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Categories: New Products, Tools & Accessories Tag: Trolmaster

TrolMaster WCS-9 Substrate Sensor | Multi-Node VWC, EC & Temperature Monitoring

Name: TrolMaster WCS-9 Substrate Sensor | Multi-Node VWC, EC &amp; Temperature Monitoring
SKU: 18875
Price: 220.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

£220.00

The TrolMaster WCS9 Substrate Sensor Kit is TrolMaster’s most advanced root zone monitoring solution, delivering highly accurate measurements of Volumetric Water Content (VWC), Electrical Conductivity (EC), and root zone temperature across soil, coco, Rockwool and high-EC soilless growing media.

Designed specifically for growers who demand precision irrigation and advanced crop steering capabilities, the WCS-9 eliminates the limitations of traditional single-point substrate monitoring by allowing multiple sensor nodes to work together, creating a far more accurate picture of what is happening throughout the root zone.

Important Compatibility InformationThe TrolMaster WCS-9 is NOT compatible with the older Hydro-X HCS-1 controller.

Compatible controllers include:

Aqua-X (NFS-1)
Aqua-X Pro (NFS-2)
Aqua-X Plus (NFS-3)
Hydro-X Pro (HCS-2)
Tent-X (TCS-1)
Green-X (GCS-1)

Please review the compatibility table below before ordering.

What’s Included In This Listing?

1 × TrolMaster WCS-9 Sensor Display
1 × TrolMaster WN-9 Sensor Node

This product is a complete substrate sensor starter kit containing both the WCS-9 Sensor Display and one WN-9 Sensor Node required to begin monitoring moisture content, EC and root zone temperature.

The WCS-9 Display acts as the communication hub between the Sensor Node and your TrolMaster controller. The WN-9 Sensor Node is the probe that sits inside your growing media and performs all moisture, EC and temperature measurements.

Each WCS-9 Display can support up to 4 Sensor Nodes, allowing multiple measurement points throughout your grow room for more accurate root zone averaging.

Additional WN-9 Sensor Nodes can be purchased separately here.

For larger facilities, additional WCS-9 Displays can be integrated into the system using the TrolMaster Hub, allowing significantly more monitoring points across multiple grow rooms, irrigation zones and crop steering strategies.

Important: Additional Sensor Nodes, and TrolMaster Hubs are sold separately.

What Is The Difference Between The WCS-9 Display And WN-9 Sensor Nodes?

This is one of the most important things to understand before purchasing the WCS-9 system.

WCS-9 Sensor Display = The communication and control module that connects to your TrolMaster controller and your Sensor Node.
WN-9 Sensor Node = The probe that connects to the Sensor Display and the other end sits inside the substrate and measures VWC, EC and temperature.
One WCS-9 Display can support up to 4 WN-9 Sensor Nodes.
Sensor Nodes connect together using ECS-7 Daisy Chain Cables.
The system can display both individual node readings and averaged readings.
Additional Displays and Nodes can be added as your facility grows.

Why The WCS-9 Is Different

Most substrate sensors only monitor a single point within the root zone. Unfortunately, root zones are rarely uniform. Water channeling, irrigation distribution issues, dry pockets and nutrient hotspots can all create misleading readings that fail to accurately represent what’s happening across the entire root zone.

The WCS-9 solves this problem with an advanced multi-node architecture. By connecting multiple WN-9 Sensor Nodes to a single Display, growers can collect readings from several locations and calculate an averaged root zone value.

The result is a much more reliable picture of substrate conditions, allowing growers to make better irrigation decisions and implement advanced crop steering strategies with confidence.

This technology is particularly valuable in:

Rockwool cultivation
Coco cultivation
High-frequency fertigation systems
Feed On Demand irrigation strategies
Commercial crop steering applications
Large multi-zone grow facilities

Monitor Three Critical Root Zone Parameters

The WCS-9 continuously measures the three most important root zone variables affecting plant performance.

Volumetric Water Content (VWC) – Monitor substrate moisture levels, saturation and dry-backs.
Electrical Conductivity (EC) – Measure nutrient concentration within the root zone.
Temperature – Track root zone temperature to optimise nutrient uptake and plant health.

