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Related Manuals for Spectrum FIELDSCOUT TDR 100
Summary of Contents for Spectrum FIELDSCOUT TDR 100
- Page 1 ® TDR 100 Soil Moisture Meter PRODUCT MANUAL Item # 6440FS (ES) Equipements Scientifiques SA - Département Bio-tests & Industries - 127 rue de Buzenval BP 26 - 92380 Garches Tél. 01 47 95 99 90 - Fax. 01 47 01 16 22 - e-mail: bio@es-france.com - Site Web: www.es-france.com...
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Page 2: Table Of Contents
Field Scout TDR Soil Moisture Meter. Please read this manual thoroughly before using your instrument. For customer support, or to place an order, call Spectrum Technologies, Inc. at (800)248-8873 or (815) 436-4440 between 7:30 am and 5:30 p.m. CST FAX (815)436-4460 e-mail: info@specmeters.com. -
Page 3: General Overview
General overview Thank you for purchasing the Field Scout TDR Soil Moisture Meter. This manual describes the features and operation of the meter. Soil moisture is a critical and, potentially highly variable component of the soil environment. Time-domain reflec- tometry is a proven technology for quickly and accurately determining volumetric water content (VWC) in soil. -
Page 4: Meter Operation
Meter Operation The ON switch turns the meter on and off. When the meter is turned on, it will display the battery status for 3 seconds. The screen will then display the most recently used MODE screen (Volumetric or Relative water content or measurement period). - Page 5 Data Measurement Modes Available measurement options are volumetric water con- tent (VWC) using the standard or high clay mode (see p. 8), up to two relative water content modes (see p. 10), or measurement period (in microseconds). Relative water content options will only appear if they are configured in the software (see Meter Settings, p.
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Page 6: Volumetric Water Content Mode
Volumetric Water Content Mode The volumetric water content (VWC) is the ratio of the volume of water in a given volume of soil to the total soil volume. At saturation, the volumetric water content (expressed as a percentage) will equal the percent pore space of the soil. - Page 7 inaccurately low. For the same reason, the probe should be inserted with a steady, downward pressure. If the rods are wiggled into the soil, air pockets can be created adja- cent to the rods that will result in low readings. The probe should not be struck with a hammer or other blunt instru- ment as this can cause damage to the internal electronics.
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Page 8: Relative Water Content Mode
Relative water Content Mode RWC=25.5 D=3.17in A=23.4 N=06 Asnte In addition to displaying volumetric water content (VWC), the meter can also display the relative water content (RWC) and Water Deficit (see MODE button, p. 5). RWC is an index value calculated with respect to upper (wet) and low- er (dry) VWC set points. -
Page 9: Identifying The Correct Com Port
Identifying the Correct Com Port computer Communications Port to which the PC-3.5 serial cable connected identified by using a paper clip. 1. Disconnect the serial cable from the meter. 2. To bring up the Port Selection screen, click on the Com Port Button, select the com port to be tested and click the Port Test button. -
Page 10: Connecting To A Pc/Changing Batteries
Connecting to a PC/ Changing Batteries The serial port is accessed by removing the face plate of the digital display. It is through this port that the meter is connected to a PC. Connecting to a PC The TDR meter software comes with a gray PC interface cable. -
Page 11: Main Toolbar
Main Toolbar Com Port The gray software cable connects the meter to the computer data port. Se- lect the Com Port that is assigned to the computer data port. See Identify- ing the Correct Com Port (p. 14) for instructions on how to determine which port to select. -
Page 12: Meter Settings
Meter Settings With the TDR100, the Meter Settings screen in the Field Scout software is mainly used to enter the set points for the Relative Water Content mode. The meter name and measurement units are also entered here. The fields are described below. - Page 13 Relative Water Content Set Points: Up to 2 Relative Water Content (see p. 10) modes can be programmed into the meter by entering the wet and dry set points into the appropriate boxes. From the dropdown menus near the bottom of the screen, select which VWC calibration (Standard or High Clay) should be used for each RWC mode.
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Page 14: Meter Calibration
Meter Calibration The meter has internal calibrations for standard and high-clay soil types. These calibrations will work for a large number of soils. However, each meter will have a small difference in how it responds to identical soil conditions. This is due to sensor drift or variability in the electronic components used during manufacturing. -
Page 15: Specifications
Specifications Percent volumetric water content Measurement Units 0.1% Resolution ±3.0% volumetric water content Accuracy –1 with electrical conductivity < 2 dS m Range 0% to saturation (Saturation is typical- ly around 50% volumetric water.) Power 4 AAA alkaline batteries Approximately 12 month life 16 character, 2 line LCD Display Weight... -
Page 16: Appendix 1: Soil-Specific Calibration
Appendix 1 Soil-Specific Calibration For maximum accuracy, you Period = 0950 uS may choose to perform a soil N015 -specific calibration rather than use either of the internal (Standard or High Clay) soil calibrations coded into the TDR meter’s firmware. In these cases, an independent soil moisture content meas- urement is required. - Page 17 VWC = 100*(M )/(ρ Where: mass (g) of wet and dry soil respectively wet, total soil volume (ml) ρ density of water (1g/ml) An alternate, but equivalent, calculation can be obtained from the gravimetric water content and soil bulk density. /ρ...
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Page 18: Appendix 2: Checking Vwc Readings
Appendix 2 Checking VWC Readings There are two tests that can be performed to check if the meter is operat- ing properly. Test 1 (No rods): Disconnect the rods from the probe block. Press the MODE button until the LCD is displaying the Period. With no rods con- nected, the meter should read 1920 ±... -
Page 19: Appendix 3: Troubleshooting
2. I am getting VWC values near 0% for all measurements, even in very wet soil. Most likely a circuit component in the display is damaged and must be repaired. Contact Spectrum Technologies or your dis- tributor to obtain a Return Goods Authorization (RGA) num- ber. - Page 20 This product is warranted to be free from defects in material or workmanship for one year from the date of purchase. During the warranty period Spectrum will, at its option, either repair or replace products that prove to be defective. This...
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