Davis Instruments Wireless Leaf & Soil Moisture/Temperature... User manual

Product # 6343
WIRELESS
LEAF & SOIL MOISTURE/
TEMPERATURE STATION
INSTALLATION MANUAL
FOR WIRELESS VANTAGE PRO® OR VANTAGE PRO PLUS™
The Wireless Leaf & Soil Moisture/Temperature Station (referred to in this docu-
ment at the Leaf/Soil Station) can be used with any Wireless Vantage Pro
weather station to measure leaf wetness, soil moisture or temperature.
The following Vantage Pro console station configurations can be used with the
Leaf/Soil station:
• Only one Leaf/Soil Station can be installed as a Leaf/Soil Station per Van-
tage Pro Weather Station.
• Two stations can be installed if one is configured as a Leaf Station and the
other station is configured as a Soil Station in the Vantage Pro console.
• Configured as a Leaf Station, the Station supports two leaf wetness sen-
sors and two temperature probes.
• Configured as a Soil Station, it supports up to three soil moisture sensors
and temperature probes.
• A Wireless Soil Moisture/Temperature Station (#6361) can be used in con-
junction with a Leaf/Soil Station if the Leaf/Soil Station is configured as a
LEAF station in the Vantage Pro console.
Note: In any station using soil moisture sensors, the corresponding temperature probe, if
installed, will be used for temperature compensation of the soil moisture sensor.
Note: The Leaf/Soil Station requires Vantage Pro console firmware Rev B or later. (Press
and hold the [DONE] key then press the [+] (up arrow) key to display the console
firmware level.) Contact Davis Technical Support for upgrade information.
Station Type in Con-
sole Configuration Number of Leaf Wetness Sen-
sors
Number of Soil
Moisture Sen-
sors
Number of
Temp Probes
LEAF/SOIL Station 2 3 3
LEAF Station 2 - 2
SOIL Station - 3 3

Page 2 Wireless Leaf & Soil Moisture/ Temperature Sta-
Tools for Setup
In addition to the components shown, you will need some or all of the follow-
ing materials:
• Adjustable wrench or 7/16" wrench
• Medium Phillips Screwdriver
• Ballpoint pen or paper clip (small pointed object of some kind)
• Drill and 3/16" (5 mm) drill bit (if mounting on a vertical surface)
• Stepped Sensor Installation Tool for Soil Moisture and Temperature Sen-
sors (recommened, see page 17)
Components
The Leaf/Soil Station includes the following components and hardware:
Optional Sensors
The following optional sensors are available for the Leaf/Soil Station:
Shelter
3-Volt Lithium
Battery
8" CableTies 4" CableTies
1/4" x 1-1/2"
Lag Screws
U-Bolts
1/4" FlatWashers
1/4" LockWashers
1/4" Hex Nuts
Leaf/Soil Station Components
#8 Wood Screws
U-Bolts
1/4" Flat
Washers
1/4" Hex Nuts
Leaf Wetness Sensor
with 40' (12.2 m) of cable
#8 x 3/4"
Machine
Screws
#8 Hex Nuts
#8 Lock Washers
#8 Flat Washers
Optional Leaf Wetness Sensor (#6420)

Installation Steps Page 3
Installation Steps
For ease of installation and use of your Leaf/Soil Station, please follow steps in
the order presented.
• Preparing the station, page 4
• Setting the DavisTalk transmitter ID, page 5
• Choosing a location to mount the station, page 8
• Mounting the station, page 9
• Rules for using the sensors, page 10
• Installing leaf wetness sensors, page 11
• Installing soil moisture and temperature sensors, page 13
• Using soil moisture readings, page 18
If you encounter difficulties or have questions about your station, the following
additional information may be helpful:
• Troubleshooting the sensors, page 19
• Extending Sensor Cables, page 19
• Contacting Davis Technical Support, page 19
• Specifications, page 20
Soil Moisture Sensor
with 15' (4.6 m) of cable Temperature Probe
with 15' (4.6 m) of cable
Optional Soil Moisture Sensor (#6440) and Optional Temperature Sensor (#6470)

