Soil moisture - capacitance (TMS)
Parameter to be measured:
Soil moisture, soil and air temperature
Method:
Capacitance
Equipment:
- temperature measurement with sensor MAXIM/DALLAS Semiconductor DS7505U+, with resolution of 0.0625 °C and with accuracy of ±0.5 °C
- soil moisture measurement based on capacity technique in the frequency of 100-200MHz
- integrated data loggers of 32MBit
Advantages:
- stand alone system
- cheap
- Easy to install
Disadvantages:
- Calibration needed
- Small measurement volume compared to other sensors
- not for portable usage designed
- life time is short (in the first two years errors of the measured values start to increase, especially the temperature sensor is effected)
What to watch out for:
- Careful installation, air gaps have a sustainable influence on the measurement compared to other sensors because of the small measurement volume
Problems/Questions:
Price:
80 € (2013, Europe)
Links
Projects that used the above equipment:
Other related web sites: