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Related Manuals for Spectrum Technologies FIELDSCOUT TDR 350
Summary of Contents for Spectrum Technologies FIELDSCOUT TDR 350
- Page 1 TDR 350 Soil Moisture Meter PRODUCT MANUAL Item # 6435...
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Page 2: General Overview
General overview Thank you for purchasing the FieldScout TDR 350 soil moisture meter. This manual describes the meter's general features and operation. Soil moisture is a critical, and potentially highly varia- ble, component of the soil environment. Time domain reflectometry is a proven technology for quickly and accurately determining volumetric water content (VWC) in soil. -
Page 3: Table Of Contents
CONTENTS General Overview Specifications Product Dimensions Meter Care Button Functions Meter Operation Display Screens GNSS (Location) Features Setting Date/Time Optimizing Geo-Referenced Measurements Maintenance Data Logs Field Scout Mobile App/SpecConnect Pairing TDR350 with FieldScout Mobile App VWC Measurements Electrical Conductivity Optional Accessories Appendix 1: Soil Specific Reading Correlation Appendix 2: Troubleshooting Appendix 3: Updating Device Firmware... -
Page 4: Specifications
Specifications Measurement Percent volumetric water content (VWC) Units Period (raw sensor reading) Resolution, VWC: 0.1% increment ±3.0% @ < 2 mS/cm Accuracy and 0% to Saturation (Saturation is typically around Range 50% volumetric water) EC: 0.01 increment ; ± 0.1 mS/cm; 0 - 5 range Temperature: 0.2 ˚F (0.1 ˚C) increment ;... -
Page 5: Product Dimensions
Product dimensions... -
Page 6: Meter Care
Meter Care The FieldScout TDR meter will function properly under normal conditions experienced in field use. The sensor block is sealed and will not be damaged by immersion in water. The display is not waterproof so it should not be used during heavy rainfall or left exposed during irrigation events. -
Page 7: Button Functions
Button Functions ON/OFF or BACK button Press briefly to power on. − Press and hold to power on and stay on the logo − screen. Press for 2 seconds to power off. − Press briefly within a menu to return to prior −... -
Page 8: Meter Operation
Meter Operation Probe base, thumb screw, and probe rods Setting up the meter 1. Pull the battery transport tab out of the display unit. 2. If desired, extend the collapsible shaft by removing the thumb screw (shown above) from the side, grip and extend the lower shaft to its new position, re-insert the thumb screw, and hand tighten. -
Page 9: Display Screens
Display Screens The TDR 350 has 3 main display screens; - Startup (as shown on page 8) - Reading (shown below) - Settings Menu (see page 10) Startup Information screen Initially displayed after first powered on. - Displays firmware version information. - Press and hold ON/OFF|BACK button to remain on this screen. - Page 10 Settings Menu screen Used for changing device features, setting rod length and working with log files. Use the arrow buttons to move to the desired option. Use the MENU|SELECT button to toggle option choices. Clear Average*: Clears the displayed average and count. Note: Same as a press and hold of the READ|Down arrow button.
- Page 11 Moisture Type: Selects displayed moisture mode VWC%, Peri- od, or TDR 300. - VWC%: Volumetric Water Content with EC compensation. - Period: Raw sensor reading in microseconds (us). - TDR 300: VWC without EC compensation EC Units: EC value (mS/cm) or Salinity Index (see p. 25). Auto-Off: Power off delay: 15, 30, 45, 60 minutes.
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Page 12: Gnss (Location) Features
GNSS (location) Features The location reference will be stored with the measurement in the data log. The TDR350 has 3 settings related to the geo-location feature. These settings can be enabled or disabled in the Settings Menu (p. 10). Select the desired option and press the Menu/ Select button to toggle between the ENABLE and DISABLE op- tions. -
Page 13: Setting Date/Time
Setting Date/Time By default, the TDR350 gets the date and time from the satellite signal. These values are displayed in the Settings Menu (p. 11). The date and time can also be set manually. When the time and date are set manually, they will over-ride the default value. Note: When the batteries are removed, the date/time are reset and the meter resumes getting this information from the satel- lites. -
Page 14: Optimizing Geo-Referenced Measurements
Optimizing Geo-Referenced Measurements Achieving optimal results of the geo-referencing feature depends on several factors including how long the meter has remained ac- tive, atmospheric conditions for the day, which satellite systems are in range and obstacles that may block the reception of the sat- ellite signals. - Page 15 Preparing for a data collection session Upon initially powering on or enabling the GNSS location fea- ture, expect the first geo-referenced location to take place within a minute or so of operation on a clear day. The GNSS location ar- row icon (page.7) will transition from clear to a shaded color as more satellites or higher level of precision are reached.
