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When people think of the relationship between salts and crops, the impression is that salt is harmful to plant growth.  However, it must be remembered that whenever we add fertilizer, we are adding salt to the soil.  So, when soil salinity is measured, it may be a case of too much or too little.  If salinity is too high, the roots cannot bring in water.  If salinity is too low, the plants may be starved for nutrients.  This is especially critical for indoor operations that use growth media that has little or no natural fertility.For day to day measurements, it is not practical to actually measure the amount of salt in irrigation water or the soil.  Fortunately, electrical conductivity (EC) can be used as a proxy for salt content.  EC is a measure of how well an aqueous solution conducts electricity.  It is influenced by the salt concentration and the temperature.  The most commonly used units of measurement for EC are mS/cm, μS/cm, and dS/m, where S stands for Siemens.  Because of the impact of temperature, most commercial EC meters automatically compensate their output to account for temperature differences between samples.  Some meters will output TDS which stands for Total Dissolved Solids (or Salts).  TDS is computed directly from EC using a conversion factor based on the dominant salts present in the sample.  A typical conversion would be 1 mS/cm = 640 mg/L.Most soil labs will report the EC from a saturated media extract (SME).  The soil is wetted to saturation such that the soil glistens.  A vacuum pump is then used to extract a liquid sample for measurement.  A similar, but less sophisticated method is the Pour-Through technique.  The soil is wetted in a similar way compared to an SME.  But, instead of using a vacuum, a small amount of water is added to the top of the container to force a sample out of the bottom.  Soil dilutions are an easy way to create a sample for a portable EC meter.  The most common dilutions are 1 part soil to 2 parts water or 1 part soil to 5 parts water. Obviously, the interpretation of the EC measurement is dependent on how the sample was prepared. Taking an EC measurement is simply a function of immersing two electrodes in the sample, applying a voltage and measuring the response.  This is then converted to conductivity.  All EC meters can take measurements in water or soil slurries.  There are also meters that have the electrodes configured at the tip of a rugged probe that can be inserted directly into the soil.  These probes are useful for sampling directly through a soil profile or for taking near surface measurements in a greenhouse plug tray.Tracking salinity is an essential facet of any nutrient management program.  Portable EC meters / probes are a convenient and affordable way to ensure you maintain a healthy root zone.

The outdoor meteorological station is a monitoring instrument used to monitor real-time environmental changes and make corresponding warnings. Usually used in the meteorological industry. With the rise of various industries, automatic weather station technology has become more and more advanced and its applications have become more and more extensive. The weather station is usually composed of weather sensors, microcomputer weather data acquisition instruments, power supply systems (optional solar power supply), light shutters, field protective boxes, and stainless steel brackets. The meteorological sensors include wind speed sensors, wind direction sensors, rain and snow sensors, solar radiation sensors, tipping bucket rain gauges, multi-element shutters, and other sensors. So what are the weather instruments? You may know they are tools for measuring weather, but not sure the types of weather station, this article will share the professional information with you. There are various types of weather station sensors, according to the different needs of different users, the weather instruments are divided into three types: stationary weather station (divided into pole installation and tripod installation), portable weather station, and rainfall monitoring station (divided into pole installation and tripod installation). Weather stations and rainfall monitoring stations can be equipped with large LED screens to display measurement data in real-time. 1. Stationary meteorological stationStationary weather stations can monitor up to wind speed, wind direction, soil temperature, soil moisture, soil EC, soil PH, air temperature and humidity, noise, carbon dioxide, atmospheric pressure, light, rain and snow status, ultraviolet light, total radiation, carbon monoxide, ozone Nearly 30 elements such as nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, oxygen, PM2.5, PM10, negative oxygen ions, ammonia, TVOC, rainfall, soil nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, etc. The monitoring elements can also be selected according to needs. The wind speed and direction sensor can choose a split wind speed and direction sensor, or an ultrasonic integrated wind speed and direction sensor. 2. Portable weather stationThe portable weather station is a portable observation system that is easy to carry, is installed on a tripod, is easy to use, has high measurement accuracy, and integrates multiple meteorological elements. The meteorological station system can collect multiple information such as temperature, humidity, wind direction, wind speed, rainfall, air pressure, illuminance, etc., and upload local monitoring software or cloud platform.  There are two types of portable weather stations. One is a C-type integrated weather station that can monitor up to nine types of wind speed, wind direction, air temperature and humidity, noise, carbon dioxide, atmospheric pressure, PM2.5, PM10, and negative oxygen ions. Elements; the other uses an ultrasonic integrated weather station, which can monitor up to ten elements such as wind speed, wind direction, air temperature and humidity, noise, carbon dioxide, atmospheric pressure, light, PM2.5, PM10, and negative oxygen ions. The monitoring elements can be selected according to needs. 3. Rainfall monitoring meteorological stationIn recent years, with the gradual completion and successful use of rain gauge monitoring instruments in various regions, it has provided more accurate guidance data for flood control commanders to better monitor rainfall, direct emergency rescues, and make flood control and disaster reduction decisions. The rainfall measurement device is an automatic rain gauge that uses optical rainfall sensors to collect ground rainfall information, is one of the common weather instruments used. It can accurately record the precipitation per minute. The system receives, summarizes, counts, and analyzes the data of each monitoring point. With dynamic real-time monitoring, historical data query, time period statistics, curve analysis, historical data export, and other functions. Widely used in rain gauge monitoring, with IP67 overall protection level, suitable for all kinds of distributed collection systems, especially in places where the on-site environment is harsh and power supply is difficult, such as gas, water supply, and other pipe network monitoring, electricity, communications, etc. Monitoring of cables, tube wells, etc., monitoring of hydrology, water conservancy, reservoirs, etc., as well as data collection and remote networking in various field environments and areas without power supply. Rainfall weather instruments are divided into two types, one is a C-type integrated meteorological station, which can monitor wind speed, wind direction, air temperature and humidity, noise, carbon dioxide, atmospheric pressure, PM2.5, PM10, negative oxygen ion, rainfall, etc. One element; the other uses an ultrasonic integrated weather station, which can monitor eleven elements such as wind speed, wind direction, air temperature and humidity, noise, carbon dioxide, atmospheric pressure, light, PM2.5, PM10, negative oxygen ions, and rainfall. Similarly, monitoring elements can also be selected according to needs.Rika Sensors is an automatic weather station manufacturer that provides all kinds of professional weather station sensors. Click products to check further information. You may like:Rain gaugeAutomatic weather stationWind direction sensors