Page 4 Wireless Leaf & Soil Moisture/ Temperature Sta-
Preparing the Leaf/Soil Station
The following illustrations show the location of the DavisTalk transmitter DIP
switches, the battery mounting location, the modular connectors used by the
leaf wetness sensors, and the terminal blocks used to connect the soil moisture
sensors and temperature probes.
Installing the Battery
1. Insert the 3-volt
lithium battery into
the battery holder,
matching the “+”
sign on the battery
with the “+” sign
next to the battery
mounting brackets.
2. Note the location of
the DIP switches.
You will work with
them during the
next installation
step.
Temporarily Connecting a Sensor for Testing
Temporarily connect at least one of the following sensors.
Note: You must have at least one sensor installed in the Leaf/Soil station in order to test
wireless communications.
Leaf Wetness Sensor Connection
• Connect the leaf wetness sensor cable to the
LEAF 1 or LEAF 2 receptacle.
Soil Moisture Sensor Connection
• Temporarily connect a soil moisture probe to
the SOIL 1 terminal block connector.
• Use a pen or small screwdriver to open the
connector “jaws” as shown in the illustration.
• While the jaws are open, insert the tempera-
ture probe leads, then let the connector jaws close in on the lead.
3-Volt Lithium Battery
DIP
Switches
Terminal
Blocks
Leaf
Wetness
Connectors
Installing the Battery
Connecting a Leaf Wetnes
s
Sensor

Setting the DavisTalk Transmitter ID Page 5
Note: The soil moisture sensor must be moist to be used for this test. A completely dry
sensor will not register on the console.
Soil Temperature Sensor Connection
• Temporarily connect a temperature probe to
the TEMP 1 terminal block connector.
• Use a pen or small screwdriver to open the
connector “jaws” as shown in the illustra-
tion.
• While the jaws are open, insert the tempera-
ture probe leads, then let the connector jaws
close in on the lead.
Setting the DavisTalk Transmitter ID
Each wireless transmitting station must be set to one of eight DavisTalk trans-
mitter IDs. DIP switches #1, 2 and 3 on the Sensor Interface Module (SIM)
allow you to control the ID — the “channel” the station will transmit on. (DIP
switch #4 is used for transmission testing, not for transmitter ID.)
Note: A DavisTalk transmitter and receiver communicate with each other only when both
are set to the same ID.
The factory default transmitter ID is ‘1’. Looking at the table below, you can see
that means the DIP switches are in the OFF position when each transmitting
station leaves the factory. This is true for all of Davis’ wireless equipment.
1. Verify the DavisTalk channel used by your ISS, as well as all other DavisTalk
channels already in use by your Vantage Pro Weather Station.
2. Configure the Leaf/Soil Station to a DavisTalk channel not already in use.
3. Use a ballpoint pen or paper clip to toggle DIP switches #1, 2, and 3. The set-
tings for transmitter IDs 1 – 8 are shown in the table below:
ID CODE SWITCH 1SWITCH 2SWITCH 3
#1(default) OFF OFF OFF
#2 OFF OFF ON
#3 OFF ON OFF
#4 OFF ON ON
#5 ON OFF OFF
#6 ON OFF ON
#7 ON ON OFF
#8 ON ON ON
Connecting a Soil Moisture o
r
Temperature Sensor

Page 6 Wireless Leaf & Soil Moisture/ Temperature Sta-
.
Setting Console/Receiver(s) to Same ID
1. Put your console into Setup Mode — press and hold the DONE key and
press the DOWN (-) arrow key.
• The console will show you the words: “RECEIVING FROM...” and
“STATION NO.” followed by the transmitter IDs that your console
detects. One of these should be the ID number you just set on the Leaf/
Soil Station transmitter.
• If you don’t see it, make sure the console is within 10' of the transmitter,
and verify that you set the DIP switches correctly. Wait a few seconds
and if you still don’t see it, go to “Troubleshooting Communication Prob-
lems” on the next page.
2. Press the DONE key to move on to “Screen 2: Selecting Transmitters.”
Setup Mode – Screen 2 is where you will set the console to recognize signals
on that ID as coming from a Leaf/Soil Station.
3. Press the LEFT (<) or RIGHT (>) arrow key, or the STATION key, to scroll
through transmitter IDs.
• When you see the ID you chose for the Leaf/Soil Station, use the UP (+)
or DOWN (-) arrow keys to activate reception of that ID code. Make sure
the screen shows “ON”.
4. Press the GRAPH key to configure the station type in the console. The Leaf/
Soil Station can be configured as a LEAF/SOIL station, as a LEAF station, or
as a SOIL station.
• Configure it as a LEAF Station if you are only using it for leaf wetness
and temp.
• Configure it as a SOIL station if you are only using it for soil moisture
and temp.
• Configure it as a LEAF/SOIL station if you are using it for both leaf wet-
ness and soil moisture.
5. To exit Setup Mode, press and hold the DONE key.
Note: See the Vantage Pro User’s Manual & Setup Guide: “Setup Mode – Screen 2:
Selecting Transmitters” for more information.
1234
ON
Battery Holder
DIP Switches
DavisTalk Transmitter DIP Switches in Top-right Corner of SIM

