Looking for anyone using this unit for measuring PAR/PUR/LUX.
Mainly its accuracy. Can the readings be trusted?
Mainly its accuracy. Can the readings be trusted?
Seneye Reef Light Meter?
- Thread starter NanaReefer
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mcarroll
10K Club member
Just in case no one else chimes in: I'm not specifically familiar with that product, but I know lux meters are a very very very very very very very very very very very basic technology, so there's no reason to expect untrustworthy lux results in my opinion.
Even assuming the roughest conversion factor from lux to PAR, I suppose it could still even be considered usable even if it might not be as accurate as a handheld PAR meter. Suitability for your purpose may depend on what your exact use cases for measuring in PAR instead of lux.... Not sure if you could expect results that would match and apogee meter for example.
Even assuming the roughest conversion factor from lux to PAR, I suppose it could still even be considered usable even if it might not be as accurate as a handheld PAR meter. Suitability for your purpose may depend on what your exact use cases for measuring in PAR instead of lux.... Not sure if you could expect results that would match and apogee meter for example.
Lenny_S
Well-Known Member
I got one a couple of weeks ago, only because I got it for a good price and I was curious. First I'll tell you that it won't give you a color temperature reading above 10K... I run what I believe is about a 14K color temperature with LED and all the application says is "Not a Kelvin". The PAR and LUX readings were consistent for the same spots on different days and different times with various intensities.
I think it takes good readings, the PAR measurements I got made sense from AI's advertised numbers.
OP
OP
Thank you Lenny. I noticed at the surface it wouldn't go above 10k Lux and I know it's at least 14k or more. Strange.
Nice to know the PAR/PUR is reliable though [emoji2]
Nice to know the PAR/PUR is reliable though [emoji2]
OP
OP
@Lenny_S Do you know why the light sensor keeps blinking a red light? Not the front of the sensor but the back light sensor itself.
Also, I tested a Radion Gen3 xr30w pro next to a 14k 150watt Metal Halide -- the Metal Halide read around 12,800k and the Radion got a result of "not a kelvin" however the farther you get from the light the better the reading gets as far as spectrum is concerned. My PAR readings were wildly high even compared to what EcoTech claims the fixture will produce (they say max 1100) however I was picking up readings of around 2300.
whoops
mcarroll
10K Club member
The bulk of that difference would have to be the measuring distance in your number vs theirs.
If they/the device are talking about Kelvins, BTW, that has nothing to do with lux or PAR or intensity....Kelvins is a summary/measure of the color of the light.
I will also add the seneye seems to change by several hundred PAR depending on how it faces. I think it's a great tool for a relative idea how much light you are getting but I'm not convinced it's a real solution to trying to get scientific. If that makes any sense anyways -- it's a good product for the money though I am not disappointed with it.
I guess I should clarify even tilting the meter a fraction of a degree can cause wildly different readings. Which is also true of a lot of par meters but I have never seen them jump quite as much as this one does.
mcarroll
10K Club member
I'm confused by your comments. You were saying you get a reading of more than double the maximum possible intensity, then later say it's just off only several hundred.
Is something like a screencap possible that shows how you read PAR, lux, etc? I've never seen the interface.
If you face it away from the light, it should eventually reach zero....so how it faces matters a lot!
How are you placing the meter and measuring distance so that you can do it consistently?
I'm not sure how much you've read about the product (I just read up) or how much you might have used other meters, but Seneye explains on their website (actually the User Guide):
Is something like a screencap possible that shows how you read PAR, lux, etc? I've never seen the interface.
If you face it away from the light, it should eventually reach zero....so how it faces matters a lot!
How are you placing the meter and measuring distance so that you can do it consistently?
I'm not sure how much you've read about the product (I just read up) or how much you might have used other meters, but Seneye explains on their website (actually the User Guide):
- I never heard that it was underwater-only, but it does make sense that it would be calibrated differently.
- The underwater lighting environment is orders of magnitude more dynamic than light in air alone.
- The narrow lens alone could be expected to give a different performance from what you're used to - it could seem more jumpy even if you were used to measuring underwater with a different meter.
- It's doubtful that Ecotech's "1100" comes from underwater, so without further checking and assuming you did measure underwater, I think on that one you just measured different from them. Not a problem.
@mcarroll No, what I meant was that if you tilt the meter even a few degrees the reading can change and yes -- best average reading at the same distance as EcoTech claims is over double. They claimed 1100 I was getting over 2300. Sorry if I was confusing and I measured both under water and above but the 2300 number came from dry readings because that is what ecotech has on their page. thanks for "illuminating" that fact!
mcarroll
10K Club member
Now we know Seneye is serious in their statements at least. Directional and not accurate in air!
(Could be wrong, but I bet if you had a regular lux meter you could compare and figure out the calibration to make the Seneye usable in air too.)
OP
OP
Does the light sensor on yours continually blink a red light?
@mcarroll not 100% sure no, I may have used it incorrectly but comparing my numbers with numbers i have seen off high end PAR meters I am just assuming they are better.
@NanaReefer the light blinks until it initializes but once it is hooked up to the program it turns solid
@NanaReefer the light blinks until it initializes but once it is hooked up to the program it turns solid
OP
OP
Sorry but you're incorrect. Per Seneye who contacted me, the sensor being sensitive to light levels is basically blinking continually because I've got it in to dark of an area. (Under my overflow box) Thus is taking constant in/out of water readings.
Remedy, move sensor to higher light area or have option disabled.