Unlike many competing sensors, the WCS-9 is specifically engineered to maintain accurate EC measurements even in high bulk EC environments and demanding commercial cultivation facilities.

Feed On Demand Irrigation Control

The WCS-9 is the foundation of TrolMaster’s advanced Feed On Demand irrigation strategy.

Instead of relying solely on timer-based irrigation schedules, Feed On Demand uses real-time substrate moisture readings to automatically trigger irrigation events when moisture levels reach predefined thresholds.

This allows growers to:

Automate irrigation based on actual root zone conditions.
Achieve more consistent dry-backs.
Improve irrigation precision.
Reduce overwatering.
Implement sophisticated crop steering strategies.
Respond dynamically to changing plant demand.

Users can create multiple moisture targets throughout the day including morning, midday and evening schedules while controlling irrigation shot sizes using Max On Time and Dry Back settings.

⚠️ Tent-X Compatibility NoteAutomatic Feed On Demand irrigation triggers are not available on the Tent-X (TCS-1). The WCS-9 will still provide live VWC, EC and root zone temperature readings on Tent-X.

Most Tent-X growers use these readings to learn their substrate’s dry-back curve, then set up a separate timer on their irrigation pump to run for a fixed duration (e.g. a number of seconds) at the times that match their dry-back pattern.

TM+ Pro App Monitoring

The WCS-9 integrates directly with TrolMaster’s free TM+ Pro App, allowing growers to monitor substrate conditions remotely from anywhere.

Live VWC monitoring.
Live EC monitoring.
Live root zone temperature monitoring.
Historical data charts.
Custom alarm notifications.
Unlimited historical data storage.
No subscription fees.

The TM+ Pro App allows growers to analyse historical trends, monitor crop performance and receive instant alerts whenever readings exceed user-defined thresholds.

TrolMaster WCS-9 Features

Simultaneous VWC, EC and temperature monitoring.
Designed for soil, coco, Rockwool and high-EC soilless media.
Advanced multi-node averaging technology.
Supports up to 4 Sensor Nodes per Display.
Factory calibrated for Rockwool.
Simple 100% saturation calibration process.
Dynamic refresh intervals.
1-minute standard refresh rate.
10-second refresh rate during Feed On Demand operation.
Supports advanced crop steering strategies.
Free TM+ Pro App integration.
Unlimited cloud-based historical data.
No subscription fees.
Affordable system expansion through additional Sensor Nodes.
Compatible with Aqua-X, Hydro-X Pro, Tent-X and Green-X systems.

TrolMaster WCS-9 Controller Compatibility

Controller	Maximum WCS-9 Displays Supported	Maximum Sensor Nodes Supported
Aqua-X (NFS-1)	1	Up to 4 Nodes
Aqua-X Pro (NFS-2)	50	Up to 200 Nodes
Aqua-X Plus (NFS-3)	20	Up to 80 Nodes
Hydro-X Pro (HCS-2)	50	Up to 200 Nodes
Tent-X (TCS-1)	1	Up to 4 Nodes
Green-X (GCS-1)	1	Up to 4 Nodes

Technical Specifications

Specification	Value
Input Voltage	12V DC
Maximum Current Draw	0.1A
Water Content Range	0-100%
EC Range	0-30 mS/cm
Temperature Range	0-50°C (32-122°F)
Operating Humidity	≤90% RH
Refresh Interval	1 Minute (10 Seconds During Feed On Demand)
Maximum Nodes Per Display	4

WCS-9 Installation & Operation Guide

The sections below can be expanded as required.

1. Installation & Daisy-Chaining

The WCS-9 uses a modular architecture consisting of a Sensor Display and one or more Sensor Nodes.

Additional Sensor Nodes must be connected together using ECS-7 Daisy Chain Cables before connecting to the WCS-9 Display.

Connect Sensor Nodes together using ECS-7 cables.
Connect the completed node chain into the WCS-9 Display.
Connect the Display to your TrolMaster controller.
Ensure controller firmware is updated before installation.

