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FAQs
SOLARLIGHT
OPTRONIC LABORATORIES
SOLARMETER
General
Downloadable Technical papers featuring Solar Light Products
Downloadable Application notes
Warranty Details for your Solar Light Products
Download Instruction Manuals
Download PMA Organizer Software
Download Microtops® Organizer Software
Download Internet Data Link Software
Download USB-RS232 Driver Software
Connect your PMA2100, 501 recorder, or MICROTOPS® to an available serial port on the back of your PC with the cable supplied with your instrument.
In hyper terminal create a ‘new connection’. This can be done by clicking the Hypertrm.exe icon or via the menu within HyperTerminal ‘File:New Connection’.
Type in a name for the connection (i.e. PMA2100, etc.).
Under ‘connect using’ select ‘Direct to Com2’ if your available comport is com2 otherwise select the appropriate comport.
Set ‘Bits per second’ to 2400 for the PMA2100. For MICROTOPS® and 501 recorder, set to same rate as the instrument.
Set ‘Data Bits’ to 8.
Set ‘Stop Bits’ to 1.
Set ‘Flow control’ to None.
In the File menu click Properties. When the Properties box appears go to the settings tab. Under Emulation select VT100.
Under ‘File’ menu select ‘Save As’ and save the configuration file to a convenient folder.
Hyper terminal should now work for PMA2100, 501 recorder and MICROTOPS®.
You can create a shortcut to the configuration file and put it on the desktop or in a convenient folder, this makes life a bit easier. The configuration files typically have a naming convention of *.ht where the star is the name you chose when setting up the new connection.
This example assumes a U.S. Robotics Sportster 33.6k or 56k external faxmodem
A) Ensure the modem is turned OFF
B) On the back of the modem set the dip switches as follows:
1 – Down (Data Terminal Ready Override)
2 – UP (Verbal result codes)
3 – Down (Display result codes)
4 – UP (Echo offline commands)
5 – UP (Auto answer enabled)
6 – UP (Carrier detect normal)
7 – Down (Load factor defaults)
8 – Down (Smart mode Enabled)
C) Connect the modem to a PC serial port using a modem cable and turn the modem ON
D) Using a communications program such as HyperTerminal, or ProComm, send the modem the following initialization string:
AT&R1&N6&U6S0=1&W&Y
if the initialization succeeds, the modem returns ‘OK’
E) On the back of the modem reset the following switches:
3 – UP (Suppress result codes)
4 – Down (No Echo)
7 – UP (Load default profile)
F) Turn the modem OFF then ON again
G) Connect the modem to the instrument’s serial port with the modem cable
H) Set the recorder’s baud rate to 9600.
I) Plug an analog phone line into the modem
You can now communicate with the instrument by dialing the above mentioned analog phone line using a second modem and a communications software package.
Breakdown of Initialization string
AT Modem attention characters
&R1 Modem ignores RTS and turns CTS on when ready to receive synchronous data
&N6 Fixes highest connection speed to 9600 baud
&U6 Fixes lowest connection speed to 9600 baud
S0=1 Modem set to auto answer on 1st ring
&W Stores configuration to user profile 0
&Y Sets user profile 0 as default
NOTE: Phone line must be analog, have a dial tone, and have its own phone number.
MED (minimal erythema dose) Conversions
1 MED/HR = 0.05833 W/m2 (erythemically effective)
1 MED = 210 J/m2 (erythemically effective)
1 MED = 21 mJ/cm2 (erythemically effective)
1 MED/HR = 2.33 UV Index
SED (standard erythema dose) Conversions
1 SED = 100 J/m2 (erythemically effective)
Ref: CIE S 007/E-1998
Radiance Conversions:
1 lux = 1 meter-candle = 1 lumen/m2 = 1 candela steradian/m2
1 foot-candle = 1 lumen/ft2
1 lumen/cm2 = 1.464129 mW/cm2
1 mW/cm2 = 10 W/m2
Returns are not accepted due to the cost of calibration that is required prior to shipment. Exchanges are allowed if a different sensitivity is required and if the meter is available in the same spectral range as originally purchased. Customer is responsible for return shipping door to door to our facility including all taxes and customs fees. To exchange, the request for factory approval must be made in writing.
Radiometers
Sensors
501 & Atmospheric Equipment
UVGI
SPF-290AS In-Vitro Analyzer
The SPF-290AS and any of our competitor’s models require pre-irradiation for any FDA and ISO studies. Regardless of the analyzer, if you do not pre-irradiate the plates according to FDA’s guidelines then the results cannot qualify as a valid test. Same goes for ISO, the end user also must irradiate their plates using ISO’s listed equation. What makes the SPF-290AS superior to its competitors is our program performs the calculations on each separate plate for you and lists the required doses.
