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 data loggers can measure. It has shorter rods than the CS650, for use in problem soils.
Note: The cable termination options for this sensor are not suitable for use with an ET107 station. For this type of station, use the CS655-LC sensor instead, which has a suitable cable connector.
Read MoreBenefits 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
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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
Note: The following shows notable compatibility information. It is not a comprehensive list of all compatible or incompatible products.
Data Loggers
| Product | Compatible | Note |
|---|---|---|
| CR1000 (retired) | ||
| CR1000X (retired) | ||
| CR300 (retired) | ||
| 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 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 |
Documents
Brochures
Downloads
CS650 / CS655 Firmware v.2 (429 KB) 12-02-2015
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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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.
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Because the reported volumetric water content reading is an average taken along the entire length of the rods, the sensor should be fully inserted into the soil. Otherwise, the reading will be the average of both the air and the soil, which will lead to an underestimation of water content. If the sensor rods are too long to go all the way into the soil, Campbell Scientific recommends inserting the rods at an angle until they are fully covered by soil.
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Yes. Keeping the sensor rods parallel during installation is especially difficult in gravel, but it can be done. Gravel has large pore spaces that drain quickly, so the water content readings will likely show rapid changes between saturation and very dry. If small changes of water content at the dry end are of interest, a soil-specific calibration may need to be performed to convert period average directly to volumetric water content.
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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 CWS655 is a wireless sensor with measurement electronics, radio, and power supply all integrated in a single device. The CWS655, however, requires the use of a CWB100 base station radio connected to a data logger. Only the rods of the CWS655 should be buried in the soil; burying the body of the CWS655 will prevent the sensor from communicating with the CWB100.
The CS655 is a cabled multiparameter smart sensor that sends data by RS-232 serial or SDI-12 communication through a direct connection to a data logger. The CS655 is suitable for burial at any depth.
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A thermistor is encased in the epoxy head of the sensor next to one of the stainless-steel rods. This provides an accurate point measurement of temperature at the depth where that portion of the sensor head is in contact with the soil. This is why a horizontal placement is the recommended orientation of the CS650 or CS655. The temperature measurement is not averaged over the length of the sensor rods.
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Modifications to the CS650 or CS655, including shortening the cable, will void the warranty. However, shortening the cable will not affect the sensor’s performance. If a decision is made to shorten the cable, care should be taken to avoid damaging the cable jacket and exposing bare wire except at the ends that connect to the data logger or multiplexer terminals.
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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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With regard to the CS650 and the CS655, is there a generic calibration equation for artificial soil?
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 necessarily for artificial soils that typically have high organic matter content and high clay content. In this type of soil, the standard equations in the firmware will overestimate water content.
When using a CS650 or a CS655 in artificial 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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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.
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