SEN0193 Soil Moisture Sensor retaining water

jose.filipe.domingues 2017-05-10 18:23:34 2096 Views2 Replies
Hi,

I bought and have been testing the Soil Moisture Sensor for a few weeks now, and it has been working fine.

However, I notice that it seems to be retaining water. I use the sensor in a plant pot, and after watering the pot it seems to quickly detect the water. I have noticed that the pot seems to be drying a lot quicker than around the sensor. If I take the sensor out, clean it with a paper tissue and put it back in, the measures are way lower (more dry).

It seems that the sensor is retaining water around it, which obviously gives wrong measure of whole pot.

Q1: Could the sensor be too deep? Maybe if I just cover the tip of the sensor with soil, there is less of an issue.

Q2: Could it be the soil? Could I be using some soil that makes this happen? If so, any recommendations to improve the soild around it so this doesn't happen?

Thanks in advance,
Jose

2017-05-11 20:45:37 Hi Robert,

Yes. I don't know else how to describe it. It is like the sensor acts as a sponge, or a magnet. The moist stays around the sensor, not in the soil.

I'll test with different soils and depths, I'll come back when I have the results.

Thanks,
Jose jose.filipe.domingues

2017-05-11 18:34:26 Did you put the sensor at the same depth for the second time? As I know, because the sensor is based on capacitive sensing, so because of the difference of the soil or the depth you put the sensor, the moisture may different robert.chen