Soil moistur
Soil moisture measur
e measurements
ements
The sensor measures soil moisture in units of volumetric water
content (VWC) percentage. Volumetric water content is the ratio of
water volume per unit of soil volume.
Dry soil consists of solid material and air pockets. Consider a soil
sample with a volumetric ratio of 55% solid material and 45% air
pockets. As water enters the soil, the air pockets begin to fill with
water. A sample measuring 10% VWC would be 55% solid material,
35% air pockets, and 10% water. The soil is saturated when all the air
spaces are filled with water. In this example, the maximum volumetric
water content would be 45%.
The sensor provides VWC measurements for three types of soil:
• Clay
Clay
Use this measurement for soil that is smooth to the touch and
easily compacted. This type of soil will be sticky and clump
together when wet but crack as it dries.
• Sand
Sand
Use this measurement for soil consisting of coarse and gritty
particles.
• Loam
Loam
Use this measurement for soil consisting of a mixture of sand, clay,
and silt. Loam is often high in dark, composted material and found
in most commercial garden soils.
Connect the sensor t
Connect the sensor to softwar
o softwaree
Connect the sensor to SPARKvue or PASCO Capstone to collect data.
SP
SPARK
ARKvue
vue
1. Turn on the Wireless Soil Moisture Sensor.
2. Open SPARKvue then click Sensor Data
.
3. Connect the Wireless Soil Moisture Sensor to SPARKvue:
◦
USB: Connect the Wireless Soil Moisture Sensor to your device
using the USB cable.
Note: USB is not supported for iOS devices.
◦
Bluetooth: Select the Wireless Soil Moisture Sensor that
matches its device ID.
4. Select
the measurements you want to display.
5. Select a Template to display your data.
6. Click Start
to begin data collection.
P
PASCO Capst
ASCO Capstone
one
1. Turn on the Wireless Soil Moisture Sensor.
2. Open Capstone then click Hardware Setup
.
3. Connect the Wireless Soil Moisture Sensor:
◦
USB: Connect the Wireless Soil Moisture Sensor to your
computing device using the USB cable.
◦
Bluetooth: Select the Wireless Soil Moisture Sensor that
matches its device ID.
4. Click Data Summary
then click and drag a measurement to a
display, such as a Graph
.
5. Click Record
to begin data collection.
Additional r
Additional resour
esources
ces
Softwar
Software help
e help
Additional information on how to use the Wireless Soil Moisture
Sensor with SPARKvue and Capstone can be found in the SPARKvue
and PASCO Capstone Help. The help can be accessed within the
software or online.
SP
SPARK
ARKvue
vue
Software: Click
then select Help
Help.
Online: pasco.com/help/sparkvue
P
PASCO Capst
ASCO Capstone
one
Software: In the menu bar, click Help
Help then select
PASCO
PASCO Capstone
Capstone Help
Help.
Online: pasco.com/help/capstone
Pr
Product information
oduct information
Visit the product web page at
pasco.com/product/PS-3228
pasco.com/product/PS-3228 for additional
information including:
• Specifications
• Buying Guide
• Experiments
• Documents
TTechnical Suppor
echnical Supportt
Need more help? Our knowledgeable and friendly Technical Support
staff is ready to provide assistance with this or any other PASCO
product.
Phone (USA)
1-800-772-8700 (Option 4)
Phone (International)
+1 916 462 8384
Online
Wireless Soil Moisture Sensor | 3