*Please note, the SPF-290AS and our competitor’s instruments are unable to irradiate the plates themselves. For pre-irradiation testing we recommend the LS1000-Series Solar Simulator or the 16S-Series Solar Simulator.
According to the US Food and Drug Administration’s monograph (Federal Register, Vol. 64, #98), as well as industry-recognized computational standards (Diffey/Robson technical presentation, A new substrate…, in the J. Soc. Cosmet. Chem., 40, 127 ‚ 133, (May/June 1989)), SPF’s are calculated on the basis of measurements taken in this specific wavelength range.
Methods will have you spread 0.75mg/cm2 to 2.0mg/cm2 in an even grid like pattern. With or without a cot you will usually do light swirls for 30 seconds to spread things around while you rotate the plate, followed by 30 seconds of moderate pressure in a left to right grid pattern that rotates. 10-30 minutes is used for curing, so be sure to look at the method’s official standard manual to find its specifics.
When using PMA sensors and a Solar Light simulator, the ‘radiometer calibration factor (Y)’ is equal to 1 and the ‘simulator calibrated irradiance’ will be left blank. The rest of the information will be filled in and your simulator’s irradiance will be measured and filled in. For more information, consult the official ISO 24443 standard manual.
601 Multiport Solar Simulator
LS1000 Solar Simulator
16S Single-Port Simulator
Consumables / Standards
Materials Testing Services
General
Downloadable Technical papers featuring Solar Light Products
Downloadable Application notes
Warranty Details for your Solar Light Products
Download Instruction Manuals
Download PMA Organizer Software
Download Microtops® Organizer Software
Download Internet Data Link Software
Download USB-RS232 Driver Software
Connect your PMA2100, 501 recorder, or MICROTOPS® to an available serial port on the back of your PC with the cable supplied with your instrument.
In hyper terminal create a ‘new connection’. This can be done by clicking the Hypertrm.exe icon or via the menu within HyperTerminal ‘File:New Connection’.
Type in a name for the connection (i.e. PMA2100, etc.).
Under ‘connect using’ select ‘Direct to Com2’ if your available comport is com2 otherwise select the appropriate comport.
Set ‘Bits per second’ to 2400 for the PMA2100. For MICROTOPS® and 501 recorder, set to same rate as the instrument.
Set ‘Data Bits’ to 8.
Set ‘Stop Bits’ to 1.
Set ‘Flow control’ to None.
In the File menu click Properties. When the Properties box appears go to the settings tab. Under Emulation select VT100.
Under ‘File’ menu select ‘Save As’ and save the configuration file to a convenient folder.
Hyper terminal should now work for PMA2100, 501 recorder and MICROTOPS®.
You can create a shortcut to the configuration file and put it on the desktop or in a convenient folder, this makes life a bit easier. The configuration files typically have a naming convention of *.ht where the star is the name you chose when setting up the new connection.
This example assumes a U.S. Robotics Sportster 33.6k or 56k external faxmodem
A) Ensure the modem is turned OFF
B) On the back of the modem set the dip switches as follows:
1 – Down (Data Terminal Ready Override)
2 – UP (Verbal result codes)
3 – Down (Display result codes)
4 – UP (Echo offline commands)
5 – UP (Auto answer enabled)
6 – UP (Carrier detect normal)
7 – Down (Load factor defaults)
8 – Down (Smart mode Enabled)
C) Connect the modem to a PC serial port using a modem cable and turn the modem ON
D) Using a communications program such as HyperTerminal, or ProComm, send the modem the following initialization string:
AT&R1&N6&U6S0=1&W&Y
if the initialization succeeds, the modem returns ‘OK’
E) On the back of the modem reset the following switches:
3 – UP (Suppress result codes)
4 – Down (No Echo)
7 – UP (Load default profile)
F) Turn the modem OFF then ON again
G) Connect the modem to the instrument’s serial port with the modem cable
H) Set the recorder’s baud rate to 9600.
I) Plug an analog phone line into the modem
You can now communicate with the instrument by dialing the above mentioned analog phone line using a second modem and a communications software package.
Breakdown of Initialization string
AT Modem attention characters
&R1 Modem ignores RTS and turns CTS on when ready to receive synchronous data
&N6 Fixes highest connection speed to 9600 baud
&U6 Fixes lowest connection speed to 9600 baud
S0=1 Modem set to auto answer on 1st ring
&W Stores configuration to user profile 0
&Y Sets user profile 0 as default
NOTE: Phone line must be analog, have a dial tone, and have its own phone number.
