Octopus Analog Capacitive Soil Moisture Sensor

Jargon buster

Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.

breakout

A breakout board carries a small or fine-pitched component and brings its connections out to standard, breadboard- and header-friendly pins. Describing a part as a breakout means it can be wired into a project without soldering directly to the component's tiny contacts.

capacitive sensing

Capacitive sensing detects changes in electrical capacitance caused by a nearby object or material, such as a finger, water, or moisture in soil. It is used for touch buttons, proximity detection, and liquid or moisture-level sensing, and it matters because it can work without exposed metal contacts, avoiding the corrosion that bare probes suffer in damp conditions.

DC

DC means direct current, where electricity flows in one constant direction, as supplied by batteries, USB ports and many plug-pack power supplies. When a product specifies DC, it runs from a DC supply rather than mains AC, so you need to provide the correct voltage and polarity.

GND

GND is the ground or reference connection (0 V) for a circuit. When connecting two devices together, their grounds must be joined so both agree on what counts as a low or high signal.

microcontroller

A microcontroller is a small computer on a single chip that runs a stored program and controls connected inputs and outputs such as buttons, sensors, displays and communication interfaces. In a device built around one, it is the part that executes the code and coordinates the device's behaviour.

VCC

VCC is the positive power-supply connection on a chip or module. Connecting it to the correct supply voltage is needed for the part to power on and helps avoid damaging the electronics.