Spectrometer PPFD Meter PAR Quantum Meter with Wireless Remote Measurement-LED Grow Lights Full Spectrum for Precision Color Control & Interpretation-Ideal for Home, Engineering Lab & Industrial Use

The media could not be loaded. I find this HPCS-330P Spectrometer from HOPOCOLOR to be well designed and its basic functions to be easy to operate (see my brief video for an overview). It is an amazing piece of technology in a pocket-sized package. It can be used as a single unit, or the upper sensor portion can be detached and placed up to 32feet (10M) away from the display portion. The device is rechargeable via the included charger and USB cable. There is a single power button on the right side and a high-resolution touch screen. No additional software nor phone apps are needed to use this spectrometer.Pressing the single button turns the unit on - it immediately performs a quick test and then it is ready to go. Pressing the button again causes it to take a measurement – evaluating the wavelengths and intensity of light striking the white circular disk over a few seconds time. Measurements of PAR (Photosynthetic Active Radiation) and PPFD (Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density) are displayed as well as a graph of Spectral Irradiance over the wavelengths from 350nm to 800nm. Using the touch screen, a red vertical slider on the graph can be adjusted to see each uW/cm2/nm value at a given wavelength. The measurements and the associated graph can be saved to on-board memory in a proprietary “.ohs” format or as a downloadable “.pdf” report; the file names can be specified at the time the file is saved, which is a handy feature. There is also an option to create “.CSV” format files for importing measurements into spreadsheets; however, the “.CSV” format does not include the spectral irradiance data. The meter comes with a USB cord for charging and for (.pdf & .CSV) data transfer to a computer. Pressing and holding the button for a few seconds shuts it off, or you can activate an automatic time-out feature from settings.I did a quick evaluation by shining various light sources at the detector to check the relative accuracy of the wavelength-detection, including:a UV flashlight (nominal 365nm), => max at 373nm and a second red peak at ~740nm;a green laser level (nominal 520nm) => max at 519nm, narrow distribution;a green laser pointer (nominal 532nm+/- 10nm) =>max at 536nm;a red boresight laser (nominal 630-680nm) =>max at 661nm; anda blue LED power indicator light (expected to be ~460-470nm) =>max at 470nmThese measurements indicate that the device is reasonably accurate at identifying wavelengths; of course, this approach doesn’t provide a quantitative assessment of intensity-measurement accuracy.There are few minor issues with this device. The instruction manual is short on details, so some trial and error is required to get the basics of file saving and file transfer figured out. The long-term durability of the connector on the removable sensor may also be a concern when in the field. Lastly, there doesn’t appear to be any way to adjust the device’s calibration should that be needed.

I'm very happy with the HPCS-330P spectrometer. It's easy to use, seemingly accurate, and the multitest option is a game-changer for real-time monitoring, especially during light source warm-ups. The spectrometer itself is excellent and does exactly what I need. However, the experience with Vodeson was disappointing—the included charger was the wrong voltage, and they never replied to my inquiry about it. Great product, poor customer support.

I'll caveat this by saying that I'm giving it five stars solely on useability, coolness, and plausibility of the results --- not price or scientific precision. If you need something with industrial/scientific grade accuracy, I can't say how this will do (I'd have to test it against inert-gas bulbs that have precise lines), which I don't have handy. I did test it against various daylight and soft-white spectrum LED bulbs (as well as a "UV" (though really barely-UV purplish) flashlight. In all scenarios, it gave plausible results. The screen is easy to use and displays the full spectrum. One recommendation: read the (tiny font) manual. The play and stop buttons are probably not what you think. To take a reading, you tap the power button on the side, not the play (single or multi) buttons. Those are for more sophisticated uses. It took me a while to figure this out, and I thought the device was defective until I did. Just tap the power button and it will take a reading and display it. Also, don't confuse the middle and right-side marker lines with spectral lines. Personally, I think having those as lines rather than ticks is just bad design. Real spectra have lines, and it's quite confusing. Finally, note that a reading takes several seconds. A progress bar at the bottom tells you when it is done. I can't say how precise this device is, and I can't say whether the price point is high or reasonable --- but I find it a nifty gadget. I always wanted to play with a spectrometer, and this one is incredibly fun and easy to use. Note that it doesn't require any external apps. You don't need a phone or computer. The picture doesn't do it justice and makes it look like a phone attachment. It's not. The device includes both pieces, and I operated it as-is right out of the box.