MED (minimal erythema dose) Conversions
1 MED/HR = 0.05833 W/m2 (erythemically effective)
1 MED = 210 J/m2 (erythemically effective)
1 MED = 21 mJ/cm2 (erythemically effective)
1 MED/HR = 2.33 UV Index
SED (standard erythema dose) Conversions
1 SED = 100 J/m2 (erythemically effective)
Ref: CIE S 007/E-1998
Radiance Conversions:
1 lux = 1 meter-candle = 1 lumen/m2 = 1 candela steradian/m2
1 foot-candle = 1 lumen/ft2
1 lumen/cm2 = 1.464129 mW/cm2
1 mW/cm2 = 10 W/m2
Returns are not accepted due to the cost of calibration that is required prior to shipment. Exchanges are allowed if a different sensitivity is required and if the meter is available in the same spectral range as originally purchased. Customer is responsible for return shipping door to door to our facility including all taxes and customs fees. To exchange, the request for factory approval must be made in writing.
Radiometers
Sensors
501 & Atmospheric Equipment
UVGI
SPF-290AS In-Vitro Analyzer
The SPF-290AS and any of our competitor’s models require pre-irradiation for any FDA and ISO studies. Regardless of the analyzer, if you do not pre-irradiate the plates according to FDA’s guidelines then the results cannot qualify as a valid test. Same goes for ISO, the end user also must irradiate their plates using ISO’s listed equation. What makes the SPF-290AS superior to its competitors is our program performs the calculations on each separate plate for you and lists the required doses.
*Please note, the SPF-290AS and our competitor’s instruments are unable to irradiate the plates themselves. For pre-irradiation testing we recommend the LS1000-Series Solar Simulator or the 16S-Series Solar Simulator.
According to the US Food and Drug Administration’s monograph (Federal Register, Vol. 64, #98), as well as industry-recognized computational standards (Diffey/Robson technical presentation, A new substrate…, in the J. Soc. Cosmet. Chem., 40, 127 ‚ 133, (May/June 1989)), SPF’s are calculated on the basis of measurements taken in this specific wavelength range.
Methods will have you spread 0.75mg/cm2 to 2.0mg/cm2 in an even grid like pattern. With or without a cot you will usually do light swirls for 30 seconds to spread things around while you rotate the plate, followed by 30 seconds of moderate pressure in a left to right grid pattern that rotates. 10-30 minutes is used for curing, so be sure to look at the method’s official standard manual to find its specifics.
When using PMA sensors and a Solar Light simulator, the ‘radiometer calibration factor (Y)’ is equal to 1 and the ‘simulator calibrated irradiance’ will be left blank. The rest of the information will be filled in and your simulator’s irradiance will be measured and filled in. For more information, consult the official ISO 24443 standard manual.
601 Multiport Solar Simulator
LS1000 Solar Simulator
16S Single-Port Simulator
Consumables / Standards
Materials Testing Services
General
Downloadable Technical papers featuring Solar Light Products
Downloadable Application notes
Warranty Details for your Solar Light Products
Download Instruction Manuals
Download PMA Organizer Software
Download Microtops® Organizer Software
Download Internet Data Link Software
Download USB-RS232 Driver Software
Connect your PMA2100, 501 recorder, or MICROTOPS® to an available serial port on the back of your PC with the cable supplied with your instrument.
In hyper terminal create a ‘new connection’. This can be done by clicking the Hypertrm.exe icon or via the menu within HyperTerminal ‘File:New Connection’.
Type in a name for the connection (i.e. PMA2100, etc.).
Under ‘connect using’ select ‘Direct to Com2’ if your available comport is com2 otherwise select the appropriate comport.
Set ‘Bits per second’ to 2400 for the PMA2100. For MICROTOPS® and 501 recorder, set to same rate as the instrument.
Set ‘Data Bits’ to 8.
Set ‘Stop Bits’ to 1.
Set ‘Flow control’ to None.
In the File menu click Properties. When the Properties box appears go to the settings tab. Under Emulation select VT100.
Under ‘File’ menu select ‘Save As’ and save the configuration file to a convenient folder.
Hyper terminal should now work for PMA2100, 501 recorder and MICROTOPS®.
You can create a shortcut to the configuration file and put it on the desktop or in a convenient folder, this makes life a bit easier. The configuration files typically have a naming convention of *.ht where the star is the name you chose when setting up the new connection.
