Page 14
Wireless Soil Moisture/ Temperature Station
Installation Procedure for Turf/Lawns
1. Cut a slight “V” shaped trench about 5” wide at the top and about 6” deep
into the turf--about 6” long.
2. Lift out the turf plug piece you just cut.
3. Press the sensors into the soil at about a 45 degree angle into the side of the
trench to set the sensors about 3”-5” below the soil surface. Make sure they
are good and snug in the soil.
4. Set the plug removed from the trench and compact it back into place. It will
repair itself in short order.
5. Run the wires to the Soil Moisture Station and connect them as described in
“Connecting the Sensors” on page 9.
6. If you withhold irrigation for several days and allow the soil to dry down a
bit, you should see the soil moisture readings start to creep upward.
7. Usually, you will not need to water the turf until the reading is in the 25-40
area at the recommended 3”-5” depth.
Removing the Sensors
1. When removing sensors prior to harvest in annual crops, it’s a good idea to
do this just after the last irrigation when the soil is moist.
2. Do not pull the sensor out by the wires. You may have to dig out, at least
partially, any sensors more than 12” deep or any sensors in dry soil. Careful
removal prevents sensor and sensor membrane damage.
3. When sensors are removed for winter storage, clean the sensors, dry them,
and place them in a clean, dry location.
Wiring Sensors
Both the soil moisture sensors and the temperature probes come with 15’
(4.6 m) cables.
• If additional wiring is required, up to 1000’ (300 m) of additional wire
can be spliced onto the sensor wire.
• The additional wire must be fully waterproof.
• We recommend using #18 gauge wire with UF insulation, and using a
3M Scotchpak or Duraseal heat shrink splice connector.
Note: Avoid long wire runs near power cables. The transient currents can affect the
small current used to read the sensors.
