Soil Moisture Monitoring System Application Scenarios

NiuBoL Soil Moisture Monitoring System: Precision Soil Testing & Smart Irrigation Solution 

 Product Definition

The soil moisture monitoring system is an intelligent platform that integrates high-precision soil temperature and humidity sensors with data acquisition and transmission modules. By continuously monitoring soil moisture, temperature, and environmental changes in real time, it provides scientific decision-making support for agricultural production, forestry management, water conservancy irrigation, scientific research, and urban landscaping. 

NiuBoL systems adopt NBL-S-THR and NBL-S-TM sensors, offering fast response, high accuracy, and immunity to interference from fertilizers and metal ions in soil. They are ideal for open-field crops, greenhouses, orchards, and research applications.

 Working Principle

The core technology is FDR (Frequency Domain Reflectometry), which measures soil dielectric constant:

1. The sensor emits high-frequency electromagnetic pulses that travel along probes into the soil.

2. The soil’s dielectric constant changes with water content, altering the reflected signal characteristics.

3. The system calculates actual soil moisture content and temperature from the reflected signal. 

This method ensures fast, stable, accurate measurements and allows long-term buried deployment for continuous monitoring.

 Recommended Soil Sensors 

NBL-S-THR Soil Temperature & Humidity Sensor  

- Range: Moisture 0–100% RH, Temperature –50 to +100°C  

- Output: RS485, 4–20 mA, 0–5 V  

- Resolution: Moisture 0.1%, Temperature 0.1°C  

- Accuracy: Moisture ±3%, Temperature ±0.5°C  

- Protection: IP68 (suitable for long-term burial) 

NBL-S-TM Soil Temperature & Humidity Sensor  

- Range: Moisture 0–100% RH, Temperature –40 to +80°C  

- Output: RS485 (Modbus-RTU protocol)  

- Probe material: Special anti-corrosion electrode  

- Sealing: Black flame-retardant epoxy resin  

- Installation: Fully buried or probes fully inserted  

- Protection: IP68, can be submerged long-term

 Measurement Method

1. Insert probes vertically into soil for full contact.  

2. Continuous real-time sampling of moisture and temperature.  

3. Data output via RS485, analog current/voltage, or wireless transmission.  

4. Remote monitoring through NiuBoL cloud platform with historical analysis. 

 Installation Guidelines

- Select uniform soil areas free of large stones or debris.  

- Avoid locations near irrigation outlets or drainage points to prevent localized over-wetting.  

- Insert probes vertically; depth depends on crop root zone (typically 20–40 cm).  

- Gently compact soil around probes after installation for stability. 

 Installation Steps

1. Dig a hole or directly insert probes to desired depth (usually 20–40 cm).  

2. Connect sensor cables securely to the data logger.  

3. Power on and calibrate; verify stable output.  

4. Connect to NiuBoL cloud platform or local display for remote viewing. 

 Data Processing & Platform Features

- Real-time upload with historical trend analysis, crop water demand forecasting, and customizable alarm thresholds.  

- Intelligent decision support: automatic linkage with irrigation systems or water pumps.  

- Compatible with third-party sensors (air temperature, light, EC, etc.).  

- Supports multi-point, multi-depth layouts for 3D soil moisture mapping.  

- Communication: Modbus-RTU, RS485, LoRa, WiFi, GPRS, 4G/5G options.

 Common Faults & Troubleshooting 

Soil Moisture Monitoring System Application Scenarios 

Agriculture  

- Open-field crops (wheat, corn, rice): Develop precise irrigation schedules to boost yield  

- Greenhouses: Real-time moisture control for optimized fertilization and irrigation  

- Orchards: Adjust water according to growth stage to improve fruit quality  

- Horticulture & flowers: Maintain ideal moisture and fertility 

Forestry  

- Afforestation: Select suitable species and timing to increase survival rate  

- Forest ecology monitoring: Long-term soil moisture tracking for ecosystem studies 

Geological Hazard Monitoring  

- Landslide warning via soil moisture changes  

- Debris flow prediction combined with rainfall data 

Water Conservancy  

- Irrigation management: Optimize water allocation and improve efficiency  

- Hydrological research: Analyze soil–water interactions for modeling 

Scientific Research & Urban Greening  

- Agricultural research: Long-term data for crop water requirement studies  

- Ecological research: Impact of soil moisture on vegetation and microbial activity  

- Urban landscaping: Irrigation guidance for parks and roadside greenery 

 Model Selection Guide

- Open-field crops → NBL-S-TM, buried 20–40 cm, spacing 80–100 m  

- Greenhouses & flowers → NBL-S-THR for high-precision small-area monitoring  

- Orchards → Multi-point sensors targeting root zones  

- Scientific research → RS485/Modbus models for easy data acquisition  

- Water conservancy → IP68 models suitable for long-term submersion

 Comparison with Common Market Sensors 

 FAQ 

1. Can sensors be buried directly in soil?  

   Yes, both NBL-S-THR and NBL-S-TM support long-term burial. 

2. Are readings affected by fertilizer?  

   No interference from fertilizers or metal ions. 

3. What soil depths can be measured?  

   Any depth from 0–100 cm by manual insertion. 

4. What signal outputs are available?  

   RS485, 4–20 mA, 0–5 V. 

5. Does it support remote monitoring?  

   Yes, compatible with NiuBoL cloud or third-party IoT platforms. 

6. Waterproof rating?  

   IP68 – can be submerged indefinitely. 

7. Operating temperature range?  

   NBL-S-THR: –50 to +100°C; NBL-S-TM: –40 to +85°C. 

8. Suitable for greenhouses?  

   Perfect for precision irrigation and fertilization management. 

9. Is installation difficult?  

   Simply insert probes and calibrate – very easy. 

10. What certifications does NiuBoL hold?  

    CE, ISO9001, RoHS, and calibration certificates.

 Summary

The NiuBoL Soil Moisture Monitoring System, powered by high-precision temperature and humidity sensors, delivers accurate, real-time soil moisture monitoring across agriculture, forestry, water conservancy, scientific research, and urban greening. With outstanding stability, long-term reliability, corrosion resistance, full waterproofing, and remote monitoring capabilities, it enables precision irrigation, water-saving management, geological hazard warning, and valuable research data accumulation. 

Choosing NiuBoL not only increases crop yield and quality but also optimizes water use and reduces labor costs — achieving a truly efficient integration of smart agriculture and intelligent environmental management.

Soil moisture sensor datasheet:

1.NBL-S-THR Soil Temperature Moisture Sensor datasheet

NBL-S-THR-Soil-temperature-and-moisture-sensors-Instruction-Manual-V4.0.pdf

2. NBL-S-TMC Soil Temperature Moisture EC Sensor datasheet

NBL-S-TMC-Soil-temperature-and-moisture-conductivity-sensor.pdf

3. NBL-S-TM Soil Temperature Moisture Sensor datasheet

NBL-S-TM-Soil-temperature-and-moisture-sensor-Instruction-Manual-4.0.pdf

4. NBL-S-TMCS Soil Temperature, Moisture, Conductivity and Salinity Integrated Sensor

NBL-S-TMCS-Soil-Temperature-Humidity-Conductivity-and-Salinity-Sensor.pdf