This example assumes a U.S. Robotics Sportster 33.6k or 56k external faxmodem
A) Ensure the modem is turned OFF
B) On the back of the modem set the dip switches as follows:
1 – Down (Data Terminal Ready Override)
2 – UP (Verbal result codes)
3 – Down (Display result codes)
4 – UP (Echo offline commands)
5 – UP (Auto answer enabled)
6 – UP (Carrier detect normal)
7 – Down (Load factor defaults)
8 – Down (Smart mode Enabled)
C) Connect the modem to a PC serial port using a modem cable and turn the modem ON
D) Using a communications program such as HyperTerminal, or ProComm, send the modem the following initialization string:
AT&R1&N6&U6S0=1&W&Y
if the initialization succeeds, the modem returns ‘OK’
E) On the back of the modem reset the following switches:
3 – UP (Suppress result codes)
4 – Down (No Echo)
7 – UP (Load default profile)
F) Turn the modem OFF then ON again
G) Connect the modem to the instrument’s serial port with the modem cable
H) Set the recorder’s baud rate to 9600.
I) Plug an analog phone line into the modem
You can now communicate with the instrument by dialing the above mentioned analog phone line using a second modem and a communications software package.
Breakdown of Initialization string
AT Modem attention characters
&R1 Modem ignores RTS and turns CTS on when ready to receive synchronous data
&N6 Fixes highest connection speed to 9600 baud
&U6 Fixes lowest connection speed to 9600 baud
S0=1 Modem set to auto answer on 1st ring
&W Stores configuration to user profile 0
&Y Sets user profile 0 as default
NOTE: Phone line must be analog, have a dial tone, and have its own phone number.
MED (minimal erythema dose) Conversions
1 MED/HR = 0.05833 W/m2 (erythemically effective)
1 MED = 210 J/m2 (erythemically effective)
1 MED = 21 mJ/cm2 (erythemically effective)
1 MED/HR = 2.33 UV Index
SED (standard erythema dose) Conversions
1 SED = 100 J/m2 (erythemically effective)
Ref: CIE S 007/E-1998
Radiance Conversions:
1 lux = 1 meter-candle = 1 lumen/m2 = 1 candela steradian/m2
1 foot-candle = 1 lumen/ft2
1 lumen/cm2 = 1.464129 mW/cm2
1 mW/cm2 = 10 W/m2
Returns are not accepted due to the cost of calibration that is required prior to shipment. Exchanges are allowed if a different sensitivity is required and if the meter is available in the same spectral range as originally purchased. Customer is responsible for return shipping door to door to our facility including all taxes and customs fees. To exchange, the request for factory approval must be made in writing.
Radiometers
Sensors
501 & Atmospheric Equipment
UVGI
SPF-290AS In-Vitro Analyzer
The SPF-290AS and any of our competitor’s models require pre-irradiation for any FDA and ISO studies. Regardless of the analyzer, if you do not pre-irradiate the plates according to FDA’s guidelines then the results cannot qualify as a valid test. Same goes for ISO, the end user also must irradiate their plates using ISO’s listed equation. What makes the SPF-290AS superior to its competitors is our program performs the calculations on each separate plate for you and lists the required doses.
*Please note, the SPF-290AS and our competitor’s instruments are unable to irradiate the plates themselves. For pre-irradiation testing we recommend the LS1000-Series Solar Simulator or the 16S-Series Solar Simulator.
According to the US Food and Drug Administration’s monograph (Federal Register, Vol. 64, #98), as well as industry-recognized computational standards (Diffey/Robson technical presentation, A new substrate…, in the J. Soc. Cosmet. Chem., 40, 127 ‚ 133, (May/June 1989)), SPF’s are calculated on the basis of measurements taken in this specific wavelength range.
Methods will have you spread 0.75mg/cm2 to 2.0mg/cm2 in an even grid like pattern. With or without a cot you will usually do light swirls for 30 seconds to spread things around while you rotate the plate, followed by 30 seconds of moderate pressure in a left to right grid pattern that rotates. 10-30 minutes is used for curing, so be sure to look at the method’s official standard manual to find its specifics.
When using PMA sensors and a Solar Light simulator, the ‘radiometer calibration factor (Y)’ is equal to 1 and the ‘simulator calibrated irradiance’ will be left blank. The rest of the information will be filled in and your simulator’s irradiance will be measured and filled in. For more information, consult the official ISO 24443 standard manual.
