PAR/Spectrometer options

I am finally ready to get either a higher end PAR meter or a lower end spectrometer. I have a few models that I have been looking at, but if I have past up any, please post links. Or better pricing.

First choice for a PAR meter is the LI-250A Light Meter, LI-190R-BNC-2 Quantum Sensor ($1200)
Apogee MQ-500 $500
Choices for spectrometer
Gigahertz-Optik MSC-15 Not sure on price, but I think it's $2500.
Apogee SS-110: Field Spectroradiometer-340 to 820 nm $2700

I have a 500 series PAR meter from Apogee... correcting the response curve changes the measurement by less than a percent so it's pretty accurate in that regard.

I would really like to play with spectrums. Tweak here, tweak there.

With chips like this one laying around with nothing to do.

nevergoodenuf said:

First choice for a PAR meter is the LI-250A Light Meter, LI-190R-BNC-2
Quantum Sensor ($1200)

Click to expand...

thats not an awful price. but for our purposes the li-250 is just a hopped up multimeter.

you can find that li-190R sensor for $450 and use a https://blueacro.com/products/SQ500MM board and a cheap meter. you'll need to add a resistor to get an exact reading with the licor which may not end up being absolutely calibrated but close enough for your relative purposes

you can do the same thing with the apogee but their meters arent as prohibitively expensive as the licors. licor is more accurate of a sensor though

i have a handful of lightly used licor li-190 sensors. (precursor to the li-190R but still above the apogee - pm me if you want one i can help you set it up with a blueacro board. i also have a few of the old li-185 analog licor meters around

the most affordable spectrometers are used ocean optics on ebay (you need to learn about slit apertures and fiber diameters and other things to not completely oversaturate the sensor.)

those can be found for a few hundred dollars if you wait it out, but you need to run it usb to a computer and the software is expensive you need to keep running the trial which expire and can be a PITA

next runner up on cost alone is the ikan series. the new CV600 is the successor to the MK350 i have and seems like it does all the same stuff and is now only $1200 (the MK350s were like $1400-$2000 depending on options)

https://www.amazon.com/Ikan-MK350-Spectrometer-UPRtek-Black/dp/B01FXCLF44

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1244777-REG/ikan_cv600_chrome_view_spectrometer.html

the handheld units are the best imo. the ocean optics is kind of unwieldy,

used ikans come up on ebay once in awhile for under $1000 thats where i got my MK350

another option I have no experience with

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sekonic-Light-Meter-C-700-/192235633181?hash=item2cc222fa1d:g:CzEAAOSwFqNZWR-d

saw some similar on Alibaba, but i dont think they do par

this just popped up on ebay, $1300 obo. no affiliation

http://www.ebay.com/itm/162579603647?ul_noapp=true

Rahz said:

I have a 500 series PAR meter from Apogee... correcting the response curve changes the measurement by less than a percent so it's pretty accurate in that regard.

Click to expand...

Would you recommend the Apogee MQ-500?

if youre into LEDs and want an apogee, the 500 series is the only option, the 200s not so much

Yes. If you just need accurate par readings it will get the job done. I have the MQ-520. The cord is very long. I can plug it into my laptop and take readings anywhere and generate a data log. I think it also has its own memory and could be used with a USB adapter but I haven't needed that functionality. There is a stand for it sold separately but if you're handy it's very easy to make your own.

'sup rahz. thanks for doing what you do!