
6
Introduction
BF5 User Manual v
2.
3
Introduction
About this Manual
This manual describes the BF5 Sunshine Sensor, and how to use it.
SunScan Users
: If using the BF5 with the SunScan Canopy Analysis
system refer to the
Preliminary Checks
on page 17 and
Use with
SunScan
on page 18.
See also the SunScan documents on the
Software and Manuals DVD
.
Appendix 1 describes the BF5 design and includes a summary of the test
results of several experimental trials of its predecessors, the BF3 & BF2.
See also:
BF5 Quick Start Guide
BF3 Optical Design v2
BF3 Evaluation
These are also on the
Software and Manuals DVD
.
Description and Functions
What it measures
The BF5 Sunshine Sensor is one sensor with three output channels:-
1. Total (global) solar radiation
2. Diffuse radiation
3. Sunshine status.
The Direct beam component of solar radiation can be calculated from
the Total minus the Diffuse component.
You can set up the two radiation outputs to give millivolt signals
scaled to the radiation units of your choice:
For PAR, in
mol.m
-2
.s
-1
For Energy, in W.m
-2
,or
For Illuminance, in klux .
The Sunshine status output is a logic level that corresponds to
sun, or no sun. This can be processed to give sunshine hours
duration.
The Sunshine status threshold corresponds to the World Meteorology
Office (WMO) value of 120 W.m
-2
in the direct beam, using an