Whats up with my ppfd?

[Phreakshow]

So checking my light with photone and a diffuser it says my ppfd is 33. Without the diffuser it hits about 65. Wtf shouldn't this be in the hundreds? Is my light to far away or my intensity to low?
Light is mars hydro 450 watt.

 

[Blastfact]

I don't know what the diffuser protocol is now days. But back when I was screwing around with it only iphones needed the diffuser. I even paid for the Pro Version and it was awful on my 13 ProMax and the wifes Ultra 22. I tried it on other iphones and droids and it clearly was not going to work for me at any level. I calibrated with Apogee Blue Sky and could never get multiply readings I could trust. So I bought a Apogee Meter and moved on. Wish I had that Apogee meter 40 years ago.....

 

[Newty]

Make sure the camera on your phone is nice and clean.

Did you accidentally change any of the settings?

What do you have your light intensity set at and how high over the plant?

 

[Phreakshow]

My light is about 20" above the canopy. My light is set at level eight. In the ppfd window i am using full spectrum light for the readings. The app is obviously not working properly. I changed no settings in the app. I just remeasured and it shows 87. Maybe its 10 times the number shown lol.

 

[LoveGrowingIt]

I just checked one of my lights. At 200W and about 48" from the light, my Photone showed 720PPFD with the diffuser recommended by the Photone folks.

 

[Phreakshow]

For it to be this different makes this a dumb question anyway lol.

 

[TheGoldenRoad]

I think that app has good intentions but I really don’t trust a phone to produce accurate light readings. It’s meant as a communication device and not a light meter. My plants are happy so I stick to reading the plant.

 

[LoveGrowingIt]

I think that app has good intentions but I really don’t trust a phone to produce accurate light readings. It’s meant as a communication device and not a light meter. My plants are happy so I stick to reading the plant.

The app has its uses. I mostly use mine to compare light levels in tents when I'm moving a plant from one tent to another. In that case, it doesn't have to be correct. It only needs to be consistent.

 

[LoveGrowingIt]

I just checked one of my lights. At 200W and about 48" from the light, my Photone showed 720PPFD with the diffuser recommended by the Photone folks.

Oh, yes. The phone I use is a Samsung S23 Ultra.

 

[One_Bell]

I use the UT383BT with the PPFD app. The UT383BT comes calibrated, just connect it to your phone and you can even leave in your grow tent (everything closed causes more reflection and a higher ppfd) to measure with your phone outside. Only $25 or something, to get a more accurate and hassle free experience.

 

[Blastfact]

I'm about to become a daddy. Have two Mimosa autos in the 2 x 4 getting ready to pop there helmet heads up. Interesting I caught them at this stage and this thread is rocking along. So I checked the setup out. There are two HLG 350r's in that tent bolted together with paired and matching dimmers. Both lights are 54" above soil level. Both lights are drawing 80.2 watts each measured with a Kill-A-Watt. With each seedling completely up getting 130 ppfd measured with a Apogee meter. I made a diffuser for the iPhone 13 ProMax with 24lb copy paper and that shit app showed one plant at 80 ppfd and the other at 155 ppfd. No good for nothing POS App on my phone. Went and got the wifes Sammy Ultra 22 and it showed 75 and 90 ppfd with no diffuser. For shits and depressing giggles I went and cranked the 650R up in the 3 x 3 at 30" above soil level in a pot. Apogee showed 800 ppfd, iPhone 700 Ultra 900. 800 ppfd is the test spec at 30" wide open at 635 watts from Light Lab Inc. that HLG uses for there testing.

 

[Phreakshow]

I'm about to become a daddy. Have two Mimosa autos in the 2 x 4 getting ready to pop there helmet heads up. Interesting I caught them at this stage and this thread is rocking along. So I checked the setup out. There are two HLG 350r's in that tent bolted together with paired and matching dimmers. Both lights are 54" above soil level. Both lights are drawing 80.2 watts each measured with a Kill-A-Watt. With each seedling completely up getting 130 ppfd measured with a Apogee meter. I made a diffuser for the iPhone 13 ProMax with 24lb copy paper and that shit app showed one plant at 80 ppfd and the other at 155 ppfd. No good for nothing POS App on my phone. Went and got the wifes Sammy Ultra 22 and it showed 75 and 90 ppfd with no diffuser. For shits and depressing giggles I went and cranked the 650R up in the 3 x 3 at 30" above soil level in a pot. Apogee showed 800 ppfd, iPhone 700 Ultra 900. 800 ppfd is the test spec at 30" wide open at 635 watts from Light Lab Inc. that HLG uses for there testing.

Congrats on your new little one. Small humans rock.

 

[BearWater]

I think that app has good intentions but I really don’t trust a phone to produce accurate light readings. It’s meant as a communication device and not a light meter. My plants are happy so I stick to reading the plant.

Just figured out how to properly use the phone app! Next to just not lol! before I moved my plants to rearrange the flower and veg rooms I took readings to set where the plants were going. Which makes me realize while typing this, I didnt switch from LED to fluorescent settings! does that even matter? lol.

sorry Phreak for rambling on your thread. thought maybe this could help someone out : )

 

[Galgrows]

Just figured out how to properly use the phone app! Next to just not lol! before I moved my plants to rearrange the flower and veg rooms I took readings to set where the plants were going. Which makes me realize while typing this, I didnt switch from LED to fluorescent settings! does that even matter? lol.

sorry Phreak for rambling on your thread. thought maybe this could help someone out : )

What do you mean fluorescent settings? Your LED has this option?

 

[BearWater]

What do you mean fluorescent settings? Your LED has this option?

The photon app has different settings for the different types of lighting. I have my led light in the flower room and I have some fluorescent fixtures in the veg : ) and I didnt change the app to account for the different types of lights.

 

[LoveGrowingIt]

I'm about to become a daddy. Have two Mimosa autos in the 2 x 4 getting ready to pop there helmet heads up. Interesting I caught them at this stage and this thread is rocking along. So I checked the setup out. There are two HLG 350r's in that tent bolted together with paired and matching dimmers. Both lights are 54" above soil level. Both lights are drawing 80.2 watts each measured with a Kill-A-Watt. With each seedling completely up getting 130 ppfd measured with a Apogee meter. I made a diffuser for the iPhone 13 ProMax with 24lb copy paper and that shit app showed one plant at 80 ppfd and the other at 155 ppfd. No good for nothing POS App on my phone. Went and got the wifes Sammy Ultra 22 and it showed 75 and 90 ppfd with no diffuser. For shits and depressing giggles I went and cranked the 650R up in the 3 x 3 at 30" above soil level in a pot. Apogee showed 800 ppfd, iPhone 700 Ultra 900. 800 ppfd is the test spec at 30" wide open at 635 watts from Light Lab Inc. that HLG uses for there testing.

The Photone folks used to say that the app was only calibrated for the iPhone. Us Android users were out of luck. I'm not sure I'm remembering correctly, though. Now, they're offering a diffuser for some Android models, so, forgetting what's said about fools and their money, I bought one. I don't really need to know the DLI or PPFD.

 

[Mikedin]

Yeah it’s pretty close on iPhones I’ve used it for years now, close enough you can get a good idea of what range you’re in. I’ve seen it tested next to an apogee and it was within like 30 PPFD which is pretty damn close imo, enough I decided not to buy the apogee

I only use it to get in range then just adjust the power based off the plants appearance

When you tested you diddnt accidentally slide the option over to DLI instead of PPFD did ya? Those sound more like DLI you were saying before

 

[Natep]

I gave up on checking it. Now I watch my plants. When the leaves start praying I turn up my light.