployed (in 1925), their heat capacity, their efficiency in transmitting 
heat to the moisture flask, their durability, the nature and uniformity 
of the electric service supplied, loss of current due to conditions of 
wiring, and how fluctuations or lack of voltage and current will 
affect the wattage or heat developed. Finally, how lowered voltage 
affects the time of making the tests and how this time factor in- 
fluences the moisture-test result. 
