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Gravity: Analog Soil Moisture Sensor

Gravity: Analog Soil Moisture Sensor

MPN: SEN0114
DFRobot
Moisture Sensor Gravity Platform Evaluation Expansion Board
Active135 in stock

Overview

The SEN0114 is a simple soil moisture sensor designed for use with the DFRobot Gravity ecosystem. It operates by measuring the conductivity between two exposed metal probes to estimate the moisture level of the surrounding medium. This analog sensor is compatible with microcontrollers operating between 3.3V and 5.0V, providing a linear voltage output corresponding to the soil's water content.

Why Choose This Part

The sensor features a plug-and-play Gravity interface that simplifies wiring and eliminates the need for soldering during prototyping. Its wide input voltage range (3.3V to 5V) allows for direct integration with both low-power MCUs and standard 5V Arduino boards. The immersion gold surface finish on the probes provides better corrosion resistance compared to standard copper-only PCB sensors.

Applications

Indoor Plant Monitoring
Triggering localized alerts or notifications when indoor potted plants require manual watering.
Automated Irrigation Systems
Providing feedback to a controller to actuate pumps or solenoid valves in small-scale urban gardens.
Smart Home Environmental Sensing
Integrating soil data into a broader home automation network for lawn maintenance or greenhouse management.

Key Specifications

Type Sensor
Contents Board(s), Cable(s)
Function Moisture
Platform Gravity

Getting Started

Connect the sensor to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) pin on an Arduino or ESP32 using the included Gravity 3-pin cable. In code, use a simple analogRead() function to interpret values between 0 (dry) and roughly 950 (submerged in water). Ensure the sensor is calibrated for your specific soil type, as different substrates will yield different conductivity results.

Also Consider

Capacitive Soil Moisture Sensor DFRobot - Uses capacitive sensing instead of resistive probes to eliminate electrode corrosion over time.
Soil Moisture Sensor SparkFun Electronics - A minimalist resistive sensor board for applications where a standard 0.1 inch header is preferred over the Gravity connector.