Setting the DavisTalk Transmitter ID Page 7
Testing Station Communications
1. If you are using a Soil Moisture sensor to test the station, press the TEMP
key until you see “SOIL MOIST” displayed on the console screen where the
inside temperature is usually displayed. If you are using a Leaf Wetness
sensor, press the HUM key until you see “LEAF WET” displayed where you
usually see the inside humidity. Both the TEMP and HUM keys will display
temperatures if you are using a temperature probe to test the station.
• Soil temperature is displayed in the TEMP OUT location on the LCD.
Leaf temperature is displayed below the barometer reading on the LCD.
• If you see SOIL MOIST or LEAF WET and no number, you are seeing the
moisture and temperature readings for sensor pair #1. A two or three
will appear above the readings for the second or third set of sensors.
2. If you continue to press the TEMP or HUM key, you will see the readings for
sensor pairs #2and #3 (#3 displayed for soil moisture and temperature only).
• If no sensor is installed, the reading for that sensor will be dashed out.
3. A soil moisture, temperature, or leaf wetness reading confirms communica-
tion between your Leaf/Soil Station and the console.
• Disconnect the sensor(s) that were temporarily installed to test commu-
nications.
• Go on to “Choosing a Location to Mount the Station” on page 8.
If your console does not show a sensor reading, proceed to “Trouble-
shooting Communication Problems
Troubleshooting Communication Problems
First, verify that the console/receiver is powered and is not in Setup Mode (exit
Setup Mode by pressing DONE key and holding it for a moment). Then, on the
Leaf/Soil Station, check that the battery is properly installed. Walk around the
room with the console, standing for a few moments in various locations to see
if you are picking up signals.
If you don’t see any readings, no matter where you stand with the console, put
the transmitter in TEST mode as described below.
TEST mode
DIP switch #4 on the SIM (see illustration on page 6) is the TEST DIP-switch.
Switch it to the ON position using a ball-point pen or paper clip. This puts the
transmitter in Test Mode. An LED indicator light will flash each time it
transmits:
• The LED will immediately flash once to show that the light itself func-
tions.
• Then it will flash each time the transmitter broadcasts a signal, which
should be every 10 seconds.
If the LED flashes only once and then remains dark, there is a problem with the
transmitter. See “Contacting Davis Technical Support” on page 19.

Page 8 Wireless Leaf & Soil Moisture/ Temperature Sta-
If the LED flashes repeatedly but your console isn’t picking up a signal
anywhere in the room, it could be related to one of the following causes:
• The DIP switches were not correctly set on the transmitter.
• Review the procedure on page 5.
• The ID was not correctly set on the console/receiver.
• Review the procedure on page 6.
• Reception is being disrupted by RF (radio frequency) interference.
• There is a problem with the console/receiver.
See “Contacting Davis Technical Support” on page 19.
Note: Remember to turn DIP switch #4 OFF when you’re finished testing wireless
transmission. If it is left ON, the blinking LED will reduce battery life significantly.
Choosing a Location to Mount the Station
Try to position your Leaf/Soil Station as follows:
• With the solar panel positioned for maximum exposure to the sun.
• Within transmission range of your Vantage Pro console.
• See “Range of Wireless Transmission” on page 8
• Within cable range of the sensors.
• Leaf Wetness Sensors come with 40’ (12 m) of cable standard and can be
extended up to 200’ (61m) using 6-conductor 26 AWG cable.
• Soil Moisture Sensors come with 15’ (4.6 m) of cable standard and can be
extended up to 1000’ (300m) using #18 gauge UF cable.
• Temperature Sensors come with 15’ (4.6 m) of cable standard and can be
extended up to 800’ (242m) using #24 AWG shielded cable or up to 1200’
(260m) using #22 AWG shielded cable.
Range of Wireless Transmission
The range of wireless transmission depends on many factors. For the best
reception, position the transmitter shelter and your console/receiver as close
together as possible.
The maximum range is up to 400' (120 m) in the line of sight, under optimal
conditions. Typical range under most conditions is 100' to 200' (30 to 60 m), but
this may be reduced by walls, ceilings, trees, foliage and radio-frequency
interference (RF). Cordless phones, baby monitors, and ham radios are
common examples of devices that can cause RF interference.
A metal roof or other large metal structure can interfere with the signal.
Aluminum siding, a furnace with metal ducts, and your refrigerator are
examples. Sometimes transmission between wireless units is obscured by
something you cannot identify, or by some obstacle that you can’t work
around. If necessary, consider using Wireless Repeater #7624 or #7625 to
strengthen the signal or increase the distance between the transmitter and the
console/receiver.

