Soil Moisture Sensor Custom Calibration Service
Standard factory calibrations typically deliver ±3% accuracy, which is good—but in critical projects, that margin can mean the difference between success and uncertainty. Our custom calibration service tailors your soil moisture sensors to your exact soil type, boosting accuracy to within ±1%. Built on decades of soil physics expertise, our process ensures you get the most reliable data possible—so you can make better decisions, improve predictive models, and minimize costly risks—because precision isn't optional when the stakes are high.
Be confident in your data
METER’s soil moisture sensors do an excellent job of predicting accurate water content in most soils, but there are some soils that may require a better calibration to get the most accurate water content value. Custom calibration can minimize the effects of high salt or clay content in your soil, helping you get soil moisture data you know you can trust.
We stand by the accuracy of our sensors in just about any environment. We even provide complete instructions for users to calibrate their METER sensors in the field, and we can help streamline your project by calibrating them at the factory.
Tailored exactly to your needs
When ordering the calibration service, you’ll receive the packaging to send METER about four liters of soil. Allowing it to air dry before sending will reduce shipping costs. After receiving the sample, our scientists will start the calibration process as soon as the soil is dry enough. They’ll carefully pack the soil into a container with a known volume and take a volumetric water content measurement with the same type of sensor you’ll be using in the field. Then they’ll place the sample into a large container and soak the soil with enough water to raise the water content 7%. Once it’s well mixed, they’ll repack it and take another volumetric water content measurement. This process will be repeated until the sample is close to saturation. Afterward, the scientists will combine the raw sensor output data with the known water content data to produce a calibration equation that can be easily inserted into your software for a soil-specific calibration. In about two weeks (four for international or non-typical soils), you’ll receive a calibration equation tailored exactly to your soil type.
Spend time with your data, not your sensors
We calibrate all of our sensors before they leave the factory, and our calibration procedure is appropriate for most standard soils. Characterizing a soil for calibration takes time, but we have the instruments and expertise to do the job quickly and effectively. If your project site needs a custom calibration, our scientists can ensure that you receive sensors that are ready for installation right out of the box, so you get to spend more time analyzing and acting on data and less time preparing your devices.
Standards and protocols
Our lab services are performed in both the United States and Germany. As part of the initial consultation for service, we will help determine which office is the most appropriate for your project needs according to your location and any protocol or reporting standards that must be met.
Before collecting samples in the United States, we recommend reviewing the USDA Domestic Soil Quarantine Map.
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