Dear customers,we will have 5-days of holiday from May 1st to 5th, 2021 for Labour Day.Your understanding will be highly appreciated if our holiday brings you any inconveniences. If any question or support needed, please contact us at info@rikasensor.com or sales@rikasensor.com

Sometimes, after rains, the air feels moist. The water seems to have suspended in the air. However, in certain AC’s you click some buttons and the atmosphere brightens up. How and why does it all happen? Moisture forms up in the air, resulting in humidity. However, the humidity sensor in your AC picks it up and cleans it up for you. Isn’t that wonderful? Let’s take a look at how it does that. A humidity sensor (or hygrometer) senses, measures and reports both moisture and air temperature. The ratio of moisture in the air to the highest amount of moisture at a particular air temperature is called relative humidity. Relative humidity becomes an important factor when looking for comfort. Humidity sensors work by detecting changes that alter electrical currents or temperature in the air.  RK330-01 Ambient Temperature Humidity & Pressure Sensor There are three basic types of humidity sensors: ● Capacitive● Resistive● Thermal All three types of sensors monitor minute changes in the atmosphere in order to calculate the humidity in the air. Let us discuss these types in detail: CapacitiveA capacitive humidity sensor measures relative humidity by placing a thin strip of metal oxide between two electrodes. The metal oxide’s electrical capacity changes with the atmosphere’s relative humidity. Weather, commercial and industries are the major application areas. The capacitive type sensors are linear and can measure relative humidity from 0% to 100%. The catch here is a complex circuit and regular calibration. However, for designers this a lesser hassle over precise measurement and hence these dominate atmospheric and process measurements. These are the only types of full-range relative humidity measuring devices down to 0% relative humidity. This low-temperature effect often leads to them being used over wide temperature ranges without active temperature compensation. ResistiveResistive humidity sensors utilize ions in salts to measure the electrical impedance of atoms. As humidity changes, so do the resistance of the electrodes on either side of the salt medium. ThermalTwo thermal sensors conduct electricity based upon the humidity of the surrounding air. One sensor is encased in dry nitrogen while the other measures ambient air. The difference between the two measures the humidity. RK330-01 Temperature Humidity & Pressure Sensor with Radiation Shield   Tips on Humidity Sensor workingCoulometric: An electrolyte is formed by absorption of water resulting in a current level which is proportional to the moisture content in the air.Gravimetric: A drying agent is exposed to moist air, resulting in weight gain by the drying agent. The increased weight corresponds to the amount of moisture.Microwave/Infrared: A transmitted signal varies as the humidity increases. The attenuation is an indication of the moisture content in the medium. Some parameters for judgementSo once you know what it is, and how it works, the next step probably would be to check its working. And how do you do that? By working through some of the below-mentioned parameters. AccuracyEvery sensor has its own calibration curve, based on a 9 point system. It basically pitches the pros against the cons of the particular sensor. LinearityIt indicates the voltage deviation from the BFSL value and the measured output voltage value, converted to relative humidity. ReliabilityThe measurements often cause the sensor to fall out of sync. However for a sensor to be useful, it has to provide reliable measurements. RepeatabilityThe measurements from a sensor, have to be so that they don’t drift apart. Repeatability is the measurement of drift among measurements of a single quantity. Response timeTypically, the time is taken by a sensor to rise to 66% (rise time) or fall to 33% (fall time) of maximum output voltage, is known as the response time. Applications of humidity sensors are far and wideThe applications of humidity sensor range far and wide. People with illnesses affected by humidity, monitoring and preventive measure in homes employ humidity sensors. A humidity sensor is also found as part of home heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems (HVAC systems). These are also used in offices, cars, humidors, museums, industrial spaces and greenhouses and are also used in meteorology stations to report and predict the weather.  RK330-01 application in greenhouse