Teros 12

Soil moisture sensing—reinvented

In the field, soil moisture accuracy can make or break a study. But accuracy is about more than just the sensor. It’s about eliminating anything that confounds the data. That’s why we’ve completely reinvented not just our sensor, but the entire soil moisture sensor experience. Introducing the new TEROS 12.

Pushes past traditional boundaries

For 20 years, our experts have worked on achieving the highest possible accuracy spec. Now we’ve turned our attention to something nobody else is thinking about—the consistency of the entire data set. TEROS 12 goes beyond other sensors to eliminate barriers to good accuracy such as installation inconsistency, sensor-to-sensor variability, and sensor verification. No other soil moisture sensor on the market addresses these issues. The TEROS 12 combines consistent, flawless installation, extremely robust construction, minimal sensor-to-sensor variability, a large volume of influence, and advanced data logging to give you the best performance, accuracy, ease-of-use, and reliability at a price you can afford.

Sensor to sensor variability—solved

Accuracy is only as good as a sensor’s consistency. And if you’re calibrating every sensor individually, errors can occur, especially when you’re installing hundreds of sensors. The TEROS 12 uses a completely new calibration procedure that maximizes accuracy and minimizes sensor-to-sensor variability, while keeping the TEROS 12 cost reasonable. So you can be confident that every sensor you install is going to read exactly like the next one.

Sensor performance—maximized

Accurately characterizing soil moisture variability demands a large volume of influence. The TEROS 12 delivers the best volume of influence to sensor size on the market. We’ve optimized the circuitry in this 9.4-cm sensor to deliver an incredible one-liter volume of influence (versus the 200 mL typical for most sensors). Most soil sensors that measure this much volume are 20 cm or longer, causing installation headaches. Not only that, we’ve positioned a temperature sensor perfectly inside the middle needle so the needles are robust, yet extremely sensitive to soil temperature change. These high-quality stainless steel needles slip easily into even hardened soils, and a durable epoxy fill means the sensor lasts up to 10 years in the field.

Installation error—eliminated

Everything comes down to installation, in terms of accuracy. If installation is poor, it doesn’t matter how good the calibration is, your data will be bad. The new TEROS Borehole Installation Tool mistake-proofs installation. The tool and sensor were designed as a unit to fit down a 4-inch diameter hand-augered hole. This delivers consistent, flawless installation into any soil type (even hard clay) while minimizing site disturbance. Sensors are installed straight in and perpendicular with uniform pressure then gently released to prevent air gaps.

And, TEROS offers a superior way to measure the soil profile. You can install into undisturbed soil instead of a slurry, at depths you choose, without creating the preferential flow issues that plague traditional profile sensors. The TEROS Borehole Installation Tool can install sensors at borehole depths up to 1.8 meters.

Seamless data collection—mastered

Easy and reliable data collection is part of the TEROS 12 experience. Combine the TEROS 12 with the new ZL6, where all data are connected and delivered through the cloud. So all you have to do is sit back and let the data flow.

Why not have it all?

Traditional soil moisture sensors miss the forest for the trees. The new TEROS 12 goes beyond merely optimizing the reading to optimize the accuracy of the whole data set. Plus, it takes durability and ease-of-use to a whole new level. The TEROS 12 is more than just a sensor. It combines consistent, flawless installation, minimal sensor-to-sensor variability, a large volume of influence, near-bullet proof construction, and advanced data logging to give you the highest performance, accuracy, and reliability—all at an affordable price.

With all these advantages, it’s no wonder the TEROS 12 is now our recommendation for every application.

SPECIFICATIONS