TrolMaster PCT-2 Heavy Duty Intank EC + Temp Sensor | 3.6 m Cable, Mini DIN, Aqua-X

What the TrolMaster PCT-2 Heavy Duty Probe Reads in the Tank

The PCT-2 is a single-cylinder electrode probe that measures the EC and the temperature of the water it sits in. It is the commercially rated sensor in the Aqua-X line, the one TrolMaster describes as heavy duty. The probe runs on a 3.6 m cable, close to twelve feet, which ends in a Mini DIN plug. That plug goes straight into the input terminal of the sensor board, and the board carries the readings to the Aqua-X controller. On an Aqua-X NFS-1 the board is the AMP-2, and on the NFS-2 and NFS-3 it is the AMP-3. The same probe serves the Green-X and Tent-X controllers through an AMP-3. Readings appear on the controller's LCD as soon as the probe is in the water, with no separate meter and no transcription. EC is read as conductivity, and the temperature channel is what lets the controller compensate a reading taken in cold or warm water. The probe is rated for an environment of 32 to 122 °F at humidity below 90 percent. It can sit in a reservoir or in a tee in PVC pipework, which is why it goes by both intank and inline. Applications include hydroponics, aquariums and laboratory use. It also carries part number TRCPCT2, and the retail box measures 10.8 by 3.4 by 3.75 in at under a pound. One sensor comes in the box, and the board is sold separately.

Placing an Intank EC and Temperature Probe Where the Reading Is True

An intank EC and temperature probe tells the truth only about the water that touches it. Where it sits matters more than anything in the menu. Hang it in the reservoir away from the dosing inlet. A probe next to where the concentrate enters sees a spike every time a pump fires. Keep it clear of the return line for the same reason. Mid-depth, in the body of the tank where the water is mixed, is the place the controller wants to see. If it is going inline, put the tee after the mixing pump and before the first dripper. Mount the probe so the tip is in the flow rather than in a dead leg. Let the temperature channel settle before trusting the EC. A probe moved from a cool tank to a warm one reads high for a minute while the compensation catches up. Rinse the tip in clean water each week and wipe nothing against it. Salt scale on the electrode drifts the EC reading downward, and a soak in a mild acid cleaning solution brings it back. Check the reading against a calibration solution at the start of each cycle. A small drift at 1.0 mS looks harmless until it is multiplied across thirty zones of feed. Run the cable so it never carries the probe's weight. A probe hung by its cable works the strain relief loose over a season, and a cracked seal is the end of a sensor. Keep the Mini DIN plug dry and seated, and label the sensor board input so a swap later goes to the right port.

Key Features

• EC and temperature in one probe: A single-cylinder electrode that reads both.
• Heavy duty: The commercially rated sensor in the Aqua-X line.
• 3.6 m cable: Around twelve feet, so the tank can sit away from the board.
• Mini DIN plug: Straight into the sensor board input terminal.
• AMP-2 or AMP-3: AMP-2 on the Aqua-X NFS-1, AMP-3 on the NFS-2, NFS-3, Green-X and Tent-X.
• Intank or inline: In a reservoir or a PVC tee.
• Readings on the controller: Live on the Aqua-X LCD, with no separate meter.
• 32 to 122 °F: Rated for humidity below 90 percent.

Technical Specifications