Apogee Instruments SQ-420X Owner'S Manual Download Page 28

APOGEE INSTRUMENTS, INC. | 

721 WEST 1800 NORTH, LOGAN, UTAH 84321, USA 

TEL: (435) 792-4700 | FAX: (435) 787-8268 | WEB: APOGEEINSTRUMENTS.COM 

Copyright © 2021 Apogee Instruments, Inc.

 

How To Return An Item  

1. Please do not send any products back to Apogee Instruments until you have received a Return Merchandise 
Authorization (RMA) number from our technical support department by submitting an online RMA form at 

www.apogeeinstruments.com/tech-support-recalibration-repairs/

We will use your RMA number for tracking of the 

service item. Call (435) 245-8012 or email [email protected] with questions.

 

2. For warranty evaluations, send all RMA sensors and meters back in the following condition: Clean the sensor’s exterio

and cord. Do not modify the sensors or wires, including splicing, cutting wire leads, etc. If a connector has been attached 
to the cable end, please include the mating connector 

 otherwise the sensor connector will be removed in order to 

complete the repair/recalibration. 

Note:

 

When sending back sensors for routine calibration that have Apogee’s standard 

stainless-steel connectors, you only need to send the sensor with the 30 cm section of cable and one-half of the 
connector. We have mating connectors at our factory that can be used for calibrating the sensor.

   

3. Please write the RMA number on the outside of the shipping container.  

4. Return the item with freight pre-paid and fully insured to our factory address shown below. We are not responsible for 
any costs associated with the transportation of products across international borders.  

Apogee Instruments, Inc.  
721 West 1800 North Logan, UT 
84321, USA  

5. Upon receipt, Apogee Instruments will determine the cause of failure. If the product is found to be defective in terms 
of operation to the published specifications due to a failure of product materials or craftsmanship, Apogee Instruments 
will repair or replace the items free of charge. If it is determined that your product is not covered under warranty, you 
will be informed and given an estimated repair/replacement cost.  

PRODUCTS BEYOND THE WARRANTY PERIOD  

For issues with sensors beyond the warranty period, please contact Apogee at 

[email protected]

 t

discuss repair or replacement options. 

OTHER TERMS  

The available remedy of defects under this warranty is for the repair or replacement of the original product, and Apogee 
Instruments is not responsible for any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages, including but not limited to 
loss of income, loss of revenue, loss of profit, loss of data, loss of wages, loss of time, loss of sales, accruement of debts 
or expenses, injury to personal property, or injury to any person or any other type of damage or loss.  

This limited warranty and any disputes arising out of or in connection with this limited warranty ("Disputes") shall be 
governed by the laws of the State of Utah, USA, excluding conflicts of law principles and excluding the Convention for the 
International Sale of Goods. The courts located in the State of Utah, USA, shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any 
Disputes.  

This limited warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights, which vary from state to state 
and jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and which shall not be affected by this limited warranty. This warranty extends only to 
you and cannot by transferred or assigned. If any provision of this limited warranty is unlawful, void, or unenforceable, 
that provision shall be deemed severable and shall not affect any remaining provisions. In case of any inconsistency 
between the English and other versions of this limited warranty, the English version shall prevail.  

This warranty cannot be changed, assumed, or amended by any other person or agreement.

 

Summary of Contents for SQ-420X

Page 1: ...RUMENTS INC 721 WEST 1800 NORTH LOGAN UTAH 84321 USA TEL 435 792 4700 FAX 435 787 8268 WEB APOGEEINSTRUMENTS COM Copyright 2021 Apogee Instrument Inc OWNER S MANUAL USB QUANTUM SENSOR Model SQ 420X Rev 16 Nov 2021 ...

Page 2: ...roduction 4 Sensor Models 5 Specifications 6 Deployment and Installation 9 Software Installation 10 Operation and Measurement 11 Windows Software 13 Mac Software 18 Maintenance and Recalibration 24 Troubleshooting and Customer Support 26 Return and Warranty Policy 27 ...

Page 3: ...trical and electronic products with respect to the restriction of hazardous substances Please be advised that based on the information available to us from our raw material suppliers the products manufactured by us do not contain as intentional additives any of the restricted materials including lead see note below mercury cadmium hexavalent chromium polybrominated biphenyls PBB polybrominated dip...