Mounting the Leaf/Soil Station Page 9
Testing Transmission from Proposed Location
It is very important to test reception from the proposed location before perma-
nently mounting the Leaf/Soil Station.
• Place the shelter at the intended mounting site, or have someone hold it
there, so you can walk around with the console/receiver for a few min-
utes. Rotating the antenna may help to improve reception.
• Test wireless reception anywhere you might want to use or mount your
console/receiver now or in the future. Take your time. If you aren’t pick-
ing up strong signals where you intend to place your console, better to
move the shelter now than after it has been mounted. Experiment.
• If you have irregular terrain in the area, it may interfere with the signal.
For example, if the transmitter is mounted downhill from the console/
receiver, the ground may block a wide angle of the transmitted signal.
Mounting the Leaf/Soil Station
Mounting on a Vertical Surface
1. With a 3/16" (5 mm) drill bit,
drill two holes approximately 2"
(50 mm) apart. Use a carpenter’s
level to ensure the holes will be
level.
2. Drill two more holes 7-1/32"
below the upper holes.
3. Insert the 1/4" x 1-1/2" lag
screws through the flat washers,
and through the holes at the top
and bottom of the shelter into
the post.
4. Using an adjustable wrench or 7/16" wrench, tighten the lag screws.
Mounting on a Pole
1. While holding the
shelter against the
pole, place a U-bolt
around the pole
and through the
two holes on at the
top of the shelter.
2. Place a flat washer,
a lock washer and
a hex nut on each
of the bolt ends.
Flat
Washer
Lag
Screw
Mounting Station on a Vertical Surface
Flat
Washer
Lock
Washer
Hex
Nut
U-Bolt
Mounting Station on a Pole

Page 10 Wireless Leaf & Soil Moisture/ Temperature Sta-
3. Using an adjustable wrench or 7/16" wrench, tighten the nuts.
4. Place the second U-bolt around the pole and through the two holes at the
bottom of the shelter.
5. Put a flat washer, a lock washer, and a hex nut on each bolt end, and tighten
the hex nuts.
Note: If no soil temperature probe is used, the console will use a default temperature of
75ºF (24ºC) to compensate the soil moisture sensor readings.
6. To prevent fraying or cutting of cables,
secure them so they will not whip about in
the wind. Secure a cable to a metal pole by
wrapping electrical tape around them both.
Make sure cables are secure by placing clips
or ties approximately every 3 – 5' (1 – 1.6 m).
Note: Do not use metal staples or a staple gun to secure cables. Metal staples —
especially when installed with a staple gun — have a tendency to cut the cables.
Rules for Using Leaf, Soil and Temperature Sensors
The following station and sensor configurations are supported bythe Leaf/Soil
Station:
• If your station is configured as aLEAF/SOIL station in your Vantage Pro
console, the readings for a temperature sensor installed in TEMP 1 or
TEMP 2 will be displayed as both a leaf temp and a soil temp. A temper-
ature probe installed in TEMP 3 will only be displayed as a soil temp.
• A station configured as a LEAF station in the console will support two
leaf wetness sensors and two leaf temperature probes.
• Leaf temperature probes can be used as you wish to measure air, water,
or soil temperature. Leaf temperature does not affect leaf wetness read-
ings.
• A station configured as a SOIL station in the console will support three
soil moisture sensors and three soil temperature probes.
Station Type in
Console
Configuration
Number of Leaf
Wetness
Sensors
Number of Soil
Moisture
Sensors
Number of
Temperature
Probes
LEAF/SOIL Station 2 3 3
LEAF Station 2 - 2
SOIL Station - 3 3
Cable Clip CableTie
Securing Cables with Clips and Tie
s

