Description
Read the Whole Root Zone, Not Just One Spot
The TrolMaster WCS-9 Substrate Sensor Set measures volumetric water content (VWC), substrate EC and root-zone temperature for the Aqua-X, Hydro-X, Tent-X and Green-X control systems (NFS-1, NFS-2, NFS-3, HCS-2, TCS-1 and GCS-1). It pairs a WCS-9 sensor display with a WN-9 sensor node whose stainless steel spikes and built-in temperature sensor sit in the growing medium, in soil or in high-EC soilless substrates such as coco and rockwool. Up to four WN-9 nodes can be daisy-chained to one display, which averages their readings into a figure you can trust for irrigation and crop steering.
What's Included
- WCS-9 sensor display
- WN-9 sensor node
- 16ft RJ12 cable set
- T-splitter
Key Benefits
- 3-in-1 readings – VWC 0–100%, EC 0–30 mS/cm and temperature 0–50°C
- Multi-node averaging – up to 4 nodes per display to even out hot spots and channelling
- Display at the slab – check each node or the average without walking to the controller
- Feed on demand – lets your controller trigger irrigation from substrate moisture
- Dynamic reading intervals and simplified calibration
One Probe, One Misleading Reading
A single substrate sensor sees one point in one slab. A dry pocket, a channel where water runs straight through or an EC hot spot next to a dripper can make that point unrepresentative, and every irrigation decision built on it over- or under-waters the whole zone. Averaging several nodes across the root zone gives a truer picture of dry-back, nutrient strength and root health.
How to Use
- Insert the WN-9's spikes fully into the substrate at a point that represents the zone
- Connect the node to the display and the display to your controller with the RJ12 cable set and T-splitter
- Expand with up to three more WN-9 nodes, each linked by its own daisy-chain cable
- Set water content and EC targets on the controller to run feed-on-demand irrigation
Technical Specifications
- Model: WCS-9 substrate sensor set (WCS-9 display + WN-9 node)
- Measures: volumetric water content, substrate EC, root-zone temperature
- Water content range: 0–100%
- EC range: 0–30 mS/cm
- Temperature range: 0–50°C (32–122°F)
- Nodes per display: up to 4 WN-9
- Probe: stainless steel spikes with built-in temperature sensor
- Power: 12V, 0.1A (from the controller)
- Compatible controllers: NFS-1, NFS-2, NFS-3, HCS-2, TCS-1, GCS-1
- Substrates: soil and high-EC soilless media such as coco and rockwool
- Operating environment: 0–50°C, up to 90% RH
- Reading interval: every 1 min; every 10 s during Feed on Demand
- Calibration: single 100% point; factory set for rockwool
- Displays per controller: up to 50 (NFS-2, HCS-2), 20 (NFS-3), 1 (NFS-1, TCS-1, GCS-1)
- Dimensions: display 8.2 x 5.4 x 2.1 cm; node 6.3 x 6.3 x 8.2 cm
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add more sensor nodes later?
Yes. Up to four WN-9 nodes can be daisy-chained to one WCS-9 display; each extra node comes with its own daisy-chain cable. Ask us for WN-9 nodes.
Which growing media does it suit?
TrolMaster built it for both soil and high-EC soilless substrates, so it suits rockwool, coco and soil.
Does it work without a TrolMaster controller?
No. It reports to an Aqua-X, Hydro-X Pro, Tent-X or Green-X controller, which logs the data and runs irrigation from it.
Works Well With
