Spectrum Technologies FieldScout TDR 250 User manual

1
“To Measure Is To Know”“To Measure Is To Know”
FieldScout® TDR 250 Soil Moisture Meter
Product Manual
[e-mail] www.specmeters.com 800.248.8873
Item #6250

2
GENERAL OVERVIEW
Thank you for purchasing a FieldScout TDR 250 Soil Moisture Meter. This manual describes the meter’s general features









• TDR 250 Meter
• 
TDR rods are sold separately
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Product Details.....................................................

Data Logging & Measurements.........................
Maintenance........................................................


Please read this manual thoroughly before launching the unit.






2







PRODUCT DETAILS
Specicaons
Product Dimensions
Characterisc



Display

Descripon



















Diameter......... 0.2" (0.5cm)


4
Display Screens

• Startup
• Reading
• 
Startup Informaon Screen

• 
• 
Reading Screen



Sengs Menu Screen



Clear Average*
READ|Down
Rod Length
Soil Type
• Standard: for most soil types
• Hi-Clay:
• Sand:
Clear Logs*
Save to USB*
Backlight
Sound
Moisture Type
• 
• 
• 
Auto-O
Current Date, Current Time
Time Zone

5
Daylight Savings
Calibraon*
Clear User Calibraon
Factory Defaults*
*Pressing Select buon for these opons brings up addional screen
About
Defaults
Oponal Accessories


TDR Spacer (Item 6435SP)
•  

• 
• 
Pilot Hole Maker (Item 6430PH)

of the probe rods.
Rod Length
Soil Type
Sound
Backlight
Moisture Type
EC Units
Not Set
Standard
ON
Disabled


Auto-O
Time Zone
15 minutes
GMT

6
OPERATIONS
Buon Funcons
Seng Date/Time

Note: When the baeries are removed, the date and me are reset
Updang the Date and Time
1. Press the MENU|SELECT
2. Press the UPDOWNCurrent Date or Current Time
3. Press the MENU|SELECT
4. Press the DELETE|UP
5. UPDOWN
6. Press the MENU|SELECT
7. MENU|SELECT
8. Press the ON/OFF|BACK
ON/OFF|BACK 
• 
• 
• 
• 
MENUSELECT
• Press to enter menus
• 
DELETEUP
• 
• 
counter and its entry from the internal data log
READDOWN
• 
• Press READ to take a reading
• 
250


Meter Operaons
Handlebars Aached
Seng Up the Meter
1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 
5. 
Taking Readings
1. 
2. 



3. Press the READ
DATA LOGGING & MEASUREMENTS
Data Logs
Downloading Data Logs to a USB Flash Drive
1. 

2. Press the MENU|SELECT
3. Press the READ|DOWN
4. Press the MENU|SELECT



Erasing the Internal Data Log
1. Press the MENU|SELECT
2. Press the READ|DOWNClear Logs
3. Press the MENU|SELECT
4. Press the MENU|SELECTON/OFF|BACK
Data Collected

Time
VWC%
Period
Rod Length
Soil Type
VWC Mode
Time Zone



Depicted as Long (LMST
0.5" Spacer (12)
Depicted as Standard (SH) or Sand (D)
V) or
3)


VWC Measurements
Volumetric Water Content (VWC)


Saturaon:
Field Capacity:

Permanent Wilng Point:
Plant Available Water:

Time Domain Reectometry (TDR)








MAINTENANCE
Meter Care

NOT


• 
• 
• 
Baery Life





Display and Sensor Separaon
1. 
2. Flip the display so the backing plate is facing up
3. 
4. Gently separate the display from the base plate

Baery Replacement
1. 
2. 
3. 


Display Installaon
1. 
2. 
cable molding.
3. 
4. 
number label.
5. 
UPDATING & CALIBRATION
Updang Device Firmware


1. 

2. 
3. 
4. 
5. DELETE|UPON/OFF|BACK
and the screen should stay blank.
6. 


Spectrum logo.
7. 
8. 
Soil-Specic Reading Correlaon




1. 
2. 
3. Obtain FieldScout TDR period reading at each sample site
4. 
5. 
6. 
7. Plot sample measurements against FieldScout TDR readings

Volumec Water Content Calculaons   Where
drytot) M Mdry
Gravimetric Water Constant Calculaonstot
b) p
drydry
pbdrytot

10
Calibraon





1. 

2. 
Note: Well or municipal tap water cannot be substuted.
Procedure:
1. 

2. 
3. 
4. Press the MENU|SELECT
5. 
MENU|SELECT
6. 
the sensor base and rods centered in the container. Do not submerge the sensor base.
7. Press the MENU|SELECT


Troubleshoong






Unable to save data to or load rmware from a USB ash drive


“Sensor Not Detected” appears on the display


“No Sensor” appears on the display


Rod Length
VWC %









11
WARRANTY






Form 132 (23-124)
Rev. A 07/2023

3600 Thayer Court
Aurora, IL 60504
800.248.8873
www.specmeters.com