PHOTONE BETA READINGS

[Jpkindbud]

So I downloaded the photone beta app to my phone to get an idea of what I was providing to plants. Posting my findings as a record and guide… like a review but not.
Auto tent
YINTATECH 4’x4’x80”
Lights- 2x Kingbrite QB288 240w 3500k on outsides and a Mara hydro TS 600 in the middle.
Lights at 24/0 6” from top of tent. Full spectrum
570w

PPFD- 114
DLI- 10.8
LUX-6100

Photo tent
Mars hydro 4’x4’x80”
Light- Mars hydro FC-E 4800, 6” from top of tent at 24/0, power at 100% full spectrum 480w

PPFD-122
DLI-10.9
LUX-7000

2x2 Scrog closet
Mars hydro TS 1000 at 100%, 18” from canopy at 12/12 full spectrum 150w

PPFD-105
DLI-5.3
LUX-4300

30”x30”x26” veg cab
Light- DIY MINI QB Made from a feit 300w equivalent 6panel bulb. Actual watts at 45w on 24/0 6” from top of cab. 4000k

PPFD-85
DLI-7.4
LUX-4600

 

[Olderfart]

So I downloaded the photone beta app to my phone to get an idea of what I was providing to plants. Posting my findings as a record and guide… like a review but not.
Auto tent
YINTATECH 4’x4’x80”
Lights- 2x Kingbrite QB288 240w 3500k on outsides and a Mara hydro TS 600 in the middle.
Lights at 24/0 6” from top of tent. Full spectrum
570w

PPFD- 114
DLI- 10.8
LUX-6100

Photo tent
Mars hydro 4’x4’x80”
Light- Mars hydro FC-E 4800, 6” from top of tent at 24/0, power at 100% full spectrum 480w

PPFD-122
DLI-10.9
LUX-7000

2x2 Scrog closet
Mars hydro TS 1000 at 100%, 18” from canopy at 12/12 full spectrum 150w

PPFD-105
DLI-5.3
LUX-4300

30”x30”x26” veg cab
Light- DIY MINI QB Made from a feit 300w equivalent 6panel bulb. Actual watts at 45w on 24/0 6” from top of cab. 4000k

PPFD-85
DLI-7.4
LUX-4600

Those ppfd levels look pretty low to me, how do your plants behave at that level? I'd guess that if your plants are doing well, the app is significantly underestimating the PAR received by your plants. How do the levels compare to the specs provided by the manufacturer of the lights?

IMO, those apps are not likely to be accurate unless they have been calibrated using a par meter for your exact lights, your exact phone, and at the light levels being measured. If calibrated, the app should work well, but understand that this means that the lux level being measured by the phone is simply being correlated to par levels previously measured using the same hardware - the apps do not, and cannot, actually measure PAR. The phone sensors are not designed for or capable of doing so.

Just my 2 cents though.

 

[Jpkindbud]

Those ppfd levels look pretty low to me, how do your plants behave at that level? I'd guess that if your plants are doing well, the app is significantly underestimating the PAR received by your plants. How do the levels compare to the specs provided by the manufacturer of the lights?

IMO, those apps are not likely to be accurate unless they have been calibrated using a par meter for your exact lights, your exact phone, and at the light levels being measured. If calibrated, the app should work well, but understand that this means that the lux level being measured by the phone is simply being correlated to par levels previously measured using the same hardware - the apps do not, and cannot, actually measure PAR. The phone sensors are not designed for or capable of doing so.

Just my 2 cents though.

Thanks for the response, I don't believe the accuracy of the readings as I never calibrated it. The plants are doing great so the readings are prob low. I look at the plants to tell how they're doing... And I am not paying x amount for a proper light meter unless it's absolutely necessary. If I had a meter I'd be riding the razors edge of what's necessary/overkill! I don't like to balance so I'll leave it at that. If plants aren't showing stress either way I am hands off... Other than feed and maintenance. Was just posting my findings with the basic app, uncalibrated, just in case anyone wanted to know... Hoping it helps someone in the future.

