Onset introduces new wireless soil moisture sensors

Onset announced the release of three new HOBOnet-compatible soil moisture sensors: the HOBOnet TEROS 11, HOBOnet TEROS 12, and HOBOnet TEROS 21. HOBOnet is Onset’s wireless mesh network system for remote monitoring over a large area.

Soil moisture and soil temperature

According to Onset, The HOBOnet TEROS 11 and 12 sensors measure soil moisture (volumetric water content) with better accuracy and precision than comparable sensors. The sensors also measure soil temperature, and the HOBOnet TEROS 12 measures electrical conductivity as well.

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Sharpened stainless-steel probes make installation easy, even in hard soil, and a large volume of influence provides better results and a more accurate view of soil moisture, says Onset. – Photo: Onset

Soil water potential

The HOBOnet TEROS 21 sensor is used with the HOBOnet system to measure both soil temperature and soil water potential – a more accurate way to measure how much water is available to plants. Because the TEROS 21 measures soil water potential, it doesn’t require calibration for different soil types or salinity.

‘Significant savings’

“This new suite of HOBOnet TEROS soil moisture sensors provides a greater range of soil measurement options and a more complete view of soil conditions,” said Richard Rodrigues, Onset product marketing manager. “With a longer product life than comparable products, HOBOnet TEROS soil moisture sensors can be deployed for extended periods between replacements, resulting in significant savings for our customers.”

The HOBOnet system enables web monitoring of field conditions for applications such as crop management, research, and greenhouse operations. Because it’s wireless, users can deploy a network of sensors to easily monitor multiple points with a single system, while avoiding the risk of long cables that can interfere with field operations and are potentially vulnerable to nearby lightning strikes.

Like all sensors compatible with the HOBOnet system, TEROS sensors are easily linked to the HOBOnet wireless mesh network, and data is remotely accessible through HOBOlink, Onset’s cloud-based software platform.