Product overview and where it fits
The SimtoLink FDR soil-moisture sensor is for field sensing. The parameters on this page are there for selection, for bid clauses, and for spot checks in service. The measurement and communications path uses a 24-bit Σ-Δ ADC and stays predictable across wide temperature, wide supply voltage, and EMI. The hardware is built to be serviced on site: pluggable terminals, a watchdog and redundancy check on the critical chips, and signed firmware that can roll back, which suits volume delivery and remote maintenance.
The default interface is Gigabit Ethernet with a standard industrial connector, so it can join an existing SCADA, energy-management, or IoT platform. SimtoLink supplies a southbound point-list template and northbound MQTT/HTTP push examples, which shortens joint commissioning. Volume projects can add enclosure silkscreen, harness length, protocol mapping, and a calibration certificate.
Reliability on site
For electrical safety and EMC, this sensor has cleared the relevant salt-spray and vibration type tests. The ports carry surge and reverse-polarity protection. A reinforced ground and a split layout keep ground loops and common-mode noise down. Outdoor or coastal installs can take a higher ingress rating and a corrosion-resistant coating.
The software side can import parameters in bulk, apply threshold rules, and store event video or waveforms, depending on the model. Configuration and firmware move by OTA. On site, SimtoLink asks for three checks: power-on self-test, time sync on the link, and a spot check of sampled readings. Where the reading is used for metering or for safety, we help send the unit to a third-party metrology institute and we provide the type-test file.
Key hardware parameters
The ratings below are the typical build of this sensor, written so a specifier can cite them in a bid clause. For a wider range, redundant power, or an intrinsically safe variant, ask SimtoLink for the hardware specification and the installation and commissioning guide. Order codes in the same family can differ slightly; the nameplate and the documents in the box govern.
| Parameter | Specification | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sensing principle | FDR dielectric method | Volumetric water content (VWC) |
| Range | 0–100% (typical) | Calibrated to the soil |
| Accuracy | ±2–3% (typical) | Depends on the model and the soil |
| Resolution | 0.1% | Configurable |
| Communication | LoRa / NB-IoT / RS485 | Chosen on the order |
| Supply | 3.6 V battery / DC 12–24 V | Low-power strategy |
| Ingress protection | IP67 | Buried or outdoor |
| Operating temperature | -20～60 ℃ | Probe temperature range |
| Electrode | Stainless steel | Long-term burial |
| Calibration | Multi-point soil calibration | Can be returned to the factory |
Typical applications
Four field patterns for this sensor, useful when you are laying out a scheme and checking payback:
Open fields and water-saving irrigation
Drip and sprinkler zones get volumetric water content back from the soil, tied to weather and crop models, for irrigation on demand and a moisture alarm.
Protected cropping and greenhouses
Substrate and soil-profile moisture work with shade, mist, and fertigation, which steadies the root zone and lowers disease risk.
Forestry and ecological restoration
Long moisture records on slopes and in desertification-control areas show whether water-retention work is holding, and they feed replanting and land-closure plans.
Subgrade and slope safety
The sensor is buried in the subgrade and at landslide-prone points, and it flags a sudden rise in water content from rainfall infiltration.
Installation, grounding, and maintenance
- Confirm the supply range and polarity before power-up. If needed, check bus voltage and breaker rating with a multimeter.
- Use shielded twisted pair for communications, grounded at one end, and do not run it in a long bundle with high-power cables.
- On first connection, prove bidirectional read and write and threshold triggers with the platform in the lab, then move the sensor to site.
- Outdoors, keep drainage and ventilation clear, inspect the sealing faces on a schedule, and keep lightning-protection earth resistance inside local limits.
- In long-term service, spot-check samples and archive logs every 6 months.
Ordering, documents, and support
SimtoLink supplies the hardware specification, dimension drawings, a wiring table, and sample projects for this sensor. Volume orders can include a sample review and in-plant inspection. Warranty and calibration follow the contract and the documents shipped with the unit.