Light Meter

Scout · #1 04/01/2004, 04:21 PM

My Hamilton 175w 10K's are now exactly one year old. Does anyone have a light meter? I hate to throw them out if they are still good. To my eye they seem ok.

Thanks
Mike

greeneyedblackcat · #2 04/01/2004, 07:44 PM

Scout, They are probably down at least 30% after a year, I would replace them (they shift quick), they are ok for a fuge though. I replace mine every 9 months (thats probably overkill but thats just me).

MadTownMax · #3 04/02/2004, 02:27 PM

I'd be interested in a light meter too -- I'd like to test it on some LED arrays that I'm working on to see how they compare to my refugium's current 55W PC's.

greeneyedblackcat · #4 04/05/2004, 07:46 PM

Has anyone seen a better deal on a light meter with these features, Scout has got me thinking I need a light meter to go with all my other contraptions. more gadgets = happier safecracker!

Scout · #5 04/05/2004, 09:34 PM

What features? If they aren't too expensive, maybe this is something the club could buy and make available to everyone. let us know what kinda deal you can dig up.

Do we want to measure lux or par?

Mike

robwsup · #6 04/11/2004, 12:20 PM

You can pick up luminance/lux meters on ebay for about $40. They don't tell you PAR, but will tell you how intense your new bulbs are compared to old bulbs.

Something neat:
If you get one, place it 1" from your brightest MH bulb. Then take it outside on a sunny day, there is no comparison!

Obi-dad · #7 04/11/2004, 01:51 PM

robwsup, do you have one of these meters? Which brand/model, and would you get that one again? Can the sensor go underwater?

robwsup · #8 04/11/2004, 03:25 PM

I borrowed one from work. I would not purchase one of that model. Instead I would get one with the probe on a cord, so you could waterproof it.

Scout · #9 04/11/2004, 09:02 PM

This is the only lux meter I've found that the probe is definetly submersible.

http://www.ultralifedirect.com/lux_meters.htm

Mike

robwsup · #10 04/11/2004, 09:29 PM

Looks nice, and probably worth the money.

I can get that exact item if you guys want to do a group buy. I have an account with Ultralife. Five people $83 each, ten people $78 each.

Obi-dad · #11 04/12/2004, 08:59 AM

robwsup, are you familiar with that meter? The link shows 'accurate to 5 lux'. Normally meters are rated as accurate to a percentage of the scale being used (5% is typical for lux meters). Is that a misprint, or can it really be that accurate?

On the 50,000 lux scale an accuracy of 5 lux would be 0.01% -- seems way to low for a meter of that price.

Also, it doesn't specify what the maximum lux reading is, do you know what it is?

robwsup · #12 04/17/2004, 10:34 AM

I just got back into town, I'll look into them next week.