{"id":20529,"date":"2024-05-24T14:13:26","date_gmt":"2024-05-24T21:13:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/?p=20529"},"modified":"2025-10-03T13:11:41","modified_gmt":"2025-10-03T20:11:41","slug":"go-direct-soil-moisture-troubleshooting-and-faqs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/20529","title":{"rendered":"Go Direct Soil Moisture Troubleshooting and FAQs"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"\/product\/go-direct-soil-moisture-sensor\/\">Go Direct<sup>&reg;<\/sup> Soil Moisture Sensor<\/a> (<nobr>GDX-SM<\/nobr>)<\/h3>\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"\/manuals\/GDX-SM\">Specifications and User Guide<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/product_gdx-sm_remote-logging_001_2025-02.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-very-light-gray-background-color has-background\"><strong>Some versions of this sensor support Remote Data Logging.<\/strong><br \/><a href=\"\/til\/25910\/\">Which Go Direct Soil Moisture sensor do I have? Does it support Remote Data Logging?<\/a><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Troubleshooting<\/h3>\n<p><strong>General: <\/strong>Press the power button on the sensor to turn it on. Connect your sensor as described in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/get-started\/go-direct\">Getting Started instructions for your device<\/a>.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Primary Test:<\/strong> Once connected to a device, the Go Direct Soil Moisture Sensor should read 0% in air. Grab the sensing portion with your hand, and the reading should go up to somewhere between 40% and 60%.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Additional Troubleshooting<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/23256\/\">Remote Data Logging Troubleshooting and FAQs<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/23640\/\">How do I check the status of my sensor during a remote data logging experiment?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/23647\/\">How do I bring remote logging data from multiple devices or multiple runs into a single Graphical Analysis file?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>REMOTE DATA LOGGING<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/25910\/\">Which Go Direct Soil Moisture sensor do I have? Does it support Remote Data Logging?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/23278\/\">Is there a way to update Go Direct sensors with the remote data logging feature?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/23256\/\">Remote Data Logging Troubleshooting and FAQs<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/23325\/\">How long will my battery last for my remote data logging experiment?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/23335\/\">Which sensors are equipped with the remote data logging feature?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/23640\/\">How do I check the status of my sensor during a remote data logging experiment?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/23647\/\">How do I bring remote logging data from multiple devices or multiple runs into a single Graphical Analysis file?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Specifications<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Range: 0 to 45% volumetric water content in soil <\/li>\n<li>Operating temperature: \u201340\u00b0C to +60\u00b0C<\/li>\n<li>Dimensions: 8.9 cm \u00d7 1.8 cm \u00d7 0.7 cm (active sensor length 5 cm)<\/li>\n<li>Connections:<br \/>\u26ac Wireless: Bluetooth<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> v4.2 (wireless range 30 m unobstructed) <br \/>\u26ac Wired: USB 2.0 full speed<\/li>\n<li>Battery: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.vernier.com\/gdx-bat-300\">300 mA Li-Poly<\/a><br \/>\u26ac Battery Life (single, full charge): ~24 hours continuous data collection<br \/>\u26ac Battery Life (lifetime): 2 \u2013 5 years (typical)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Calibration<\/h3>\n<p>Calibrate? No. The Go Direct Soil Moisture Sensor has a stored calibration that gives good results.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Battery Troubleshooting<\/h3>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the sensor can be turned on when connected by USB but not when disconnected from USB, the battery either needs charging or has reached its end of life and can no longer hold a charge. <\/span><br \/>\u26ac <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First, try charging the sensor for several hours. <\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the sensor still won\u2019t turn on when disconnected from USB, try swapping the battery with a working sensor to see if the problem follows the battery or stays with the sensor.<\/span><br \/>\u26ac If the problem stays with the sensor, the battery is probably not the issue.<br \/>\u26ac If the problem follows the battery, <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the battery has likely reached its end of life.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you intend to use this sensor wirelessly, its battery will need replacing<\/span>.<br \/><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"\/product\/go-direct-300-mah-replacement-battery\/\">Go Direct&reg; 300 mAh Replacement Battery<\/a> (<nobr>GDX-BAT-300<\/nobr>)<\/span><\/li>\n<li>See <a href=\"\/til\/4014\/\">How do I remove or replace a Go Direct battery?<\/a> for more information (including a <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/Lv2yCaL0ruU\">video<\/a>).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-very-light-gray-background-color has-background\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Rechargeable batteries are covered by a one-year warranty.<\/strong><\/span><br \/>Batteries <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">should last two to five years in typical use. <\/span><\/p>\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Related Products<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"\/product\/micro-usb-to-usb-c-cable\/\">Micro USB to USB-C Cable<\/a> (<nobr>CB-USB-C-MICRO<\/nobr>)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/product\/go-direct-charge-station\/\">Go Direct<sup>&reg;<\/sup> Charge Station<\/a> (<nobr>GDX-CRG<\/nobr>)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/product\/soil-moisture-sensor\/\">Soil Moisture Sensor<\/a> (<nobr>SMS-BTA<\/nobr>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Replacement Parts<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"\/product\/go-direct-300-mah-replacement-battery\/\">Go Direct&reg; 300 mAh Replacement Battery<\/a> (<nobr>GDX-BAT-300<\/nobr>)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/product\/micro-usb-cable\/\">Micro USB Cable<\/a> (<nobr>CB-USB-MICRO<\/nobr>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Specifications and User Guide Some versions of this sensor support Remote Data Logging. Troubleshooting General: Press the power button on the sensor to turn it&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41204,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20529","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20529","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41204"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20529"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20529\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20529"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20529"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20529"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}