601 Multiport Solar Simulator
LS1000 Solar Simulator
16S Single-Port Simulator
Consumables / Standards
Materials Testing Services
General
Two ways: Determine % UVB and check acrylic transmission. You will need both Model 5.0 (total UV) and Model 6.0 (UVB) to calculate % UVB. Eg: Model 5.0 reads 17.3 – Model 6.0 reads 1.30. Percent UVB = 1.30 / 17.3 = 0.075 = 7.5%. To check acrylic transmission, take UVB reading w/out acrylic and with acrylic. Most UVB should pass thru acrylic, or it needs replacement. As acrylic ages, it blocks/absorbs UVB quickly vs. UVA.
Model 9.4 Blue Light Meter and Model 9.6
Model 7.0 MED Meter
The Model 7.0 MED meter utilizes the same detector spectral response as the Model 6.5 UV Index Meter. The difference is that this meter is calibrated to read in MED/hour and can be used to estimate the time it will take to reach 4.0 MED (Te) which is the maximum exposure time that a sunbed is allowed to deliver, and the time it takes to reach 0.75 MED which is the initial session time. These values can also be used to help monitor sunbed compliance in the tanning salon and to help develop skin type (subtype) based exposure schedules that neither overexpose, nor underexpose the clients of indoor tanning salons to UVR. The meter is not intended to extend Te time beyond FDA labeled maximum… rather the lamps should be renewed as MED/hr falls ~30% from new readings.
Model 6.5 UV Index Meter
Different news organizations and data sources use different scales and measurement methodology from each other. Several factors cause these discrepancies we see, including location and cosine response of their measuring devices, weather models they use for forecasts, measuring discipline (UV Index is defined by a measurement straight up regardless of sun position, but many people point directly to the sun), buildings in the way, local cloud cover, etc. We are confident in the accuracy of our meter, but if you have a specific forecast source that you trust, you could always measure the discrepancy between the forecast and the Solarmeter, and use the offset to augment your Solarmeter readings (e.g., the Solarmeter may consistently read 1.4 lower than your forecast of choice, so keep that in mind when making measurements to interpret the data however you’d like).
The only relevant model for outdoor UVI is Model 6.5. The UVA or UVB meters don’t have an erythema filter (so they can never give a UV Index reading.) Because UV Index is measured using the Erythemal Action Spectrum, there is no conversion table possible to give an accurate reading. So to summarize, if you need to measure UV Index, you need a Model 6.5.
The Solarmeter 6.5 UV Index meter is affordable, but not the cheapest meter on the market. The difference boils down to quality and accuracy. So-called “budget UV index meters” rarely advertise a spectral response graph, either because the manufacturer does not have the capability to measure their product spectrally, or the manufacturer is unwilling to display their attempt at an erythemally weighted UV Index curve due to its large error margin. If a user purchases a “budget UV index meter” without spectral data, he/she is essentially trusting that the company producing the meter can get a complicated spectral curve correct, and for some reason has decided not to tout their achievement. Clearly an unlikely scenario! For applications involving determination of proper UV dose for reptiles, Solarmeter UV Index meters respond to UVB, whereas immitation or budget meters often respond mainly to UVA, used as a “proxy” for UVB, which is useless for artificial UVB lighting applications. These reasons and more are why the Solarmeter Model 6.5 UV Index Meter remains the most trusted UV Index Meter in the world!
Model 6.4 Vitamin D Meter
The meter can measure outdoor solar or indoor UV lamp irradiance and readout the estimated quantity of Vitamin D3 IU proportional to the amount of MEDs (minimal erythemal dose) exposure. The display is in IU per minute for type 2 untanned skin at 10% body surface area (typically face and lower arms). An Excel software utility is provided with the meter to allow entering meter reading, percent body exposure, skin type, percent tan, age, and SPF if any to determine approximate IU for particular individuals.
General
Optronic Laboratories specializes in precision optical measurement solutions, including photometry, radiometry, and spectroradiometry. Our instruments and calibration services help customers accurately measure and characterize light sources, displays, LEDs, and optical systems for research, testing, quality assurance, and product development.
Optronic Laboratories solutions are used by customers in a wide range of industries, including lighting, aerospace, defense, automotive, display technology, medical devices, government laboratories, and scientific research. Our measurement systems help organizations evaluate optical performance, ensure product quality, and support compliance with industry standards.
Optronic Laboratories is A2LA-accredited and offers ISO/IEC 17025-accredited calibration standards with a variety of wavelength ranges as defined within our Scope of Accreditation. This accreditation demonstrates our commitment to measurement accuracy, technical competence, and quality management. To learn more about the standards offered, visit the ISO 17025 Scope of Accreditation.
Recalibration intervals for Optronic Laboratories products vary depending on the instrument type and frequency of use. To help ensure measurement accuracy and traceability, we recommend following the calibration interval specified for your system. For product-specific guidance and available calibration services, visit our Calibration Services page.
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