AF043-01
US Patent 5148125
Revision Date: 14 March, 2001
1
Aquaflex Soil Moisture Sensor (SI.60)
-User Manual-
These Aquaflex sensors can be connected to:
An Aquaflex Datalogger (sensor part number SI.60-D) and both Soil Moisture and
Temperature may be logged, or:
Any datalogger, irrigation controller, weather station etc that accepts a frequency (pulse)
input. In this case only Soil Moisture is available from the sensor.
Sensor Location
It is important that the sensor serial number and the location of the sensor are recorded:
Serial Number _____________ Date Installed _____________ Location _________________________________
Sensor Installation
Recommendations for sensor installation are given below. Your local AQUAFLEX Distributor
will be pleased to give advice about the most suitable method of installation for your
application.
There are two main methods for installing the sensors, the choice of which to uses depends
on the required installation depth for the sensor.
For shallow installation (eg turf applications) the sensor can be simply ‘slit’ into the turf.
For deeper installations a trench must be dug for the sensor.
Shallow Installations (eg Turf)
Mark where the sensor is to be installed with a string line. Position the sensor where it
can be easily located in future
– eg on a marker line on a sports field or at the edge of a
golf green marked by sight markers.
Cut a slit to the desired depth (eg 75 to 100mm) for the sensor. A slightly larger cavity is
needed for the electronics block at the cable end of the sensor.
Prepare some method for running the round data cable between the sensor and its
destination (eg a data logger or irrigation controller etc). This might be an additional long
slit in the turf, or a shallow trench etc. This should be sufficiently deep to prevent
damage to the buried data cable.
Push the flat sensor cable into the slit in the turf on its edge to the desired depth.
Tamp down the slits in the turf and sprinkle fine sand or topsoil into the slit, packing it in
as much as possible to avoid air pockets.
Water the turf we
ll to ‘bed’ the sensor in. Roll the ground if possible
Run the data cable to its destination.
