Par meter for under 500 but over 100
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Rocket Soul
Well-Known Member
Galaxyhydro was cheapish and did the job. It comvinced my growbuddy that led would be enough light. It measured great par levels on the first big build. And then promptly broke, partly cause my buddy can be a tool when it come to taking care of stuff. A good lux meter with settings for electric light and higher than 50K lux max does fine. If your adding reds and uv/violets just do it buy % of watts.
Was it the one that’s 350... I mean did he break it or it’s just cheap. It just seemed like a lot of math and calculating when using lux meters. And I’ll need to dial in different areas and tables. And may change depending on the season
There is a guy who has tested and made public his cheap lux reading meter compared to an expensive Par meter under various leading LED lights. I'm sure you can google it. But if it's apples to apples I don't see why you wouldn't be able to trust the results with the same cheap Lux meter he used.
ilovereggae
Well-Known Member
Wow this is so helpful thank you! The thing I am not understanding is if I do 40,000 Lux x 0.23 I come up with 9,200? Do I need to then divide the umols / square meters or something of my closet/tent? Not seeing how I get to the 0-1000 PAR value.
ilovereggae
Well-Known Member
I just saw in the comments of the video he was off by a decimal place. Makes way more sense now. So we can just use the following to calculate
I also tried using the HLG converter to figure out PAR but since I have the v1 lumiled qb288's i wasn't sure how accurate that was using the V2 board calculations. I came around to figuring out my proper lux levels (which is like 40-50K max) by just experimenting with it in over a few rounds. Before I was trying to push to 65-70K lux based on the RQS article and I realize now that while the light didn't burn my plants it was stressing them way too hard and affecting yields. Eventually I figured I would back them way off and see how they did, and they have been much happier.
- 3000K - Lux x 0.023 = PAR
- 3500K - Lux x 0.022 = PAR
- 4000K - Lux x 0.024 = PAR
I also tried using the HLG converter to figure out PAR but since I have the v1 lumiled qb288's i wasn't sure how accurate that was using the V2 board calculations. I came around to figuring out my proper lux levels (which is like 40-50K max) by just experimenting with it in over a few rounds. Before I was trying to push to 65-70K lux based on the RQS article and I realize now that while the light didn't burn my plants it was stressing them way too hard and affecting yields. Eventually I figured I would back them way off and see how they did, and they have been much happier.
Rocket Soul
Well-Known Member
If your lux meter is reliable (which is cheaper than a par meter) then usually approx: 10000lux is about 150ppfd. Edit: maybe need to check my numbers...
I think re the galaxy: a bit of both. Cheapish and my buddy derp broke it. It convinced him to go led which has made back all the money
I think re the galaxy: a bit of both. Cheapish and my buddy derp broke it. It convinced him to go led which has made back all the money
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wietefras
Well-Known Member
That's why I like to divide:
- 3000K - Lux / 43 = PAR
- 3500K - Lux / 45 = PAR
- 4000K - Lux / 42 = PAR
To be honest you might as well divide by 44 (as an average) since it doesn't matter all that much anyway because these things are massively inaccurate
Since I been using led I’ve been measuring my lights based off wattage sq, how plants react, and my experience. With the margin of error a lux meter may have. It should still be able to work for me and figuring out if I’m not using too much wattage. That’s the issue I’m circling around now I feel like I’m giving clones and my sog to excessive light essentially wasting wattage
So I bought the cheap Lux meter from that video but now I realize that I don't even know what a good PAR reading is. I can see that a good PPFD for flowering is 900 but not PAR. Anybody have a clue?
Also I found a page that does lux to ppfd conversation https://www.waveformlighting.com/horticulture/convert-lux-to-ppfd-online-calculator
Also I found a page that does lux to ppfd conversation https://www.waveformlighting.com/horticulture/convert-lux-to-ppfd-online-calculator
So as a test I held my cheap lux meter 18 inches under the center of my grow tent and using the conversation above got 1,172. Interestingly enough the data from timber lights where I bought my 3500k COB lights says that it is 1245 right in the center. I don't know about the rest of you, but I think that is pretty damn close, only off by 70. Now the numbers jump up and down and was only holding it by hand so maybe it is closer. But it seems like if you are in the 45k to 53k Lux range you should be more than good.
DrKiz
Well-Known Member
Dude you rule! I have that exact lux meter ($30 CAD) and was about to drop $830 CAD on that Apogee SQ-500.
Oh yeah!
ilovereggae
Well-Known Member
I'm pretty sure that is a sign to go ahead and buy more lights with the money you savedDude you rule! I have that exact lux meter ($30 CAD) and was about to drop $830 CAD on that Apogee SQ-500.
Oh yeah!
SupraSPL
Well-Known Member
Apogee SQ120 + volt meter is a great PAR meter. $184 new or try ebay
DrKiz
Well-Known Member
I think he’s saying hook up the sensor to a volt meter. Ie: you don’t need the whole unit, the volt meter acts as the display.
I’m confused though if this is the case. 800 volts = 800 par???? Can’t be that simple. Must have to use some kind of chart or conversion factor.
@SupraSPL can you explain further?
A used sensor idk, but I guess if it’s broken could always return. I seen a vid on that but it’s was a older one i wasn’t sure how well it’s held up true to now. Already have a volt meterApogee SQ120 + volt meter is a great PAR meter. $184 new or try ebay
This is one of the few hobbies you actually end up saving hundreds to thousands depending on how much you smoke. I’m surprised more people aren’t less frugal..BUT if you just have a tent or 2 I wouldn’t think a 500 meter would be worth it. My situation a little different, when I’m finished in my other space I’ll have 14 4x4 flood tables and 2 veg rooms. Wasting watts add up over time.I grow year round and the only down time is cleaning in between cycles, which now is going to be cut down some more now that I have this ozone generator. Since I switched over to Leds I’ve been getting over the learning curve and how my grow techniques and light spacing should change. I’m fairly sure I’ve been giving them more then enough and that’s an issue. Between flowering mothers and clone sogs it’s hard for me to figure out how intense I should make the lights or dedicate side lighting for my flowering mothers. I flower some out every new cycle