Calibrating LED dimmer function

Beard-o

Beard-o

Well-Known Member
After growing with a HID light for years, I'm making the switch to an LED. The light as a dimmer, calibrations are 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%.

I never take things at face value. I always double check. That being said, how do I test/calibrate my new light to make sure the manufacturer's settings are in fact accurate.

I'd hate to be starting seedlings at say 25%, when in fact the lights out put could be 12%. Or growing in veg thinking I'm on 50%, and in actuality it's only 25%.
Is there an instrument that tests this?
 
smokey0418

smokey0418

Well-Known Member
One could use a quantum meter to measure the ppfd that one’s light puts out.
Photo bio makes a cheaper unit and apogee or spoton make others.
 
G

Grower1974

Member
Dimmer level is power level. Usually accurate within 5% or better.
A PPFD measuring device is a must IMO. I use the Photone app, and this one. Both actually are within 3% of each other.
 

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1212ham

Well-Known Member
Beard-o said:
After growing with a HID light for years, I'm making the switch to an LED. The light as a dimmer, calibrations are 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%.

I never take things at face value. I always double check. That being said, how do I test/calibrate my new light to make sure the manufacturer's settings are in fact accurate.

I'd hate to be starting seedlings at say 25%, when in fact the lights out put could be 12%. Or growing in veg thinking I'm on 50%, and in actuality it's only 25%.
Is there an instrument that tests this?
Click to expand...
Welcome aboard Beard-o. An AC power meter will measure the wattage of lights, fans, refrigerators etc. I use this one.

To measure light level, I suggest this lux meter paired with the PPFD phone app.
Or this.
 
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1212ham

Well-Known Member
Grower1974 said:
Dimmer level is power level. Usually accurate within 5% or better.
A PPFD measuring device is a must IMO. I use the Photone app, and this one. Both actually are within 3% of each other.
Click to expand...
Is either within 3% of reality? I wouldn't trust a no-name meter that hadn't been checked against one of known accuracy.
The accuracy of apps is determined by the phone and it's light sensor, not the app. The apps are off a country mile on my cheap android, it can't even measure more than about 400 PPFD.
 
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G

Grower1974

Member
1212ham said:
Is either within 3% of reality? I wouldn't trust a no-name meter that hadn't been checked against one of known accuracy.
The accuracy of apps is determined by the phone and it's light sensor, not the app. The apps are off a country mile on my cheap android, it can't even measure more than about 400 PPFD.
Click to expand...
That’s the problem with Android. My Photone app on the IPhone is accurate to within 3% of a an Apogee meter.
 
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