CS655
CS655
OrderableConfigurableGSA12 cm Soil Moisture and Temperature Sensor
Ideal for single-point measurements in a broad range of soils.
Pricing
Configuration
Sign in for option pricing- w/3m per Sensor -PF w/ Ferrules on WiresCS655-3m
- (-50 to +70C) w/5m (17ft) per Sensor -PF w/Ferrules on WiresCS655-5m
- (-50 to +70C) w/10m (33ft) per Sensor -PF w/Ferrules on WiresCS655-10m
- (-50 to +70C) w/20m (66ft) per Sensor -PF w/Ferrules on WiresCS655-20m
- w/30m per Sensor -PF w/ Ferrules on WiresCS655-30m
Select a configuration to add to your quote
- Model:
- CS655
- Item Number:
- 45054
- Warranty:
- 1 year
- Lead time:
- 14 days
Overview
The CS655 is a multiparameter smart sensor that uses innovative techniques to monitor soil volumetric-water content, bulk electrical conductivity, and temperature. It outputs an SDI-12 signal that many of our data loggers can measure. It has shorter rods than the CS650, for use in problem soils.
Note: The cable termination options for this sensor are not suitable for use with an ET107 station. For this type of station, use the CS655-LC sensor instead, which has a suitable cable connector.
Key Advantages
More accurate in soils with high bulk EC
Technical Description
The CS655 consists of two 12-cm-long stainless steel rods connected to a printed circuit board. The circuit board is encapsulated in epoxy and a shielded cable is attached to the circuit board for data logger connection.
The CS655 measures propagation time, signal attenuation, and temperature. Dielectric permittivity, volumetric water content, and bulk electrical conductivity are then derived from these raw values.
Measured signal attenuation is used to correct for the loss effect on reflection detection and thus propagation time measurement. This loss-effect correction allows accurate water content measurements in soils with bulk EC ≤8 dS m-1 without performing a soil-specific calibration.
Soil bulk electrical conductivity is also calculated from the attenuation measurement. A thermistor in thermal contact with a probe rod near the epoxy surface measures temperature. Horizontal installation of the sensor provides accurate soil temperature measurement at the same depth as the water content. Temperature measurement in other orientations will be that of the region near the rod entrance into the epoxy body.
Benefits
- Larger sample volume reduces error
- Measurement corrected for effects of soil texture and electrical conductivity
- Estimates soil-water content for a wide range of mineral soils
- Versatile sensor—measures dielectric permittivity, bulk electrical conductivity (EC), and soil temperature
Specifications
- Measurements Made
- Soil electrical conductivity (EC), relative dielectric permittivity, volumetric water content (VWC), soil temperature
- Required Equipment
- Measurement system
- Soil Suitability
- Short rods are easy to install in hard soil. Suitable for soils with higher electrical conductivity.
- Rods
- Not replaceable
- Sensors
- Not interchangeable
- Sensing Volume
- 3600 cm3
(~7.5 cm radius around each probe rod and 4.5 cm beyond the end of the rods)
- Electromagnetic
- CE compliant
(Meets EN61326 requirements for protection against electrostatic discharge and surge.)
- Operating Temperature Range
- -50° to +70°C
- Sensor Output
- SDI-12; serial RS-232
- Warm-up Time
- 3 s
- Measurement Time
- 3 ms to measure; 600 ms to complete SDI-12 command
- Power Supply Requirements
- 6 to 18 Vdc
(Must be able to supply 45 mA @ 12 Vdc.)
- Maximum Cable Length
- 610 m
(2000 ft) combined length for up to 25 sensors connected to the same data logger control port
- Rod Spacing
- 32 mm
(1.3 in.)
- Ingress Protection Rating
- IP68
- Rod Diameter
- 3.2 mm
(0.13 in.)
- Rod Length
- 120 mm
(4.7 in.)
- Probe Head Dimensions
- 85 x 63 x 18 mm
(3.3 x 2.5 x 0.7 in.)
- Cable Weight
- 35 g per m
(0.38 oz per ft)
- Probe Weight
- 240 g
(8.5 oz) without cable
Current Drain
- Active (3 ms)
- 45 mA typical
(@ 12 Vdc)
- Active (3 ms)
- 80 mA
(@ 6 Vdc)
- Active (3 ms)
- 35 mA
(@ 18 Vdc)
- Quiescent
- 135 µA typical
(@ 12 Vdc)
Electrical Conductivity
- Range for Solution EC
- 0 to 8 dS/m
- Range for Bulk EC
- 0 to 8 dS/m
- Accuracy
- ±(5% of reading + 0.05 dS/m)
- Precision
- 0.5% of BEC
Relative Dielectric Permittivity
- Range
- 1 to 81
- Accuracy
- ±(3% of reading + 0.8)
from 1 to 40 for solution EC ≤ 8 dS/m
- Accuracy
- ±2
(from 40 to 81 for solution EC ≤ 2.8 dS/m)
- Precision
- < 0.02
Volumetric Water Content
- Range
- 0 to 100%
(with M4 command)
- Water Content Accuracy
- ±1%
(with soil-specific calibration) where solution EC < 3 dS/m
- Water Content Accuracy
- ±3%
(typical with factory VWC model) where solution EC < 10 dS/m
- Precision
- < 0.05%
Soil Temperature
- Range
- -50° to +70°C
- Resolution
- 0.001°C
- Accuracy
- ±0.1°C
(for typical soil temperatures [0 to 40°C] when probe body is buried in soil)
- Accuracy
- ±0.5°C
(for full temperature range)
- Precision
- ±0.02°C
Accessories
(6)CS650G
Rod Insertion Guide Tool
OrderableA200
Sensor to PC Interface
Orderable33815
SDI-12 Terminal Bus Kit
Orderable39121
DIN Rail Terminal Kit with 2 Terminals and 5 Wires
Orderable39642
SDI-12 DIN Rail Terminal Bus Kit without Mounting Bracket
OrderableA151
Single Sensor Terminal Case, Vented with Desiccant
Orderable
Related Resources
Case Studies

China: Flux Cooperation
Flux studies over mountain forests (heterogeneous landscapes)
Northeast China
March 8, 2019
View
Utah: Flux Stations
Improving ground-truth measurement of water throughout the state
Utah, USA
June 9, 2023
View
South Africa: Sustainable Solutions for Farms
Adapting to climate change
Western Cape, South Africa; Müncheberg, Germany
September 20, 2022
View
Jamaica: Hurricane Melissa
Monitoring weather conditions for a mangrove ecosystem and a hurricane
Oyster Bay near Falmouth, Jamaica
April 2, 2026
View
Documents
- Manual
CS650 and CS655 Water Content Reflectometers
July 2025
View Document - Brochure
CS650 and CS655 Soil Water Content Reflectometer
September 2011
View Document - Brochure
CS655 12 cm Soil Water Content Reflectometer
March 2026
View Document - Compliance
CS650 (and related products) EU Declaration of Conformity
April 2016
View Document - View all documents
Videos and Tutorials

SDI-12 Sensors | Watch or Sniffer Mode
November 27, 2013 (3:20)
Watching communication between an SDI-12 sensor and a datalogger
Watch
Measuring Water in the Soil: A Webinar
January 21, 2021 (32:06)
Common theories for making measurements of soil water content
Watch
CRBasic | Advanced Programming
July 30, 2014 (6:50)
Programming multiple measurements of the same type
Watch
SDI-12 Sensors | Transparent Mode
November 27, 2013 (7:06)
Communicating with an SDI-12 sensor
Watch- View all videos and tutorials