Installing Leaf Wetness Sensors Page 11
• If you have installed any soil moisture sensors (SOIL 1, SOIL 2, SOIL 3),
the corresponding temperature probes (TEMP 1 for SOIL 1, etc.) will be
used to provide temperature compenstation for the soil moisture sensor
readings.
• If you want to use a temperature sensor for something besides compen-
sation for a soil moisture sensor, then you cannot use the corresponding
soil moisture sensor.
• To use one soil temperature sensor to provide compenstation for multi-
ple soil moisture sensors, install the temperature sensor in TEMP 1.
• If no soil temperature sensors are installed, the station will use the
default temperature of 75ºF (24ºC) to compensate the soil moisture read-
ings. The soil moisture accuracy will be off by about 1 % for each 1ºF
(0.5ºC) difference between the actual soil temperature and 75ºF (24ºC).
Installing Leaf Wetness Sensors
The leaf wetness sensor enables the station to detect the presence of surface
moisture on foliage and calculate the duration of wetness. When moisture is
present, the sensor detects an electrical resistance change between the
gold-plated elements of the grid. This is displayed by the Vantage Pro console
as a value between 0 (dry) and 15 (wet).Using the WeatherLink®software, you
may select your own wetness threshold; the software will then calculate leaf-
wet hours.
See the next section, “Installing Soil Moisture & Temperature Sensors” on
page 13 for information on installing temperature sensors.
Connecting Leaf Wetness Sensors
1. Run the sensor cables up through the grommets on the bottom of the station
housing.
2. Insert the sensor cable modular plug into the Leaf 1 or Leaf 2 modular con-
nector.
Grommets
Leaf Wetness Sensor Cables Run
Through Grommets Connecting Leaf Wetness Sensors

Page 12 Wireless Leaf & Soil Moisture/ Temperature Sta-
Finishing the Sensor Connections to the Station
1. Securesensor cables to the cable
tie mounts located next to the
grommets.
2. To prevent fraying or cutting of
cables, secure them so they will not whip
about in the wind. Secure a cable to a metal
pole by wrapping electrical tape around
them both. Make sure cables are secure by
placing clips or ties approximately every 3 –
5' (1 – 1.6 m).
Note: Do not use metal staples or a staple gun to secure cables. Metal staples —
especially when installed with a staple gun — have a tendency to cut the cables.
Mounting the Sensor Against a Wooden Surface
To mount the sensor against a
wooden surface, secure the
sensor to the surface using the
#8 wood screws as shown
below.
Cable Tie
When tightening
cable tie, make sure
cables are on top of
cable tie mount.
Cable Tie
Mount
Securing Sensor Cables
Cable Clip CableTie
Securing Cables with Clips and Tie
s
Mounting on a Wooden Surface

Installing Soil Moisture & Temperature Sensors Page 13
Mounting the Sensor on a Pipe
To mount the sensor on a pipe, stake,
or pole with outside diameter between
1" and 1-1/4" (25 mm and 31 mm),
secure the sensor to the pipe using the
1-1/2" U-bolts, 1/4" flat washers, and
1/4" hex nuts as shown below. Use a
7/16" wrench or adjustable wrench to
tighten the hex nuts.
Installing Soil Moisture & Temperature Sensors
The soil acts as a reservoir to store water between irrigation or rainfall events,
so that it is available to the crop or plants as needed for healthy growth. The
purpose of using sensors to measure the soil water is to give you a better
understanding of how fast water is being depleted in the different areas of your
field or lawn, so you can better schedule your irrigations and correctly evaluate
the true effectiveness of any rainfall. By monitoring the soil moisture between
irrigations, you will gain a more accurate picture of this process over time, and
develop an irrigation scheduling pattern to meet your crop’s “need” for water.
This minimizes the guesswork, resulting in water savings, lower pumping
costs, and the elimination of excess leaching of nitrogen due to over irrigation.
While not absolutely necessary for operation, we recommend that a
temperature probe be installed with each soil moisture sensor. This allows the
soil moisture sensor’s readings to be temperature compensated for better
accuracy.
Note: WATERMARK Soil Moisture Sensor information based on material supplied by
Irrometer Company, Inc.
Connecting Soil Moisture and Temperature Sensors
1. Run the sensor cables up through the grommets on the bottom of the station
housing.
2. Connect the temperature probes to the TEMP connectors.
3. Connect soil moisture probes to the SOIL connectors
Mounting on a Pipe

