Best PAR meter to buy?

canadian1969 · Jan 4, 2017

Been looking around but selection is limited and most are killer expensive, what are you guys and gals using?

Also found this, pretty cool if it works.
https://lightmeasurement.en.alibaba...000_Hot_sale_portable_color_spectrometer.html
Of course the price is pretty high at $2K

sixstring2112 · Jan 4, 2017

i have this one and i like it alot. http://www.hydrogalaxy.com/timers-lighting-controllers/quantum-par-meter-micromols/

MeGaKiLlErMaN · Jan 4, 2017

canadian1969 said:
Been looking around but selection is limited and most are killer expensive, what are you guys and gals using?

Also found this, pretty cool if it works.
https://lightmeasurement.en.alibaba...000_Hot_sale_portable_color_spectrometer.html
Of course the price is pretty high at $2K

Agreed they are all about the same at measuring sunlight off by only a few PPF. Like 10-20 at most. Go with the quantum meter.

There's also a video on YouTube demonstrating this

CobKits · Jan 4, 2017

li cor li190 or apogee mq/sq500

canadian1969 · Jan 4, 2017

CobKits said:
li cor li190 or apogee mq/sq500

the Apogee I was the one I was looking at, and seems reasonable, I inquired about the Li Cor a couple years ago but the rep blew me off. Do you have any pricing info for the Li Cor sensors?

sixstring2112 said:
i have this one and i like it alot. http://www.hydrogalaxy.com/timers-lighting-controllers/quantum-par-meter-micromols/

Under $200 THANKS! Didn't even know one existed.

Abiqua · Jan 4, 2017

canadian1969 said:
the Apogee I was the one I was looking at, and seems reasonable, I inquired about the Li Cor a couple years ago but the rep blew me off. Do you have any pricing info for the Li Cor sensors?

Under $200 THANKS! Didn't even know one existed.

The li-cor is about $2k US unless you find a used one...imho the li-cor has a better cut-off in the spectrum towards UV as compared to the Apogee and their filter....but 10x the price doesn;t equate to the 10x the ability to spot read radiant watts.
Most par meters have cuts at around 430nm and 670-690...the li-cor is minimally broader...but even DIYers have made out because the sensor itself can be had for a couple $, all the tech is the spectrum cutoff in the filters.... :peace:

There is even a cheaper apogee attachment for a Multimeter if you have a multimeter of decent quality laying around...

canadian1969 · Jan 4, 2017

Abiqua said:
There is even a cheaper apogee attachment for a Multimeter if you have a multimeter of decent quality laying around...

I do actually, link?

CobKits · Jan 4, 2017

canadian1969 said:
the Apogee I was the one I was looking at, and seems reasonable, I inquired about the Li Cor a couple years ago but the rep blew me off. Do you have any pricing info for the Li Cor sensors?

$430 and can be rigged to work with a multimeter

the LI-190 sensors come up on ebay from time to time, i have a handful of them and a few of the old school analog licor meters as well

licor has good support and you can look up your sensors last test data (to get the constant factor) via serial number

Abiqua · Jan 4, 2017

canadian1969 said:
I do actually, link?

hmmm well just go look at the Apogee web page now they have over 20 different sensor heads for the PAR. 18months ago they had 1.

So I am unsure which head would work, probably the electrically calibrated edition.....

Maybe @captainmorgan has more info, I believe they might have went this route way back when?

captainmorgan · Jan 5, 2017

Abiqua said:
hmmm well just go look at the Apogee web page now they have over 20 different sensor heads for the PAR. 18months ago they had 1.
So I am unsure which head would work, probably the electrically calibrated edition.....

Maybe @captainmorgan has more info, I believe they might have went this route way back when?

I have the original SQ-120, the electrical type is for indoor lighting.

Hybridway · Jan 7, 2017

I have the Apogee MQ-500 & 200. The 500 is better & reads colors more accurately.
There's a 20-100 difference w/ the 500 reading higher w/ my specific lights. The 200 needs to be on sunshine mode to read my lights most accurately says the rep at Apogee.

wietefras · Jan 7, 2017

Do you really need a $500 to $1000 par meter though?

You can check light uniformity just fine with a decent lux meter. If you know the lumen/lux to par conversion for your light you can even get a pretty good indication of PPFD levels.

sixstring2112 · Jan 7, 2017

the one i posted for 140.00 is within just a few points of the more expensive meters and covers more spectrum than alot of those fancy meters.for hobby growers its way more than enough.

Stephenj37826 · Jan 7, 2017

Depending on your phone you can download LUX apps for free. Give it a try..... It can't hurt its free lol

MeGaKiLlErMaN · Jan 7, 2017

Stephenj37826 said:
Depending on your phone you can download LUX apps for free. Give it a try..... It can't hurt its free lol

It works but having he par numbers IMO makes it worth the $124 for a meter, that's what I payed at least

Stephenj37826 · Jan 7, 2017

MeGaKiLlErMaN said:
It works but having he par numbers IMO makes it worth the $124 for a meter, that's what I payed at least

Use the par multiplier......

wietefras · Jan 7, 2017

OK, $124 or $140 better.

@Stephenj37826, The trouble with a phone is that it's lux sensor very sensitive to light direction. I've used it too and it's better than nothing (plus you have it already, so free), but a cheap lux meter does work better. Even then $10 to $15 ones.

Stephenj37826 · Jan 7, 2017

wietefras said:
OK, $124 or $140 better.

@Stephenj37826, The trouble with a phone is that it's lux sensor very sensitive to light direction. I've used it too and it's better than nothing (plus you have it already, so free), but a cheap lux meter does work better. Even then $10 to $15 ones.

Oh I agree just saying free is free lol.

canadian1969 · Jan 12, 2017

http://www.lightingpassport.com/ Interesting.

Nenno44 · Jan 12, 2017

canadian1969 said:
http://www.lightingpassport.com/ Interesting.

wish i had the cash to buy that....would love to see what my lights look like with my mixed spectrums

Best PAR meter to buy?

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