Page 4: ...l because we feel that it is better to be more complete and possibly redundant Sensors that measure PPFD are often called quantum sensors due to the quantized nature of radiation A quantum refers to the minimum quantity of radiation one photon involved in physical interactions e g absorption by photosynthetic pigments In other words one photon is a single quantum of radiation Typical applications ...

Page 5: ...anuals Model Signal SQ 420X USB SQ 100X Self powered SQ 202X 0 2 5 V SQ 204X 4 20 mA SQ 205X 0 5 V SQ 421X SDI 12 SQ 422X Modbus A sensor s model number and serial number are located near USB connector If you need the manufacturing date of your sensor please contact Apogee Instruments with the serial number of your sensor ...

Page 6: ...bility below Measurement Repeatability Less than 0 5 Long term Drift Non stability Less than 2 per year Non linearity Less than 1 up to 2500 µmol m 2 s 1 Response Time Software updates every second Field of View 180 Spectral Range 370 to 650 nm wavelengths where response is greater than 50 of maximum see Spectral Response below Directional Cosine Response 5 at 75 zenith angle see Cosine Response b...

Page 7: ... measurements were made at 10 nm increments across a wavelength range of 350 to 800 nm in a monochromator with an attached electric light source Measured spectral data from each quantum sensor were normalized by the measured spectral response of the monochromator electric light combination which was measured with a spectroradiometer ...

Page 8: ...y direct side by side comparison to the mean of seven reference SQ 500 quantum sensors Directional or cosine response is defined as the measurement error at a specific angle of radiation incidence Error for Apogee SQ 100X series quantum sensors is approximately 2 and 5 at solar zenith angles of 45 and 75 respectively ...

Page 9: ...he southern hemisphere Azimuth error is typically less than 1 but it is easy to minimize by proper cable orientation In addition to orienting the cable to point toward the nearest pole the sensor should also be mounted such that obstructions e g weather station tripod tower or other instrumentation do not shade the sensor Once mounted the blue cap should be removed from the sensor The blue cap can...

Page 10: ...nstaller package 2 On the Introduction screen please click Continue to proceed 3 Select Continue on the Read Me screen to continue this screen contains a history of updates made to the ApogeeConnect software versions 4 Select Continue on the License screen to receive a prompt to agree to the terms of the software license agreement Click Agree to continue once you receive the prompt 5 On the Instal...

Page 11: ... functions the smaller spectral errors will be The table below provides spectral error estimates for PPFD measurements from light sources different than the calibration source The method of Federer and Tanner 1966 was used to determine spectral errors based on the PPFD spectral weighting functions measured sensor spectral response and radiation source spectral outputs measured with a spectroradiom...

Page 12: ...rements are only relative which makes it difficult to compare light in different environments The SQ 420X sensor has an immersion effect correction factor of 1 15 The immersion effect correction factor can be automatically applied to SQ 420X measurements by turning on the immersion setting in the settings option of the ApogeeConnect software as pictured Once you are finished making your underwater...

Page 13: ...sor Plug the sensor into a USB port and allow some time for the sensor to automatically establish communication with the software Once established the message in the lower left corner will display Device Connected SN and real time PAR readings will update on the screen Moving the sensor closer to a light source should increase the readings while blocking all light from the sensor should drop the r...

Page 14: ...c light source Note that a reference PAR value of the light source is required to complete a recalibration After clicking the Recalibate button the user will be prompted to cover the sensor Place a dark cap over the sensor and wait for the real time PAR reading to settle at zero Click OK Uncover the sensor and wait for the PAR reading to settle before entering the reference value Click OK Clicking...

Page 15: ...ffset Clicking Data Logging will allow the user to log interval measurements in a csv file while the software is open and communicating with the sensor Click Setup and the Setup Logging window appears Click the Browse button to create or select a csv file Select the desired sampling interval Note that 1 second is the minimum interval allowed Click Start ...

Page 16: ... logged data by clicking the Exit button The Stop button must be clicked to end data logging Manage Field Logging is used to setup the SQ 420X for use in the field When the SQ 420X is supplied power from a USB power source it will log data which you can retrieve Choose the interval that data is saved as well as the interval that data is sampled and the light source used The shortest sampling inter...

