PAR Meter?

Request new hardware or ideas for the controller
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chase
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri Sep 16, 2011 8:26 am

PAR Meter?

Post by chase »

Not sure how possible/feasible this would be, but it would be something really cool to have as an addon to assess lighting at different depths and a great tool to trend bulb degradation/issues.
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cain
Posts: 83
Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2011 10:59 am

Re: PAR Meter?

Post by cain »

u know the cheapest par meter is $130 right?

and that's not even a full meter it's only a sensor u'd connect to a multimeter.
tkeracer619
Posts: 160
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2011 9:50 pm
Location: Golden, CO

Re: PAR Meter?

Post by tkeracer619 »

It would be pretty cool regardless. I have a ton of cash tied up in my corals. If I could mount a par meter in my canopy off to the side, program in the ability for it to tell me when the bulbs are getting old based on a new bulb reading, and sent me a text saying "Order new bulbs" then I would pay $130 for a sensor. Curious how long one would last when exposed daily.

I had just replaced my halides and one of the bulbs was malfunctioning. I was out of town and didn't find out that my lights were cutting in and out every few hours. A text every 2 hours saying your bulbs are getting old, 2 weeks after they were replaced, would have told me something was wrong. That would have been nice as the bulb cycled on and off every 2 hours for about 2 weeks.
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chase
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri Sep 16, 2011 8:26 am

Re: PAR Meter?

Post by chase »

cain wrote:u know the cheapest par meter is $130 right?

and that's not even a full meter it's only a sensor u'd connect to a multimeter.
A lot of us already have $500-600+ in our RA setups so it would be well worth the investment to have everything on the same controller. That's why I wouldn't mind paying more for something that might be attached to the controller and integrated to all the various functions instead of just a stand alone device.
tkeracer619 wrote:It would be pretty cool regardless. I have a ton of cash tied up in my corals. If I could mount a par meter in my canopy off to the side, program in the ability for it to tell me when the bulbs are getting old based on a new bulb reading..."
+1

Exactly! That's a perfect example of the many options available to RA users when we get cool expansion devices for our controllers.
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jsclownfish
Posts: 378
Joined: Mon Oct 24, 2011 7:52 pm
Location: Saint Louis

Re: PAR Meter?

Post by jsclownfish »

Obviously a PAR reading would be ideal, but I'd imagine a simple photodiode light sensor might be much easier to put together if you just want to know if the lights are really on or off. I'm sure the experts here would know.

-Jon
cain
Posts: 83
Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2011 10:59 am

Re: PAR Meter?

Post by cain »

it would be nice. but i dont think it is feasible business-wise.
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