General DSMM600 User Manual page 5

To power off the meter, press and hold the C/F OFF button for at least
3 seconds.
To measure the conditions of soil in a pot or garden plot, first remove the
protective sensor cap (Fig. 1, Callout I). Then insert the probe slowly and
vertically into the soil:
• For plants in pots less than 1 ft. in diameter, insert the probe halfway
between the plant stem and the edge of the pot. Be careful not to
damage delicate roots by inserting the probe close to a plant's stem.
• For plants in larger pots, insert the probe one-third of the distance
between the stem and the edge of the pot.
• If the pot is deep, push the probe deeper—where plant roots are denser.
The upper and lower readouts of the DSMM600 are dedicated to sunlight and
moisture levels. The meter does not indicate the precise value of either level;
instead, it displays the "ballpark" range containing the current reading. The
Specifications section of this manual correlates the names of displayed ranges
(HGH-, NOR, WET+, for example) with the sunlight or moisture level value
measured. (NOR is shorthand for normal, HGH- and NOR- mean slightly less
than high and normal, NOR+ is slightly higher than normal, and WET+ and
DRY+ should be interpreted as extremely wet and dry.)
To maximize the accuracy of sunlight readings, point the light sensor at the top
front of the meter (Fig. 1, Callout D) toward the sun.
The middle (main) readout shows soil pH or soil temperature, depending on the
position of the switch at the top of the back of the meter body (Fig. 1, Callout A).
To display soil pH instead of soil temperature on the main readout, slide the
switch to the left (the pH position). Note that doing so causes the lower,
moisture level readout to disappear.
To resume showing soil temperature on the main readout, slide the pH/Temp
switch to the right. If the soil temperature is lower than 16°F (-9°C), Lo will
appear on the main readout. If the soil temperature is higher than 122°F
(50°C), HH will appear on the main readout.
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