More accurate in soils with high bulk EC
Overview
The CS655 is a multiparameter smart sensor that uses innovative techniques to monitor soil volumetric-water content, bulk electrical conductivity, and temperature. It outputs an SDI-12 signal that many of our dataloggers can measure. It has shorter rods than the CS650, for use in problem soils.
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Benefits and Features
- Larger sample volume reduces error
- Measurement corrected for effects of soil texture and electrical conductivity
- Estimates soil-water content for a wide range of mineral soils
- Versatile sensor—measures dielectric permittivity, bulk electrical conductivity (EC), and soil temperature
Images
Detailed Description
The CS655 consists of two 12-cm-long stainless steel rods connected to a printed circuit board. The circuit board is encapsulated in epoxy and a shielded cable is attached to the circuit board for data logger connection.
The CS655 measures propagation time, signal attenuation, and temperature. Dielectric permittivity, volumetric water content, and bulk electrical conductivity are then derived from these raw values.
Measured signal attenuation is used to correct for the loss effect on reflection detection and thus propagation time measurement. This loss-effect correction allows accurate water content measurements in soils with bulk EC ≤8 dS m-1 without performing a soil-specific calibration.
Soil bulk electrical conductivity is also calculated from the attenuation measurement. A thermistor in thermal contact with a probe rod near the epoxy surface measures temperature. Horizontal installation of the sensor provides accurate soil temperature measurement at the same depth as the water content. Temperature measurement in other orientations will be that of the region near the rod entrance into the epoxy body.
Compatibility
Please note: The following shows notable compatibility information. It is not a comprehensive list of all compatible products.
Dataloggers
| Product | Compatible | Note |
|---|---|---|
| CR1000 (retired) | ||
| CR1000X (retired) | ||
| CR300 (retired) | ||
| CR3000 (retired) | ||
| CR310 | ||
| CR350 | ||
| CR6 | ||
| CR800 (retired) | ||
| CR800 (retired) | ||
| CR850 (retired) | ||
| CR850 (retired) |
Additional Compatibility Information
RF Considerations
External RF Sources
External RF sources can affect the probe’s operation. Therefore, the probe should be located away from significant sources of RF such as ac power lines and motors.
Interprobe Interference
Multiple CS655 probes can be installed within 4 inches of each other when using the standard data logger SDI-12 “M” command. The SDI-12 “M” command allows only one probe to be enabled at a time.
Optional Installation Tool
CS650G Rod Insertion Guide Tool
The CS650G makes inserting soil-water sensors easier in dense or rocky soils. This tool can be hammered into the soil with force that might damage the sensor if the CS650G was not used. It makes pilot holes into which the rods of the sensors can then be inserted.
Specifications
| Measurements Made | Soil electrical conductivity (EC), relative dielectric permittivity, volumetric water content (VWC), soil temperature |
| Required Equipment | Measurement system |
| Soil Suitability | Short rods are easy to install in hard soil. Suitable for soils with higher electrical conductivity. |
| Rods | Not replaceable |
| Sensors | Not interchangeable |
| Sensing Volume | 3600 cm3 (~7.5 cm radius around each probe rod and 4.5 cm beyond the end of the rods) |
| Electromagnetic | CE compliant (Meets EN61326 requirements for protection against electrostatic discharge and surge.) |
| Operating Temperature Range | -50° to +70°C |
| Sensor Output | SDI-12; serial RS-232 |
| Warm-up Time | 3 s |
| Measurement Time | 3 ms to measure; 600 ms to complete SDI-12 command |
| Power Supply Requirements | 6 to 18 Vdc (Must be able to supply 45 mA @ 12 Vdc.) |
| Maximum Cable Length | 610 m (2000 ft) combined length for up to 25 sensors connected to the same data logger control port |
| Rod Spacing | 32 mm (1.3 in.) |
| Ingress Protection Rating | IP68 |
| Rod Diameter | 3.2 mm (0.13 in.) |
| Rod Length | 120 mm (4.7 in.) |
| Probe Head Dimensions | 85 x 63 x 18 mm (3.3 x 2.5 x 0.7 in.) |
| Cable Weight | 35 g per m (0.38 oz per ft) |
| Probe Weight | 240 g (8.5 oz) without cable |
Current Drain |
|
| Active (3 ms) |
|
| Quiescent | 135 µA typical (@ 12 Vdc) |
Electrical Conductivity |
|
| Range for Solution EC | 0 to 8 dS/m |
| Range for Bulk EC | 0 to 8 dS/m |
| Accuracy | ±(5% of reading + 0.05 dS/m) |
| Precision | 0.5% of BEC |
Relative Dielectric Permittivity |
|
| Range | 1 to 81 |
| Accuracy |
|
| Precision | < 0.02 |
Volumetric Water Content |
|
| Range | 0 to 100% (with M4 command) |
| Water Content Accuracy |
|
| Precision | < 0.05% |
Soil Temperature |
|
| Range | -50° to +70°C |
| Resolution | 0.001°C |
| Accuracy |
|
| Precision | ±0.02°C |
Downloads
CS650 / CS655 Firmware v.2 (429 KB) 02-12-2015
Current CS650 and CS655 firmware.
