CS650 Bodenfeuchtesensor (30cm Stäbe)

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1. What is the warranty for the CS650 and the CS655?

   The CS650 and CS655 are warranted by Campbell Scientific to be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use and service for 12 months from the date of shipment. For further details, see the “Warranty” section of the CS650/CS655 manual.

2. Can the CS650 and the CS655 be repaired?

   Damage to the CS650 or the CS655 electronics or rods cannot be repaired because these components are potted in epoxy. Cable damage, on the other hand, may possibly be repaired. For more information, refer to the Repair and Calibration page.

3. How long will a CS650 or a CS655 last?

   The CS650-series sensors have the same rugged epoxy and stainless-steel rods that have been used for water content reflectometers since the CS615-L model was introduced in 1995. There are CS615-L and CS616 sensors in many locations that have been in continuous use for more than ten years with no reported problems. If a CS650 or CS655 remains undamaged by external forces such as lightning, harsh chemicals, or animal actions, the sensor is expected to continue working for decades. 

4. With the CS650 and the CS655, where is the electrical conductivity measurement made?

   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.

5. Can the CS650 and the CS655 measure water content between 0 and 0.05?

   Probably not. 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. Because the permittivity of water is over an order of magnitude higher than that of soil solids, water content has a significant impact on the overall bulk dielectric permittivity of the soil. When the soil becomes very dry, that impact is minimized, and it becomes difficult for the sensor to detect small amounts of water. In air dry soil, there is residual water that does not respond to an electric field in the same way as it does when there is enough water to flow among soil pores. Residual water content can range from approximately 0.03 in coarse soils to approximately 0.25 in clay. In the natural environment, water contents below 0.05 indicate that the soil is as dry as it is likely to get. Very small changes in water content will likely cause a change in the sensor period average and permittivity readings, but, to interpret those changes, a very careful calibration using temperature compensation would need to be performed.  

6. Can the CS650 and the CS655 measure water content in greenhouse pots?

   Yes, but the pots would have to be large. The CS650 and CS655 can detect water as far away as 10 cm (4 in.) from the rods. If the pot has a diameter smaller than 20 cm (8 in.), the sensor could potentially detect the air around the pot, which would underestimate the water content. In addition, potting soil is typically high in organic matter and clay, causing the probable need for a soil-specific calibration. 

7. Can the CS650 and the CS655 measure water content in mine tailings?

   Mine tailings are highly corrosive and have high electrical conductivity. Some customers have successfully used water content reflectometers, such as the CS650 or the CS655, to measure water content in mine tailings by coating the sensor rods with heat-shrink tubing. This affects the sensor output, and a soil-specific calibration must be performed. Care must be taken during installation to avoid damaging the heat-shrink tubing and exposing the sensor’s rods.  In addition, covering the sensor’s rods invalidates the bulk electrical conductivity reading. Unless the temperature reading provided by the CS650 or the CS655 is necessary, a better option may be to use a CS616 with coated rods.

8. Can the CS650 measure permittivity and electrical conductivity of sea water and sea ice?

   The electrical conductivity (EC) of sea water is approximately 48 dS/m. The CS650 can measure permittivity in water with EC between 0 and 3 dS/m. EC readings become extremely unstable at conductivities higher than 3 dS/m and are reported as NAN or 9999999. Because EC is part of the permittivity equation, an EC reading of NAN leads to a permittivity reading of NAN as well. Thus, the CS650 cannot provide good readings in sea water.

   With regard to sea ice, the electrical conductivity drops significantly when sea water freezes and the permittivity changes from approximately 88 down to approximately 4, as the water changes from a liquid to a solid state. With both EC and permittivity falling to levels that are within the CS650 measurement range, the sensor is expected to give valid readings in sea ice. The sensor is rugged and can withstand the cold temperatures. However, as the ice melts, there will be a point at which the electrical conductivity becomes too high to acquire a valid reading for either permittivity or electrical conductivity.

9. Do the CS650 and the CS655 correct readings for temperature changes?

   No. The temperature sensor is located inside the sensor’s epoxy head next to one of the sensor rods. The stainless-steel rods are not thermally conductive, so the reported soil temperature reading is actually the temperature of the sensor head. If the CS650 or the CS655 is installed horizontally, which is the preferred method, then the sensor head will be at the same temperature as the soil, and the soil temperature value will be accurate. However, if the sensor is installed vertically, and/or with the sensor head above ground, the soil temperature reading will be less accurate. Because the sensor orientation is not known, no temperature correction was written into the firmware.  

10. Why is the permittivity reading NAN or 9999999 for the CS650?

    The CS650-series sensors have several logical tests built into their firmware to ensure that the sensors do not report a number that is known to be erroneous. Erroneous readings are either outside the sensor’s operational limits or outside of published accuracy specifications.

    A reported value of NAN or 9999999 does not necessarily mean that there is a problem with the sensor hardware. The conditions outlined below can lead to a value of NAN or 9999999 for permittivity and volumetric water content.

    SDI-12 communications issue

    If all of the following are true, there is likely an issue with the SDI-12 communications between the sensor and the data logger: the sensor is being polled with an M1! SDI-12 command, the permittivity value reported is NAN, and subsequent values are all zeroes or never change. Possible causes include the following:

    • The sensor is not powered. Check to make sure that the red wire is well connected to a 12 Vdc source and that the black wire is connected to data logger ground.
    • The sensor signal wire is not connected properly. Ensure that the green wire is well connected to the control port specified in the data logger program.
    • The sensor has an SDI-12 address that does not match the data logger program.
    • The sensor has cable or lightning damage.

    Calculated permittivity is less than 0 or greater than 88

    The equation used to convert period average and electrical conductivity values to permittivity is a three-dimensional surface with two independent variables and eleven coefficients, plus an offset. Some rare combinations of period and electrical conductivity result in a permittivity calculation that is less than air (1) or greater than water at 0°C (88). These rare combinations are not expected when the sensor is in soil. 

    Bulk electrical conductivity (EC) is greater than 1.14 dS/m

    When bulk electrical conductivity is greater than 1.14 dS/m, the solution EC is greater than 3 dS/m, which is the upper limit for accurate readings with the CS650. When this occurs, the soil is considered out-of-bounds and will report a value of NAN or 9999999 for both permittivity and volumetric water content.

    Calculated permittivity is less than 80% of the permittivity limit

    A permittivity limit based on the bulk electrical conductivity (EC) reading is used to determine whether the bulk EC at saturation exceeds the sensor’s operational limit. That permittivity limit is calculated and compared to the permittivity reading. If the measured permittivity is more than 20% beyond the permittivity limit, both permittivity and volumetric water content are reported as NAN or 9999999. This is the most common cause of NAN values with the CS650-series sensors, and it occurs because of the soil properties and not because of a sensor malfunction.