Page 14 Wireless Leaf & Soil Moisture/ Temperature Sta-
4. Each matched temperature probe and soil moisture pair must use the match-
ing connectors. If a temperature probe is not used, the soil moisture reading
can be off as much as 1% for every 1°F (0.5°C) difference between the soil
temperature in the soil temperature.
Note: If no soil temperature probe is used, the console will use a default temperature of
75ºF (24ºC) to compensate the soil moisture sensor readings.
Finishing the Sensor Connections to the Station
1. Securesensor cables to the cable tie
mounts located next to the
grommets.
Grommets
Running Soil Moisture and Temperature Senso
r
Cables through Grommets
Connecting Soil Moisture and Temperature Sensors
Cable Tie
Cable Tie
Mount
When tightening
cable tie, make sure
cables are on top of
cable tie mount.
Securing Sensor Cables

Installing Soil Moisture & Temperature Sensors Page 15
2. To prevent fraying or cutting of cables,
secure them so they will not whip about in
the wind. Secure a cable to a metal pole by
wrapping electrical tape around them both.
Make sure cables are secure by placing clips
or ties approximately every 3 – 5' (1 – 1.6 m).
Note: Do not use metal staples or a staple gun to secure cables. Metal staples —
especially when installed with a staple gun — have a tendency to cut the cables.
Locating Sensors
Be aware of the soil variations in your field or lawn. The lighter soils dry very
quickly, heavier soils more slowly. Both conditions must be considered.
Furrow or Flood Irrigation
• Sensors are usually placed about 2/3 of the way down the run, just
ahead of the tail or backup water. This is the area where water penetra-
tion is usually the poorest.
• In tree crops, place the sensors on the drier side of the tree exposed to the
most sun. In the Northern Hemisphere, this is typically the Southwest
side of the tree, which is exposed to the hot afternoon sun.
Sprinkler Irrigation
• Sprinkler irrigation usually provides a more uniform distribution of
water to the ground surface, but there can be great differences in pene-
tration and holding capacity due to soil type variations, soil interfaces
and contour. Try to place your sensors in the areas where variations
occur.
• In tree crops, locate sensors at the drip line.
• In row crops, locate sensors right in the plant row.
• Be sure that sensors are not located behind obstructions, such as tree
limbs, which would interfere with water distribution to the sensor area.
• With center pivots, place sensors at 3 locations down the length of the
pivot, just in front of the "start" point.
• Place sensors at "hot spots" or "good production" areas being sure to stay
in active root zones.
Drip or Micro Irrigation
• Place sensors in the wetted area. With drip emitters, this is usually 12” to
18” from the emitter.
• With micro-sprinklers or sprays, usually 24” to 36” from the micro-sprin-
kler is best.
Cable Clip CableTie
Securing Cables with Clips and Tie
s

