TEROS 54

soil moisture profile probe



overview

features
  • Multi-depth soil moisture profile probe measures water content and temperature.
  • Installs via a small borehole without the need for a pilot tube
  • Hammers directly into the soil for direct soil contact
  • All sensors can be removed at once with dedicated removal tool
  • Easy plug-and-play operation
  • See all your data remotely in real-time
  • Ideal for annual crops and soil that requires sensors to be installed and removed seasonally
  • Get more measurements per logger port
  • Larger measurement volume
  • Reduced labour during installation and removal
  • Accurate research-grade soil moisture measurements
  • Sensors provide profile measurements throughout and around most root zones
  • The robust design means durability during installation and through operation in harsh Conditions

 

simplicity without sacrifice

You need accurate soil moisture measurements from easily installed sensors without extensive excavation. Most profile probes require you to choose between the ease of installation and removal, sensor accuracy, measurement volume, and durability. We weren’t willing to create a soil moisture profile probe unless it could meet all of these requirements. That’s why we made the TEROS 54. There’s the hard way, and then there’s the right way. We designed the TEROS 54 profile probe to make every step of your measurement process easier—without sacrificing accuracy or durability. Soil water content and temperature sensors are positioned at 15, 30, 45, and 60 cm depths, providing root zone measurements without requiring soil pits or cumbersome sensor retrieval at lower depths. You get the convenience of profile measurements combined with the research-grade accuracy you’ve come to expect.

 

get in. get out. get data.

Avoid the cost, hassle, and time of large drilling equipment and pilot tubes. TEROS 54 installation only requires a simple 2 cm borehole for the robust quad-fin profile sensor to be hammered into the soil. This creates better sensor/soil contact for more accurate readings. Removing the TEROS 54 is made simple with the dedicated extraction tool, making this sensor ideal for annual crops that require sensors to be installed and removed multiple times throughout the year.

A graphical animation of the installation of the TEROS 54

 

do more with less

Using multiple individual sensors in an extensive sensor network can create a cord management nightmare, requiring an overabundance of wires and using up all the ports on your data logger. The TEROS 54 alleviates this problem, connecting all the sensors to the ZL6 data logger via one wire while maintaining your ability to monitor individual sensors in ZENTRA Cloud. Best of all, the TEROS 54 is plug-and-play—no programming or wiring necessary.

 

see the bigger picture

Other cylindrical profile probes have a minimal measurement volume, only allowing you to see what is happening in a small volume of soil. The quad-fin design of the TEROS 54 creates a large measurement volume than the typical soil moisture profile probe, providing a more holistic view of soil moisture status. More sensors per data logger combined with more soil measured with each probe means you can build a larger data pool with fewer resources. And with ZENTRA Cloud, you can see all your data remotely in real-time from the comfort of your desk.

 

confidence is king

With the TEROS 54, you can measure confidently, knowing your

sensors are designed and constructed by scientists who understand your challenges and the importance of getting it right.

 

video

 

 

specifications

feature specification
Volumetric Water Content (VWC)
Range Mineral Soil Calibration: 0.00-0.70 m3/m3 NOTE: The VWC range is dependent on the media the sensor is calibrated to. A custom calibration will accommodate the necessary ranges for most substrates. Apparent Dielectric Permittivity (Ea): 1-50 (soil range) 1 (air) to 80 (water)
Resolution 0.001 m3/m3
Accuracy Generic Calibration: ±0.05 m3/m3 typical in mineral soils that have solution EC< 8 dS/m Medium Specific Calibration: ±0.02-0.03 m3/m3 in any porous medium Apparent Dielectric Permittivity (Ea): 1-40 (soil range), ±1 (E0) (unitless) 40-80, 15% of measurement
Measurement Specifications
Dielectric Measurement Frequency 70 MHz
Temperature Range: -20 to +60 ° C Resolution: 0.03 ° C Accuracy: ±0.35 ° C from -20° C to O ° C ±0.25 ° C from 0° C to 60 ° C
Communication Specifications
Output DOI Serial and SDl-12 communications protocol 3-wire cable version 4-wire cable version RS-485 Modbus RTU and tensioLINK serial communications protocol 4-wire version
Data Logger Compatibility METER ZL6 and EM60 data loggers or any data acquisition system capable of 4.0- to 24.0-VDC power and serial interface with SDl-12; and/or RS-485 interface, Modbus RTU, or tensioLINK communication.
Physical Specifications
Dimensions Diameter: (Shaft) 6.0 cm (2.36 in) Length: 75.0 cm (29.53 in) Width: (Head) 11.0 cm (4.33 in)
Operating Temperature Minimum: -20 °C Maximum: +60 °C
Cable Length Standard: 5.0 m (stereo plug and stripped and tinned wires) 75.0 m (maximum custom cable length) 1.5 m (M12 connector) NOTE: Contact Customer Support if a nonstandard cable length is needed.
Cable Diameter Stereo Plug: 4.2 ±0.2 mm (0.16 ±0.01 in) with a minimum jacket of 0.8mm (0.031 in) M12 Plug: 5.5 ±0.2 mm (0.22 ±0.01 in) with a minimum jacket of 1.0 mm (0.039 in)
Connector Size 3.50 mm (diameter) 14.4 mm (diameter M 12)
Connector Types Stereo plug connector or stripped and tinned wires 4-pin M12 connector or stripped and tinned wires
Conductor Gauge Stereo Plug: 22-AWG / 24-AWG ground wire M12 Plug: 22-AWG
Electrical and Timing Characteristics
Supply Voltage (Power to Ground) Minimum: 4.0 VDC Maximum: 24.0 VDC
Digital Input Voltage (Logic High) Minimum: 2.8 V Typical: 3.6 V Maximum: 5.0 V
Digital Input Voltage (Logic Low) Minimum: -0.3 V Typical: 0.0 V Maximum: 0.8 V
Digital Output Voltage (Logic High) Typical: 3.6 V
Power Line Slew Rate Minimum: 1.0 V/ms
Current Drain (During Measurement) Minimum: 3 mA (during 500-ms measurement) Typical: 35 mA (during 500-ms measurement) Maximum: 50 mA (during 500-ms measurement)
Current Drain (While Asleep) Minimum: 0.03 mA Typical: 0.1 mA
Power Up Time (DOI Serial) Minimum: 500 ms Maximum: 800 ms
Power Up Time (SDl-12) Typical: 1,000 ms
Power Up Time (SDl-12, DOI Serial Disabled) Minimum: 500 ms Typical: 600 ms Maximum: 800 ms
Measurement Duration Minimum: 500 ms (4 depths) Maximum: 800 ms
Other
Compliance EM ISO/IEC 17050:2010 (CE Mark)

manual & docs

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