 

[Jpkindbud]

Thanks for the response, I don't believe the accuracy of the readings as I never calibrated it. The plants are doing great so the readings are prob low. I look at the plants to tell how they're doing... And I am not paying x amount for a proper light meter unless it's absolutely necessary. If I had a meter I'd be riding the razors edge of what's necessary/overkill! I don't like to balance so I'll leave it at that. If plants aren't showing stress either way I am hands off... Other than feed and maintenance. Was just posting my findings with the basic app, uncalibrated, just in case anyone wanted to know... Hoping it helps someone in the future.

And they are no where near what manufacturer states... And they do testing... I've seen kingbrites par/ppfd map and Mars hydro for all three I own... Fc-e 4800, TS 1000, and TS600

 

[Olderfart]

Thanks for the response, I don't believe the accuracy of the readings as I never calibrated it. The plants are doing great so the readings are prob low. I look at the plants to tell how they're doing... And I am not paying x amount for a proper light meter unless it's absolutely necessary. If I had a meter I'd be riding the razors edge of what's necessary/overkill! I don't like to balance so I'll leave it at that. If plants aren't showing stress either way I am hands off... Other than feed and maintenance. Was just posting my findings with the basic app, uncalibrated, just in case anyone wanted to know... Hoping it helps someone in the future.

Exactly. FWIW, I have one of the cheap par meters, and my plants disagree with it. I now think I might have been better off just learning how to read the plants. Thanks for posting your results, they confirm my suspicions.

 

[_state_of_mind_]

So I downloaded the photone beta app to my phone to get an idea of what I was providing to plants. Posting my findings as a record and guide… like a review but not.
Auto tent
YINTATECH 4’x4’x80”
Lights- 2x Kingbrite QB288 240w 3500k on outsides and a Mara hydro TS 600 in the middle.
Lights at 24/0 6” from top of tent. Full spectrum
570w

PPFD- 114
DLI- 10.8
LUX-6100

Photo tent
Mars hydro 4’x4’x80”
Light- Mars hydro FC-E 4800, 6” from top of tent at 24/0, power at 100% full spectrum 480w

PPFD-122
DLI-10.9
LUX-7000

2x2 Scrog closet
Mars hydro TS 1000 at 100%, 18” from canopy at 12/12 full spectrum 150w

PPFD-105
DLI-5.3
LUX-4300

30”x30”x26” veg cab
Light- DIY MINI QB Made from a feit 300w equivalent 6panel bulb. Actual watts at 45w on 24/0 6” from top of cab. 4000k

PPFD-85
DLI-7.4
LUX-4600

I am assuming you used a diffuser on top of the front camera of the phone, right? I made my own diffuser using a piece of A4 paper stuck on top of coke bottle cap with the top cut off. I have a Kingbrite and I see numbers close to the manufacturer chart at the suggested height.

 

[Jpkindbud]

I am assuming you used a diffuser on top of the front camera of the phone, right? I made my own diffuser using a piece of A4 paper stuck on top of coke bottle cap with the top cut off. I have a Kingbrite and I see numbers close to the manufacturer chart at the suggested height.

No diffuser, am I supposed to use one? I would think if I had a diffuser the readings would be lower.

 

[chuckeye]

Silly question but...

Did you choose the correct light source at the bottom of the app ?

Cheers

 

[Jpkindbud]

Ok, did not realize that I could calibrate with par maps for my specific lights. Soooo....
New readings are as follows...

TS1000 in 2x2 closet scrog
Light is at 100% measured at 18" from light

Ppfd-676
Dli-51.9
Lux-33-36000

Kingbrite QB288 240w 3500k at 100% @18"

Ppfd-599
Dli-63.2
Lux-33000

Fc-e4800 @100% 12" from light

Ppfd-912
Dli-90.6
Lux-58000

These sound about right. I do not like the fact you have to calibrate for each light but either way it's better to have a ballpark figure instead of not knowing.

 

[_state_of_mind_]

No diffuser, am I supposed to use one? I would think if I had a diffuser the readings would be lower.

you have to use a diffsuer - the iPhone version clearly warns you if you don't use a diffuser. Without one, the PPFD readings on mine are really low even under direct sunlight.