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SMRT-Y Soil Moisture Sensor
Calculating Field Capacity / Moisture Threshold
Each lawn is different. Your Field Capacity and moisture threshold are unique. The following is the best
method to determine your ideal moisture threshold setting. Remember that you can adjust your moisture
threshold at any time.
Field Capacity Method
Near sundown, soak the soil to saturation in the area of the sensor. It is important that the area is very wet so
that the water is standing on the surface.
This can be accomplished with a 5 gallon bucket of water or a garden hose. The next morning, before the
direct sunlight reaches the sensor location, take a moisture reading by pressing the ‘Read Sensor’ button. This
reading is your soil’s Field Capacity. Your ideal moisture threshold setting should be 80% of Field Capacity.
Automatic Moisture Threshold Method
Near sundown, soak the soil around the sensor to saturation
with a 5 gallon bucket. Set your controller to irrigate at 5:00
am the following morning.
Finally, simultaneously press and hold both the ‘Read
Sensor’ and ‘Soil Temp’ buttons while you depress and
release the ‘Soil EC’ button once. The Suspended Watering
mode and Watering Allowed mode will start blinking.
When your controller attempts to irrigate the following
morning, the SMRT-Y will take a measurement and
automatically set your moisture threshold to 80% of Field
Capacity.
VIEW THRESHOLD
HOLD
INCREASE
DECREASE
TEMP. ºF or C
HOLD
PRESS
Read
Sensor
Soil
Temp
Soil
EC
Bypass
Sensor
HOLD
HOLD
