# Maker Soil Moisture Sensor

**Type:** Product page · **SKU:** CE11204 · **Brand:** [Core Electronics](https://core-electronics.com.au/brands/core-electronics-australia)
**Page:** https://core-electronics.com.au/maker-soil-moisture-sensor.html ([markdown](https://core-electronics.com.au/maker-soil-moisture-sensor.html.md))

An analog capacitive soil moisture sensor with a few extra quality of life features - a Grove port, DRY/MOIST/WET indicator LEDs and a disable pin for power saving.

## Pricing

- **Price:** $12.88 (inc GST) — $11.71 AUD, exc GST

## Availability & dispatch

- Available with a lead time — expect dispatch between Oct 08 and Oct 22.

## Description

A capacitive sensor for checking how wet or dry your soil is. Water in the soil increases the capacitance of the probe, and the sensor outputs this as an analogue voltage for your microcontroller to read: the wetter the soil, the lower the output voltage. It connects through a 4-pin Grove port, (a 50 cm Grove to Grove cable is included). Great for projects such as soil moisture detection, automatic plant watering systems and smart gardens.

### Features

- Capacitive sensing probe, which is more corrosion-resistant
- Double-sided probe, so it's more sensitive to moisture changes
- Soil Limit marking on the board showing the maximum depth of the probe, plus a 10 to 60 mm scale printed along the probe
- Three indicator LEDs, Red (DRY), Green (MOIST) and Blue (WET), which turn on depending on the output voltage
- Disable (DIS) pin: send it a HIGH signal to disable the sensor for power saving
- Grove port with GND, VCC, DIS and OUT pins

### Good to Know

- This sensor can only test soil moisture qualitatively, not quantitatively. Higher moisture gives a lower output voltage, so treat readings as wetter or drier rather than as a measured moisture level.
- There is no voltage regulator on board. LEDs only indicate approximate moisture levels and might fluctuate depending on the power supply.
- Cytron notes the sensor only needs a power supply if the indicator LEDs alone are enough for your application. Make sure the supply voltage is within the sensor's specifications (2.5 to 7.0 V).
- Output voltage range from 1.0V to 5.2V, ensure that your microcontroller's analog output can handle this, a voltage divider may be required.
- Insert the probe no deeper than the Soil Limit line marked on the board.

### Board Functions

![Maker Soil Moisture Sensor board functions diagram showing the Grove port pins (DIS, VCC, OUT, GND), the DRY, MOIST and WET indicator LEDs, and the capacitive probe](https://static.cytron.io/image/cache/catalog/products/MAKER-SOIL-MOISTURE/MAKER-SOIL-MOISTURE%20BOARD%20FUNCTIONS-800x800.png)### Specifications

- Sensing method: Capacitive
- Operating voltage: 2.5 to 7.0 V DC
- Output: analogue voltage, 1.0 to 5.2 V (per datasheet); higher voltage = less moisture
- Current consumption (per datasheet): 5.4 to 5.6 mA at 3.3 V; 3.6 to 3.7 mA at 5 V
- Current consumption when disabled (per datasheet): 80 to 140 µA at 3.3 V; 140 to 180 µA at 5 V
- Disable pin (DIS) threshold: VCC - 0.8 V minimum (HIGH disables the sensor)
- LED turn-on output voltage at VCC 3.3 V: Blue (WET) 1.4 to 1.8 V, Green (MOIST) 1.8 to 2.1 V, Red (DRY) 2.1 to 2.3 V
- LED turn-on output voltage at VCC 5 V: Blue (WET) 2.3 to 2.7 V, Green (MOIST) 2.7 to 3.1 V, Red (DRY) 3.1 to 3.6 V
- Dimensions: 100 x 25 mm (probe 65 x 20.5 mm)

### Package includes

- 1x Maker Soil Moisture Sensor
- 1x 50 cm Grove-to-Grove cable

### Resources

- [Maker Soil Moisture Sensor Datasheet](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XErDF1j2W9LaeTdB7ySIbm4T83_ov0TZtVC47lmC7Pg/edit?usp=sharing)

## Images

- [Product image 1](https://core-electronics.com.au/media/catalog/product/C/E/CE11204_ecommerce_1790726229481.jpg)