{"id":321,"date":"2020-05-21T16:06:55","date_gmt":"2020-05-21T22:06:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.irrigation.equipment\/?p=321"},"modified":"2021-10-27T10:13:42","modified_gmt":"2021-10-27T16:13:42","slug":"a-guide-to-the-digital-moisture-meter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irrigation.equipment\/a-guide-to-the-digital-moisture-meter\/","title":{"rendered":"Guide to the Digital Moisture Meter"},"content":{"rendered":"

For quick reference, here’s the Official Meter Guide from Blumat Austria.<\/a><\/p>\n

Without further ado, here’s the:<\/p>\n

Sustainable Village Guide to the Blumat Digital Moisture Meter<\/h1>\n

About<\/h2>\n

The Blumat Digital Moisture Meter is a great tool for any gardener.\u00a0 While I typically recommend it to first-time Blumat system users to ease the learning curve, it can be useful for cultivators with any irrigation system.\u00a0 The meter displays exactly how much moisture is in your growing medium.\u00a0 This is displayed in terms of mbar.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mbar is a unit of pressure measurement.\u00a0 The digital meter uses the same technology as a tropf Blumat to measure pressure differences in your medium, and displays that measurement digitally.<\/p>\n

The meter is composed\u00a0 of three parts:<\/p>\n

1) Digital Display:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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2) Extension & Ceramic Sensor:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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3) Recommended Protective Silicone Cap<\/strong> (Included on sustainablevillage.com orders):<\/p>\n

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How It Works<\/h2>\n

The ceramic extension is soaked in and filled with water, just like a Blumat sensor.\u00a0 When this is inserted into growing medium, the medium exerts a pressure on the water inside the cone.\u00a0 When the medium is more dry, it pulls harder on the water inside the cone.\u00a0 When the medium is more moist, the force pulling inside the cone is less.\u00a0 These forces of pressure correlate to different readings on the meter.\u00a0 A reading of 0 indicates standard water, while a high reading of 750 or so indicates sawdust completely void of moisture.\u00a0 The digital moisture meter is a tensiometer, but indicates moisture levels using pressure as a correlative.<\/p>\n

How to Use<\/h2>\n
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  1. Water medium the night before you intend to install the meter.\u00a0 Follow up the morning after.\u00a0 The goal is to get medium to a moisture level that your plants seem happy with–prior to using the meter.<\/li>\n
  2. Separate the three meter components.<\/li>\n
  3. The ceramic cone and plastic extension should be soaked in water for at least 15 minutes.\u00a0 This ensures the pores of the ceramic will be saturated with moisture.<\/li>\n
  4. While the digital display is disconnected, hold the on button for 3 seconds or so.\u00a0 The display should read “000.”\u00a0 Wait a moment, then screw the display onto\u00a0 the pre-soaked and water-filled ceramic\/plastic extension.\u00a0 Unlike Tropf Blumat Sensors, it is not imperative that the extension is completely void of air\/gases.<\/strong><\/li>\n
  5. Insert the meter into your medium.\u00a0 Wait 20-45 minutes.<\/li>\n
  6. Push the button, and the meter should be displaying an accurate measurement in terms of mbar.\u00a0 Depending on environmental factors, you’ll want different readings.\u00a0 In living soil, depending on conditions, growth stage, etc., I aim for 80-160mbar at any given time.<\/li>\n
  7. The meter can be moved and re-situated to get readings at various places in a garden.\u00a0 Once it is moved to a new spot, it needs another 20-45 minutes or so to get an accurate reading.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Maintenance<\/h2>\n

    Over time, the meter will begin displaying inaccurate readings.\u00a0 This will be fairly obvious.\u00a0 In soil that seems healthy, you might get readings of several hundred mbar.\u00a0 Don’t be alarmed!\u00a0 The meter has probably voided of water.<\/p>\n

    If this is the case, here is the re-calibration procedure:<\/p>\n

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    1. Unscrew the digital display from the ceramic cone.<\/li>\n
    2. Soak the ceramic cone in water for 15 minutes.<\/li>\n
    3. Remove cone from water while keeping the cone full of water.<\/li>\n
    4. Hold the on-button for 3 seconds until “000” is displayed.<\/li>\n
    5. Screw the digital display back onto the cone.<\/li>\n
    6. Insert meter into growing medium.\u00a0 Wait 20-45 minutes.<\/li>\n
    7. Push on button, and observe the digital display.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Changing the Battery:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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      1. Using a small Phillips head screwdriver you can unscrew the two plastic halves.<\/li>\n
      2. Replace the old battery with a new battery (purchase here<\/a>).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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         <\/p>\n

        General Advice<\/h2>\n