Page 16 Wireless Leaf & Soil Moisture/ Temperature Sta-
Sensor Depths
Sensor depth depends on the rooting depth of your crop, and also depends on
soil depth and texture.
• With shallow rooted (less than 12”) vegetable crops, one depth may be
adequate.
• Deeper rooted row crops, small grains, vines, and trees need to be mea-
sured in at least two depths.
• With deep well-drained soils, crops generally root deeper if moisture is
available.
• With coarse, shallow or layered soils, root systems may be limited in
depth.
• Guidelines on proper depths for specific crops and conditions can be
obtained from your local farm advisor.
Installation Procedure
1. Soak the soil moisture sensors overnight in water.
• Always “plant” a wet soil moisture sensor.
• If time permits, wet the soil moisture sensor for 30 minutes in the morn-
ing and let dry until evening, wet for 30 minutes and let dry overnight,
wet again for 30 minutes the next morning and let dry again until
evening. Soak over the next night and install wet. This will improve sen-
sor response during the first few irrigations or waterings.
2. Make sensor access holes to the depth required with a 7/8” diameter rod.
• Make a hole for the soil moisture sensor and a separate adjacent hole for
the temperature probe.
• For very coarse or gravely soils, an oversize hole of 1” to 1 1/4” may be
needed to prevent abrasion damage to the soil moisture sensor mem-
brane. In this case, you will need to “grout in” the sensor with a slurry
made from the sample soil to get a snug fit in the soil.
3. Always install sensors in the active root system of the crop with a snug fit in
the soil.
Sensor depth
dependent on:
• crop rooting
depth
• soil texture
and depth
Co-locate
temperature probes
and
moisture sensors
Some crops need
measurement at
more than one depth
Sensors must be located in the effective root system of the crop

Installing Soil Moisture & Temperature Sensors Page 17
CAUTION: In gravelly soils and with deeper sensors, carefully install the sensor to pre-
vent damaging the membrane.
• Lack of a snug fit is the biggest problem in
obtaining good soil moisture sensor read-
ings.
• The ideal way of making the access hole is to
use a stepped installation tool. The stepped
tool makes an oversize hole for the upper
portion and an exact sized hole at the bottom
where the sensor is located.
• The illustration to the right shows the
dimensions required to make a stepped
installation tool.
4. After installing the soil moisture sensor the hole
needs to be carefully backfilled and tamped
down. This prevents the creation of air pockets
which could allow water to channel down to the
sensor.
• Fill the hole with water and push the sensor
down into the hole so it bottoms out.
A length of 1/2” Class 315 PVC tubing fits
snugly over the sensor collar and can be
used to push the sensor. A good snug fit in the soil is important.
• Carefully backfill the access hole with soil to eliminate any air pockets.
5. You can solvent weld the 1/2” Class 315
PVC tubing to the sensor collar for easier
installation and removal.
• Use a PVC/ABS cement (IPS Weld-on
#794 or equivalent).
6. After you have installed the soil moisture
sensors, the sensors will need one or two
irrigation cycles to “break-in” and accli-
mate to the soil conditions and provide bet-
ter accuracy.
Installation Procedure for Turf/Lawns
1. Cut a slight “V” shaped trench about 5”
wide at the top and about 6” deep into the
turf--about 6” long.
2. Lift out the turf plug piece you just cut.
Home-Made Stepped Sensor
Installation Tool
2-1/2" (64 mm)
7/8" (22.5 mm)
Cold rolled steel,
round rod
1-1/4" (32 mm)
approximate
diameter
Overall length
variable
Sensor
Wires
Tape
1/2" PVC Pipe
Pipe welded to
sensor collar with
PVC/ABS cement
Soil Moisture
Sensor
PVC Pipe Welded to Soil Moisture
Sensor Collar

Page 18 Wireless Leaf & Soil Moisture/ Temperature Sta-
3. Press the sensors into the soil at about a 45 degree angle into the side of the
trench to set the sensors about 3”-5” below the soil surface. Make sure they
are good and snug in the soil.
4. Set the plug removed from the trench and compact it back into place. It will
repair itself in short order.
5. Run the wires to the Leaf/Soil Station and connect them as described in
“Connecting Soil Moisture and Temperature Sensors” on page 13.
6. If you withhold irrigation for several days and allow the soil to dry down a
bit, you should see the soil moisture readings start to creep upward.
7. Usually, you will not need to water the turf until the reading is in the 25-40
area at the recommended 3”-5” depth.
Removing the Sensors
1. When removing sensors prior to harvest in annual crops, it’s a good idea to
do this just after the last irrigation when the soil is moist.
2. Do not pull the sensor out by the wires. You may have to dig out, at least
partially, any sensors more than 12” deep or any sensors in dry soil. Careful
removal prevents sensor and sensor membrane damage.
3. When sensors are removed for winter storage, clean the sensors, dry them,
and place them in a clean, dry location.
Using Soil Moisture Readings
Use this table as a general guide to interpret soil moisture readings. Monitoring
the soil moisture readings, and comparing them to your field or lawn condi-
tions over time, will help you develop a better understanding of how to inter-
pret your soil moisture readings.
Centibar Reading Soil Condition
0-10 Saturated Soil. Occurs for a day or two after irrigation.
10-20 Soil is adequately wet (except coarse sands which are drying out at
this range)
30-60 Usual range to irrigate or water (except heavy clay soils). Irrigate at
the upper end of this range in cool humid climates and with higher
water-holding capacity soils.
60-100 Usual range to irrigate heavy clay soils
100-200 Soil is becoming dangerously dry for maximum production. Pro-
ceed with caution.