Note: The Device Configuration Utility and A200 Sensor-to-PC Interface are required to upload the included firmware to the sensor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Number of FAQs related to CS655: 55
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Campbell Scientific strongly discourages shortening the sensor’s rods. The electronics in the sensor head have been optimized to work with the 12 cm long rods. Shortening these rods will change the period average. Consequently, the equations in the firmware will become invalid and give inaccurate readings.
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If information is available on soil texture, organic matter content, and electrical conductivity (EC) from soil surveys or lab testing of the soil, it should be possible to tell if the soil conditions fall outside the range of operation of the sensor. Without this information, an educated guess can be made based on soil texture, climate, and management:
- Soil that is coarse textured (such as sand, loamy sand, or sandy loam) works well with a CS650 if the EC is low.
- If the soil is located in an arid or semiarid region, it may have high EC.
- If the soil is frequently fertilized or irrigated with water that has higher EC, it may have high EC.
- If the climate provides enough rain to flush accumulated salts below the root zone, the EC is expected to be low and suitable for a CS650.
When in doubt about soil texture and electrical conductivity, Campbell Scientific recommends using a CS655 because of the sensor’s wider range of operation in electrically conductive soils, as compared with the CS650.
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The bulk electrical conductivity (EC) measurement is made along the sensor rods, and it is an average reading of EC over that distance at whatever depth the rods are placed.
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No. The principle that makes these sensors work is that liquid water has a dielectric permittivity of close to 80, while soil solid particles have a dielectric permittivity of approximately 3 to 6. When liquid water freezes, its dielectric permittivity drops to 3.8, essentially making it look like soil particles to the sensor. A CS650 or CS655 installed in soil that freezes would show a rapid decline in its volumetric water content reading with corresponding temperature readings that are below 0°C. As the soil freezes down below the measurement range of the sensor, the water content values would stop changing and remain steady for as long as the soil remains frozen.
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To get accurate water content readings, a soil-specific calibration is probably required if any of the following are true:
- The soil has more than 5% organic matter content.
- The soil has more than 20% clay content.
- The soil is derived from volcanic parent material.
- The soil has porosity greater than 0.5.
For details on performing a soil-specific calibration, refer to “The Water Content Reflectometer Method for Measuring Volumetric Water Content” section in the CS650/CS655 manual.
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In soil that has a significant fraction of fines (loam, silt loam, silty clay loam, clay loam, clay), the CS655 is a suitable option because these soils tend to be more electrically conductive, and the CS655 operates over a larger range of electrical conductivity than the CS650. In applications where a smaller measurement volume is desired, such as larger greenhouse pots, the 12 cm long rods of the CS655 are preferable to the 30 cm long rods of the CS650.
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A CS650 or CS655 can be ordered with an SDI-12 address option of -VS. With the -VS option, the SDI-12 address is set at the factory before the sensor is shipped. The last digit of the sensor’s serial number becomes that sensor’s SDI-12 address. Typically, the -VS option is chosen when there are multiple sensors that will communicate with the data logger on the same SDI-12 communications terminal.
If the -VS option is not selected when ordering, the CS650 or CS655 will ship with its SDI-12 address set to 0 (the default -DS option). The address can be changed to a non-zero value using the A200 Sensor to PC Interface or by connecting the sensor to an SDI-12 communications terminal and sending the aAb! Command as described in the “SDI-12 Sensor Support” appendix of the CS650/CS655 manual.
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The volumetric water content reading is the average water content over the length of the sensor’s rods.
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Campbell Scientific does not recommend using the CS650 or the CS655 to measure water content in compost. A compost pile is a very hostile environment for making dielectric measurements with soil water content sensors. All of the following combine to make it very difficult to determine a calibration function: high temperature, high and varying electrical conductivity, high organic matter content, heterogeneity of the material in the pile, changing particle size, and changing bulk density. The temperature and electrical conductivity values reported by the CS650 or CS655 may give some useful information about processes occurring in the compost pile, but these sensors will not be able to give useful readings for water content.
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No. The equation used to determine volumetric water content in the firmware for the CS650 and the CS655 is the Topp et al. (1980) equation, which works for a wide range of mineral soils but not for organic soils. In organic soils, the standard equations in the firmware will overestimate water content.
When using a CS650 or a CS655 in organic soil, it is best to perform a soil-specific calibration. For details on performing a soil-specific calibration, refer to “The Water Content Reflectometer Method for Measuring Volumetric Water Content” section in the CS650/CS655 manual. A linear or quadratic equation that relates period average to volumetric water content will work well.
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