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soil moisture monitoring — Parallax Forums

soil moisture monitoring

ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
edited 2003-06-29 14:57 in General Discussion
Hi all,

My tomato plants are lacking some much needed help.

I was wondering in there was some simple way to monitor the soil
moisture at 2 levels, one at the upper root zone and one at the lower
root zone.

I have the drip irragaton system in and had hoped a simple timer
circuit would suffice, but alas, I think feedback is needed.

I found wheatstone bridge circuits, but no tomato-stone bridge
circuits.

any advice ?

Dave

Comments

  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-06-27 15:59
    You might try researching electrical resistance sensors, commericial ones
    are a bit pricey, but I think you could make one yourself if you're clever.
    We use a lot of Stevens-Vitel Hydra Probes, $250 a pop, but they're real
    accurate. Don't think there's anything commercially available for less than
    a couple hundred bucks...if you find anything, let me know!

    Jeff Kennedy
    USDA Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed

    Original Message
    From: "Dave Mucha" <davemucha@j...>
    To: <basicstamps@yahoogroups.com>
    Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2003 7:27 PM
    Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] soil moisture monitoring


    > Hi all,
    >
    > My tomato plants are lacking some much needed help.
    >
    > I was wondering in there was some simple way to monitor the soil
    > moisture at 2 levels, one at the upper root zone and one at the lower
    > root zone.
    >
    > I have the drip irragaton system in and had hoped a simple timer
    > circuit would suffice, but alas, I think feedback is needed.
    >
    > I found wheatstone bridge circuits, but no tomato-stone bridge
    > circuits.
    >
    > any advice ?
    >
    > Dave
    >
    >
    >
    > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    > basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the Subject and
    Body of the message will be ignored.
    >
    >
    > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
    >
    >
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-06-27 19:07
    Hi Dave,

    These URLs might provide some options for you:

    <http://www.emesystems.com/smx.htm>
    <http://www.emesystems.com/OL2mhos.htm>
    <http://www.sowacs.com>

    -- Tracy


    >Hi all,
    >
    >My tomato plants are lacking some much needed help.
    >
    >I was wondering in there was some simple way to monitor the soil
    >moisture at 2 levels, one at the upper root zone and one at the lower
    >root zone.
    >
    >I have the drip irragaton system in and had hoped a simple timer
    >circuit would suffice, but alas, I think feedback is needed.
    >
    >I found wheatstone bridge circuits, but no tomato-stone bridge
    >circuits.
    >
    >any advice ?
    >
    >Dave
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-06-29 14:57
    Gypsum blocks with wires in them


    At 07:59 AM 6/27/03 -0700, you wrote:
    >You might try researching electrical resistance sensors, commericial ones
    >are a bit pricey, but I think you could make one yourself if you're clever.
    >We use a lot of Stevens-Vitel Hydra Probes, $250 a pop, but they're real
    >accurate. Don't think there's anything commercially available for less than
    >a couple hundred bucks...if you find anything, let me know!
    >
    >Jeff Kennedy
    >USDA Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed
    >
    >
    Original Message
    >From: "Dave Mucha" <davemucha@j...>
    >To: <basicstamps@yahoogroups.com>
    >Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2003 7:27 PM
    >Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] soil moisture monitoring
    >
    >
    >> Hi all,
    >>
    >> My tomato plants are lacking some much needed help.
    >>
    >> I was wondering in there was some simple way to monitor the soil
    >> moisture at 2 levels, one at the upper root zone and one at the lower
    >> root zone.
    >>
    >> I have the drip irragaton system in and had hoped a simple timer
    >> circuit would suffice, but alas, I think feedback is needed.
    >>
    >> I found wheatstone bridge circuits, but no tomato-stone bridge
    >> circuits.
    >>
    >> any advice ?
    >>
    >> Dave
    >>
    >>
    >>
    >> To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    >> basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    >> from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the Subject and
    >Body of the message will be ignored.
    >>
    >>
    >> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
    >>
    >>
    >
    >
    >To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    > basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    >from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the Subject and
    Body of the message will be ignored.
    >
    >
    >Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
    >
    >
    >

    Roger Edberg
    roger@i...
    www.industrialartist.com
    www.technicaltree.com
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