Controller connection locations:

NFS-1 / NFS-2 / NFS-3 → Medium Port
HCS-2 → Sensors Port
TCS-1 → Sensors Port
GCS-1 → Sensors Port

2. Pairing Sensor Displays & Sensor Nodes

Pairing is simple and follows the same process as previous TrolMaster sensors.

Press the addressing button on the WCS-9 Display to add it to your controller.
Shake the WN-9 Sensor Node to pair it with the Display.
Repeat for additional Sensor Nodes.
If no nodes are connected, the Display will prompt you to add them.

Each Display can support up to 4 Sensor Nodes.

3. Viewing Sensor Data

Normal refresh interval: every 1 minute.
Feed On Demand refresh interval: every 10 seconds.
Press the Display button to force an immediate refresh.
The Display automatically calculates average values from all connected Sensor Nodes.
Press the button repeatedly to cycle through individual node readings.

This allows growers to compare individual sensors against the average root zone value.

4. Sensor Placement & Calibration

Correct sensor placement is critical for accurate readings.

Insert the Sensor Node horizontally.
Position approximately one-third of the way up from the bottom of the substrate.
Ensure the media is fully saturated before calibration.
When using multiple nodes, place each node into its own fully saturated block, slab or container.

Navigate to:

Settings → Calibration → Moisture

Then perform the 100% saturation calibration process.

The WCS-9 uses a simplified calibration method that only requires calibration at the 100% saturation point.

Important: Initial VWC must be at least 60% before the controller will accept calibration. If readings are below this threshold, an Out Of Range warning will be displayed.

The WCS-9 is factory calibrated for Rockwool, reducing setup time for Rockwool growers.

5. Feed On Demand Irrigation Setup

Feed On Demand replaces traditional timer-based irrigation scheduling with real-time substrate-driven irrigation events.

The controller monitors substrate moisture levels continuously and automatically triggers irrigation when moisture falls below user-defined thresholds.

Growers can create:

Morning moisture targets.
Midday moisture targets.
Afternoon moisture targets.
Custom dry-back schedules.
Precision irrigation shot sizes.
Advanced crop steering programmes.

During Feed On Demand operation, refresh intervals automatically increase to every 10 seconds to provide faster system response.

Note: Feed On Demand triggers are not available on Tent-X (TCS-1). Tent-X users can still use the WCS-9’s live readings to learn their dry-back pattern and pair this with a separate timer-based pump schedule.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add more sensor nodes later?

Yes. Each WCS-9 Display supports up to 4 WN-9 Sensor Nodes. Additional nodes are connected using ECS-7 Daisy Chain Cables.

Do I need a TrolMaster Hub?

Not necessarily. Most smaller installations will connect directly to the controller. The TrolMaster Hub is primarily used when expanding larger systems and adding additional Displays beyond the controller’s native connection capacity.

Can I monitor multiple pots or slabs?

Yes. This is one of the biggest advantages of the WCS-9. Multiple Sensor Nodes can be placed throughout the crop, allowing the system to calculate a more representative average root zone value.

Can I view readings remotely?

Yes. The free TM+ Pro App provides remote access to live readings, historical graphs and alarm notifications.

Is the WCS-9 suitable for Rockwool?

Absolutely. The sensor is factory calibrated for Rockwool and is specifically designed for high-frequency irrigation and crop steering applications.

Can the WCS-9 measure EC?

Yes. The WCS-9 simultaneously measures substrate moisture content, substrate EC and root zone temperature.

Does Feed On Demand work on every controller?

No. Feed On Demand automatic irrigation triggers are not available on the Tent-X (TCS-1). All other compatible controllers (Aqua-X, Aqua-X Pro, Aqua-X Plus, Hydro-X Pro and Green-X) support full Feed On Demand functionality. Tent-X users still get live VWC, EC and temperature data, which can be used alongside a separate pump timer.

Whether you’re implementing advanced crop steering strategies, optimising dry-backs in Rockwool, or simply looking for a more accurate understanding of what’s happening inside the root zone, the TrolMaster WCS-9 provides the data needed to make better irrigation decisions.

With multi-node averaging, Feed On Demand compatibility, TM+ App integration and support for the entire TrolMaster ecosystem, the WCS-9 represents one of the most advanced substrate monitoring systems available today.