Page 17: ... logging interval is 5 minutes and the sampling interval is 2 minutes it causes an error But a sampling interval of 1 minute is acceptable To use additional SQ 420X devices open additional ApogeeConnect software windows The device serial number will display in the lower left hand corner of the corresponding software window Devices may be selected by serial number in the tool bar When the software ...

Page 18: ...lug the sensor into a USB port and allow some time for the sensor to automatically establish communication with the software Once established the message in the lower left corner will display Device Connected Model SN and real time PAR readings will update on the screen Moving the sensor closer to a light source should increase the readings while blocking all light from the sensor should drop the ...

Page 19: ...s want to calibrate the sensor to their own specific light source Note that a reference PAR value of the light source is required to complete a recalibration After clicking the Recalibrate button the user will be prompted to cover the sensor Place a dark cap over the sensor and wait for the real time PAR reading to settle at zero Click OK Clicking Immersion Setting will automatically apply the sen...

Page 20: ...ure to click Save to retain the new multiplier and offset Clicking Data Logging will allow the user to log interval measurements in a csv file while the software is open and communicating with the sensor Click Setup and the Setup Logging window appears Click the Browse button to create or select a csv file Select the desired sampling interval Note that 1 second is the minimum interval allowed Clic...

Page 21: ...the software and firmware versions These can be used to help troubleshoot if problems arise Manage Field Logging is used to setup the SQ 420X for the use in the field When the SQ 420X is supplied power from a USB power source it will log data which you can retrieve Choose the interval the data is saved as well as the interval that data is sampled and the light source used The shortest sampling int...

Page 22: ... data to your computer You will be asked where you want to save the data Click Erase Data to erase all the save data This can t be undone To use additional SQ 420X devices open additional ApogeeConnect software windows The device serial number will display in the lower left hand corner of the corresponding software window Devices may be selected by serial number in the tool bar When the software i...

Page 23: ...etal Halide 6 9 Ceramic Metal Halide 0 9 High Pressure Sodium 3 2 Blue LED 448 nm peak 20 nm full width half maximum 14 5 Green LED 524 nm peak 30 nm full width half maximum 29 6 Red LED 635 nm peak 20 nm full width half maximum 30 9 Red Blue LED Mixture 80 Red 20 Blue 21 2 Red Green Blue LED Mixture 70 Red 15 Green 15 Blue 16 4 Cool White Fluorescent LED 7 3 Neutral White Fluorescent LED 1 1 Warm...

Page 24: ...olerances See the Apogee webpage for details regarding return of sensors for recalibration http www apogeeinstruments com tech support recalibration repairs To determine if your sensor needs recalibration the Clear Sky Calculator www clearskycalculator com website and or smartphone app can be used to indicate the PPFD incident on a horizontal surface at any time of day at any location in the world...

Page 25: ... are input in blue cells in middle of page and an estimate of PPFD is returned on right hand side of page Homepage of the Clear Sky Calculator Two calculators are available one for quantum sensors PPFD and one for pyranometers total shortwave radiation ...

Page 26: ...ton flux density e g energy flux density illuminance may be required for certain applications It is possible to convert the PPFD value from a quantum sensor to other units but it requires spectral output of the radiation source of interest Conversion factors for common radiation sources can be found on the Unit Conversions page in the Support Center on the Apogee website http www apogeeinstruments...

Page 27: ...al reinstallation and shipping of suspected warranty items to our factory The warranty does not cover equipment that has been damaged due to the following conditions 1 Improper installation or abuse 2 Operation of the instrument outside of its specified operating range 3 Natural occurrences such as lightning fire etc 4 Unauthorized modification 5 Improper or unauthorized repair Please note that no...

Page 28: ... specifications due to a failure of product materials or craftsmanship Apogee Instruments will repair or replace the items free of charge If it is determined that your product is not covered under warranty you will be informed and given an estimated repair replacement cost PRODUCTS BEYOND THE WARRANTY PERIOD For issues with sensors beyond the warranty period please contact Apogee at techsupport ap...

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