More accurate in soils with high bulk electrical conductivity
Overview
The CS650 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 data loggers can measure.
Note: The cable termination options for this sensor are not suitable for use with an ET107 station. For this type of station, use the CS650-LC sensor instead, which has a suitable cable connector.
Read MoreBenefits and Features
- More accurate water content measurements in soils with bulk EC up to 3 dS m-1 without performing a soil-specific calibration
- 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 CS650 consists of two 30-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 CS650 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 ≤3 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.
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Specifications
| Measurements Made | Soil electrical conductivity (EC), relative dielectric permittivity, volumetric water content (VWC), soil temperature |
| Required Equipment | Measurement system |
| Soil Suitability | Long rods with large sensing volume (> 6 L) are suitable for soils with low to moderate electrical conductivity. |
| Rods | Not replaceable |
| Sensors | Not interchangeable |
| Sensing Volume | 7800 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 | 300 mm (11.8 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 | 280 g (9.9 oz) without cable |
Current Drain |
|
| Active (3 ms) |
|
| Quiescent | 135 µA typical (@ 12 Vdc) |
Electrical Conductivity |
|
| Range for Solution EC | 0 to 3 dS/m |
| Range for Bulk EC | 0 to 3 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 |
Compatibility
Please note: The following shows notable compatibility information. It is not a comprehensive list of all compatible products.
Data Loggers
| Compatible | Note | |
|---|---|---|
| CR1000 (retired) | ||
| CR1000X | ||
| CR300 | ||
| CR3000 (retired) | ||
| CR310 | ||
| CR350 | ||
| CR6 | ||
| CR800 (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 CS650 sensors 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.
Installation 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 were not used. It makes pilot holes into which the rods of the sensors can then be inserted.
Related Documents
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.
Articles and Press Releases
Newsletter Articles
FAQs for
Number of FAQs related to CS650: 54
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The cable properties and power requirements of the CS650 and the CS655 are such that communication with a data logger may work for cable lengths greater than 2,000 ft. If multiple sensors are communicating through the same universal or control terminal, the total length of all of those sensors must not exceed 2,000 ft.
In practice, it is less expensive to purchase a new data logger than to buy a CS650 or CS655 with 2,000 ft of cable. If the cable is run through conduit, or if a 2,000 ft long trench needs to be excavated, then the installation cost becomes more expensive than buying another data acquisition system and sensors with shorter cables.
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The CS650 and the CS655 are not ideal sensors for measuring water level. However, these sensors do respond to the abrupt change in permittivity at the air/water interface. A calibration could be performed to relate the period average or permittivity reading to the distance along the sensor rods where the air/water interface is located. From that, the water level can be determined. The permittivity of water is temperature dependent, so a temperature correction would be needed to acquire accurate results.
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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 strongly discourages shortening the sensor’s rods. The electronics in the sensor head have been optimized to work with the 30 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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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. Gasoline and other hydrocarbons have dielectric permittivities in the same range as soil particles, which essentially make them invisible to the CS650 and the CS655.
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The permittivity of saturated sediments in a stream bed is expected to read somewhere between 25 and 42, while the permittivity of water is close to 80. A CS650 or CS655 installed in saturated sediments could be used to monitor sediment erosion. If the permittivity continuously increases beyond the initial saturated reading, this is an indication that sediment around the sensor rods has eroded and been replaced with water. A calibration could be performed that relates permittivity to the depth of the rods still in the sediment.
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The CS650/CS655 manual gives a temperature correction that works in coarse sand, but it should be used cautiously with other soil types. If a temperature correction is required, it is best to determine a soil-specific temperature correction.
When correcting for temperature, the following effects contribute to the sensor output:
- The effect of temperature on the measurement electronics inside the sensor head. This is a relatively small effect compared to other temperature effects.
- The change in the dielectric permittivity of water with temperature. At 0°C, the permittivity of water is approximately 88, at 20°C it is approximately 80, and at 70°C it is approximately 64. If the sensor is in a soil at any given water content, the changing permittivity of water will cause the period average at 0°C to be higher than it is at 20°C. The same soil will have a lower period average at 70°C than at 20°C. In other words, the sensor will overestimate water content at colder temperatures and underestimate it at warmer temperatures. However, that is only true if electrical conductivity is negligible.
- The change in water content as bound water is captured and released. In soils with high clay content, some of the water is partially or fully immobilized by electrical charges on the surface of the clay minerals. The amount of bound water is temperature dependent and may have a small effect on the sensor readings.
- The temperature effect of bulk electrical conductivity (EC) on period average. Bulk electrical conductivity increases with temperature; as it increases, it slows down the period average.
The interaction of these effects may be complicated. For example, with increasing temperature, two things happen at the same time: the falling permittivity of water is decreasing the period average, and the increasing EC is increasing the period average. The net result as to whether the period average goes up or down depends on how conductive the soil is and the contributions of the other temperature effects.
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Yes. There is surge protection built into the sensor electronics. The sensor survives a surge of 2 kV at 42 ohm line-to-ground on digital I/O and 2 kV at 12 ohm line-to-ground on power. It also survives a surge of 2 kV at 2 ohm line-to-ground on the rods.
If additional surge protection is required, consider using the SVP100 Surge Voltage Protector DIN Rail with Mounting Hardware.
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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.
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No. It is not possible to disable the logical tests in the firmware. If soil conditions cause frequent NAN values, it may be possible to perform a soil-specific calibration that will provide good results.
If permittivity is reported but the volumetric water content value is NAN, Campbell Scientific recommends a soil-specific calibration that converts permittivity to water content. This will take advantage of the bulk electrical conductivity correction that occurs in the firmware.
If both permittivity and volumetric water content have NAN values, it may be possible to perform a calibration that converts period average directly to volumetric water content.
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. After a soil-specific equation is determined, it may be programmed into the data logger program or used in a spreadsheet to calculate the soil water content.