1" (2.54cm) Digital Flow Meter

What the DFM-1 Does

The TrolMaster DFM-1 is a 1-inch digital inline flow meter designed to measure water or nutrient solution moving through a fluid pipe. It mounts in-line with your main feed line and continuously reads flow in real time, displaying current data on the built-in LCD so staff can verify delivery at the meter without pulling up a software dashboard.

The sensor connects directly to the Aqua-X Pro (NFS-2) controller, feeding live flow data into the system's irrigation logic. Once connected, the NFS-2 can switch any irrigation event from time-controlled to volume-controlled — meaning you program how many gallons or liters to deliver, not just how long a valve stays open. This matters in commercial cultivation where pump pressure fluctuates, line lengths vary across zones, or you're dialing in a multi-week feed recipe that has to be repeatable run after run.

Note: The DFM-1 requires power from the TrolMaster SPH-1 sensor power hub for operation. It ships with two 1-inch NPT tapered thread adapters for installation into standard feed-line plumbing.

Who It's For

The DFM-1 is built for licensed cannabis and hemp operators running the TrolMaster Aqua-X Pro (NFS-2) irrigation controller who want to move beyond timer-only scheduling. If your operation is running multiple zones off a single NFS-2 — controlling solenoids, pumps, and scheduling across a vegetative room, flower room, or propagation area — the DFM-1 is the component that unlocks volume-based feed events.

It's particularly useful in facilities where head pressure is not perfectly consistent across zones, where feed volumes are critical inputs in a SOPs or state-compliance records, or where your cultivation team is managing crop-specific feeding protocols across strains with different uptake rates. Instead of assuming a 90-second valve open equals X gallons delivered, the DFM-1 confirms it.

The DFM-1 is also designed with forward compatibility in mind — TrolMaster has indicated the sensor architecture supports future feature expansion including water leak detection and line blockage identification within the Aqua-X Pro ecosystem.

Key Features

LCD display with on-site monitoring lets floor staff verify flow without logging into the controller or a mobile app. Real-time readings are available directly at the meter — useful during startup checks, flush cycles, or troubleshooting.

The Feed by Volume function — enabled when the DFM-1 is connected to the Aqua-X Pro — lets you build irrigation events defined by an exact fluid quantity rather than a duration. The controller holds the valve or pump open until the DFM-1 confirms the target volume has passed, then closes it. This removes the guesswork from delivery volume when line pressure or pump output varies.

1-inch NPT connection fits standard grow facility main feed-line plumbing. Two tapered NPT adapters are included. Working humidity tolerance is rated at ≤ 90% RH, making it suitable for high-humidity cultivation environments. The unit requires the SPH-1 sensor power hub — confirm that hub is part of your Aqua-X Pro build before ordering.

How It Fits a Commercial Build

In a fully built-out TrolMaster Aqua-X Pro installation, the NFS-2 controller handles up to 300 pumps and 300 solenoids, builds multi-week crop schedules, and monitors pH, EC, and water temperature through connected sensor modules. The DFM-1 is the component that upgrades that system's irrigation events from purely time-based to volume-confirmed.

For commercial operators building or retrofitting an irrigation control stack, the typical integration path is: NFS-2 controller as the brain, AMP-3 for pH/EC/temp monitoring, WCS-1 or WCS-2 water content sensors in the substrate, and the DFM-1 on the main feed line for volume accountability. All four components communicate through the Aqua-X Pro system and are manageable via the TrolMaster TM+ smartphone app or web interface.

If your facility runs 1-inch main feed lines and you're already on Aqua-X Pro — or planning to build on it — the DFM-1 is a straightforward addition. For facilities with larger main lines, TrolMaster also offers the DFM-2 (1.25-inch) and DFM-3 (1.5-inch) variants. Request a quote through HSC and we'll confirm the right meter for your line size and system config.