Wagner C555 Concrete Moisture Meter

Wagner C555 Overview

The Wagner C555 is a dedicated pinless concrete moisture meter designed for fast, non-destructive preliminary evaluation of slabs, screeds and similar floor materials. Instead of drilling at every test location, the meter is placed on a smooth, firm surface and used to compare moisture response across the floor.

For flooring installers, this kind of rapid screening can help identify moisture hotspots and decide where more detailed testing should be concentrated before a floor covering, adhesive or coating is installed.

Concrete Screening and ASTM F2659 Workflow

Wagner specifies a concrete measurement range from 0.1 to 6.9 and an evaluation depth of approximately one-half inch below the surface. The meter is intended for comparative preliminary assessment rather than as a universal substitute for every concrete moisture test method.

The included On-Demand Calibrator and built-in ambient sensors give the C555 the components needed for the comparative test workflow outlined in ASTM F2659. Project specifications and flooring manufacturer requirements should still determine the final acceptance method.

Ambient Temperature, RH and Dew Point

The C555 includes sensors for ambient temperature and relative humidity and calculates dew point. These environmental readings are useful because slab conditions do not exist independently of the surrounding air, particularly when a project is approaching installation conditions.

Having environmental measurements in the same instrument also reduces the need to carry a separate basic thermo-hygrometer during preliminary floor surveys.

Relative Mode for Other Building Materials

A 0–100 relative measurement mode can be used on other concrete-like materials such as concrete block. Wagner also describes the meter as useful for preliminary evaluation of gypsum cement and other floor slabs and screeds.

These relative readings should be treated as comparative indicators rather than direct wood-style moisture percentages. Establishing a dry reference and mapping changes across the area is usually more informative than relying on one isolated number.

When to Use the C555

The C555 is best suited to flooring professionals, inspectors and concrete contractors who want to rapidly scan a large slab without damage, identify suspicious areas and then decide where in-situ RH sensors or other specified testing should be placed.

It is not intended for wood species, and it should not replace an ASTM F2170 in-situ RH test when that method is required by the flooring system, project specification or manufacturer. Used as a screening and mapping tool, however, it adds speed and structure to the concrete moisture investigation workflow.