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Page 16: Maintenance
Maintenance Separating the Display and Sensor: 1. Remove the probe rods from the sensor base. 2. Flip the display so the backing plate is facing up. 3. Remove the 4 screws on the base using a Philips screwdriver. 4. Gently separate the display from the base plate. Note: The sensor cable connected in the center has limited cable length. - Page 17 Display Installation: 1. Follow the procedures for Display Removal to access the display and cable connections. 2. Re-connect the sensor cable to the 3.5mm connector on the back of the display module. 3. Insert the foam spacer back into place behind the sensor cable. The split end fits around the sensor cable molding.
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Page 18: Data Logs
Data Logs Sample TDR 350 data file Downloading Data Logs to a USB Flash Drive 1. Connect the flash drive to the meter’s USB port. 2. Press the MENU|SELECT button to open the Settings Menu. 3. Press the READ|Down arrow button to reach the Save to USB op- tion. - Page 19 Time: MM/DD/YYYY HH:MM:SS based on the GMT offset selected in the Timezone option (p. 11) VWC%: Volumetric Water Content based on the Moisture Type setting - EC Compensated or “TDR 300” (without EC compensation) Period: Raw Period result (after any applied user calibration) EC: Electrical Conductivity in milliSiemens per centimeter Temp_Soil: Soil temperature sensor reading in degrees Celsius Temp_Soil(F): Soil temperature sensor reading in degrees Fahrenheit...
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Page 20: Field Scout Mobile App/Specconnect
Field Scout Mobile App/ SpecConnect The FieldScout Mobile App can be used to send data directly to the SpecConnect web interface. Data can be viewed on a Smartphone in two formats. In grid mode, the site is divided into a customizable 2-dimensional grid of 3 to 5 rows and 3 to 5 col- umns. - Page 21 Fig. 3. 2-D Contour Plot in SpecConnect Fig. 4. Trend Report...
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Page 22: Pairing Tdr350 With Fieldscout Mobile App
Pairing With The FieldScout Mobile App The internal Bluetooth radio must be paired with the smartphone running FieldScout Mobile. For some smartphone operating sys- tems, it may be necessary to manually enable Location Services. 1. Activate Bluetooth feature on the smartphone. 2. - Page 23 b. For Freeform mode, the app will immediately transition to the Take Reading screen (Fig. 3). 6. Tap the Connect FieldScout Device via Bluetooth button. If the Bluetooth feature has not been activated, you will be prompted to do so. 7.
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Page 24: Vwc Measurements
VWC Measurements Volumetric Water Content (VWC) The ratio of the volume of water in a given volume of soil to the total soil volume expressed as a decimal or a percentage. Three soil moisture levels of most importance can be defined as follows: Saturation: All soil pores are filled with water. -
Page 25: Electrical Conductivity
Electrical Conductivity Electrical Conductivity The FieldScout TDR uses EC readings obtained from the same probes used to measure VWC. To improve the VWC measurement accuracy, EC is factored out of the VWC reading. This is a key advantage over its pre- decessor. -
Page 26: Optional Accessories
Optional Accessories There are three optional items that can be used to expand the capa- bilities of the TDR350. Visit www.specmeters.com for more infor- mation and installation instructions. Infrared Temperature Sensor (item 6435TS) Provides an instantaneous and highly accurate tempera- ture reading as an alternative to the existing surface tem- perature sensor. -
Page 27: Appendix 1: Soil Specific Reading Correlation
Appendix 1: Soil-Specific Reading Correlation To improve accuracy, correlate TDR period readings with a soil-specific sample set. VWC data can be correlated by measuring the weight of a known volume of saturated soil as it is gradually dried, by gradually wetting a known volume soil with measured increments of water, or by using a neutron probe. -
Page 28: Appendix 2: Troubleshooting
Appendix 2 Troubleshooting Sensor Function Verification: Test readings can be taken in three standard environments; air, distilled water, and sand saturated with distilled water. It is important that any troubleshooting be done with distilled water. Readings taken in tap water can differ greatly from the expected results observed in distilled water. -
Page 29: Appendix 3: Updating Device Firmware
Appendix 3: Updating Device Firmware Firmware updates may be made available to add or improve the product features. The firmware can be updated using a USB flash drive. Firmware update files can be found on the Spectrum web- site. 1. Copy the latest firmware update from your PC onto the root directory of the flash drive. -
Page 30: Appendix 4: Calibration
Appendix 4: Calibration The FieldScout TDR is fully calibrated at the factory. Further calibration is not required nor recommended. The meter has internal calibrations for standard, sand, and high-clay soil types which will work for many soils. Each meter will have a small difference in how it responds to identical soil conditions. -
Page 31: Glossary
Glossary EC: Electrical Conductivity. A measure of how well the soil solu- tion conducts electricity. The EC is influenced by the amount of salt and water in the soil. EGNOS: European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service. Pan -European satellite navigation system. It augments the US GPS satellite navigation system and makes it suitable for safety critical applications. -
Page 32: Warranty And Declaration Of Conformity
Spectrum is not responsible for any package that is re- turned without a valid RMA number or for the loss of the package by any shipping company. DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY Spectrum Technologies, Inc. 3600 Thayer Ct. Aurora, IL 60504 USA Model Numbers:...
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