Grain dryer output capacitive moisture sensing assembly and related methods

A grain dryer output capacitive moisture sensor assembly comprising:

• a main discharge channel structured to carry a main portion of a grain dryer output from a grain dryer during operation of the grain dryer;
• a sensor channel positioned adjacent the main discharge channel and structured to carry a sensed portion of the grain dryer output from the grain dryer during operation of the grain dryer;
• a grain moisture sensor including a pair of capacitive plates positioned on opposite sides of the sensor channel with opposing major surfaces of the pair of capacitive plates facing each other;
• a calibration sample channel extending from an opening of the sensor channel located between an inlet end of the sensor channel and an outlet end of the sensor channel;
• a gate movable between an open position and a closed position with respect to the opening of the sensor channel to selectively output a calibration sample of the sensed portion of the grain dryer output from the sensor channel to the calibration sample channel through the opening;
• and
• a control circuit including a gate position sensor configured to sense each of the open position of the gate and the closed position of the gate, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine calibration sample removal timing information based on when the gate is in the open position and to match the calibration sample removal timing information to corresponding moisture sensor data timing information to identify moisture sensor data that was collected when the calibration sample was present in the sensor channel between the pair of capacitive plates of the grain moisture sensor.