Troubleshooting the Sensors Page 19
Troubleshooting the Sensors
If you are having problems with your station, please check all sensor cable con-
nections. Cable connections account for a large portion of potential problems.
Use these tests to verify the correct operation of your soil moisture sensor:
1. With the sensor submerged in water, the station should show a reading
between 0 and 5.
2. Let the sensor air dry for 30 to 48 hours. Depending on ambient tempera-
ture, humidity, and air movement, the reading should be 150 or over.
3. Put the sensor back in the water. The reading should run right back to 0 to 5
within 1 to 2 minutes.
4. If the sensor does not pass these tests, please contact Davis Technical Sup-
port for help in resolving the problem.
Extending Sensor Cable Length
Both the soil moisture sensors and the temperature probes come with 15’
(4.6 m) direct burial cables. The leaf wetness sensor comes with a 40’ (12m)
cable.
• Leaf Wetness Sensor cables can be extended up to 200’ (61m) using 6-
conductor 26 AWG cable.
• Soil Moisture Sensor cables can be extended up to 1000’ (300m) using #18
gauge waterproof cable. UF insulation is recommended.
• Temperature Sensors can be extended up to 800’ (242m) using #24 AWG
shielded cable or up to 1200’ (260m) using #22 AWG shielded cable.
• The additional wire must be fully waterproof.
• We recommend using a 3M Scotchpak or Duraseal heat shrink splice
connector when extending the sensor cables.
Note: Avoid long wire runs near power cables. The transient currents can affect the
small current used to read the sensors.
Contacting Davis Technical Support
If you have questions about your Leaf/Soil Station, or encounter problems
installing or operating the station, please contact Davis Technical Support.
Note: Please do not return items to the factory for repair without prior authorization.
[phone] – Monday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Pacific Time.
[e-mail] – E-mail to Technical Support.
[phone] – For callers outside the USA or Canada.
[phone] – Fax.
www.davisnet.com – Copies of User Manuals are available on the “Support”
page. Watch for FAQs and other updates. Subscribe to the e-newsletter.
[e-mail] – General e-mail.

Product Number: 6343
Davis Instruments Part Number: 7395.167
Wireless Leaf & Soil Moisture/ Temperature Station
Rev A Manual (7 May 2002)
This product complies with the essential protection requirements of the EC EMC Directive 89/336/EC.
The term "IC:" before the radio certificaiton number only signifies that Industry of Canada technical
specifications were met.
Copyright © 2002 Davis Instruments Corp. All rights reserved.
The WATERMARK soil moisture sensor is a product of Irrometer Company, Inc.
3465 Diablo Avenue, Hayward, CA 94545-2778
510-732-9229 • Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [email protected] • www.davisnet.com
FCC Part 15 Class B Registration Warning
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a class B digital device, pursuant to
Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful inter-
ference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy
and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation.
If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined
by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more
of the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Changes or modifications not expressly approved in writing by Davis Instruments may void the user's
authority to operate this equipment.
Specifications
Let Wetness range: 0 to 15
Soil Moisture range: 0 to 200 centibars
Temperature range (Station & Temp Probe): –40 to 150° Fahrenheit
(–40 to 65° Celsius)
Temperature range (Soil Moisture Sensor): 32 to 105° Fahrenheit
(0 to 40° Celsius)
Primary power input: Solar power – Davis solar charger
Secondary (backup) power: CR-123A 3-volt lithium battery
Wireless transmission frequency: 916.5 MHz
(868.35 MHz for overseas version – Product # includes “OV”)
Transmitter ID codes: 8 user-selectable
License: low power (less than 1 mW), no license required