Testing my solarmeter 6.2, questions

[happiness]

My local weather showed a uv rating of 8 right now. Was wondering what this would be in uw/cm2?

I pointed my solarmeter at the sun and showed a rating of 172 uw/cm2 does this sound accurate?

I checked my veiled chameleons cages UVB and from his basking branch close to the UVB bulb showed around 20-25. (if the solarmeter is even givin off the right number?) I put the solarmeter closer and got up to 30-40 range, was wondering if I could set the branch closer to the uvb bulb or would it be best to just change it?

 

[jannb]

I get super high UV ratings outside, even in the shade. I have the 6.2 meter also. 20 to 25 is a good reading for you branch. If you do raise it, I wouldn't raise is much. You definitely don't want to get him to close to the basking light.

 

[happiness]

Does 172 sound accurate for pointing at the sun, when my weather forecast says its 8 (very high)
Reason I ask is because I bought this used, want to make sure it works correctly. Not sure how long they stay accurate

 

[jannb]

I'm not a weather person but I think the UV rating that they give is the burn factor for people outside. I live in FL and I'm not home at the moment but mine reads like 300 in the sun and close to 200 in the shade and in the 100's in a outside screen enclosure.

 

[junglefries]

This is my next purchase. So glad you two are explaining it in lamen terms. Everything I have preread frightens me. Nothing is ever simple anymore. Kudos.

 

[happiness]

I wonder how much different the weather is in Florida compared to maryland. I'll test the solarmeter out again tomorrow.

 

[junglefries]

Did you check out the UK site?

 

[MelissaB]

Here's a post where they talk about converting UVI into 6.2 readings, and what reading to expect from certain bulbs. Hope it helps. Also, remember when you're taking readings outside, you have to be away from buildings and trees or it will affect your reading.

I copied and pasted this from the tortiseforum, it was in a post from Frances Baines (lilacdragon):

So: To get the approximate UV Index from a Solarmeter 6.2 reading, divide the Solarmeter 6.2 reading by the following numbers:

For a ZooMed Reptisun 5.0 or an Arcadia D3 6%UVB tube: 31.4 (average calculated from 4 lamps)
For a ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 or an Arcadia D3+ 12%UVB tube: 32.7 (average calculated from 14 lamps)
For a 100watt ZooMed Powersun : 12.2 (average calculated from 5 lamps)
For a 125watt ExoTerra Solar Glo: 19.4 (average calculated from 3 lamps)
For a 160watt ExoTerra Solar Glo: 16.7 (average calculated from 2 lamps)
For an ExoTerra SunRay Metal Halide lamp: 36.6 (average calculated from 2 lamps, one 50W and one 70W)

To find out what the approximate Solarmeter 6.2 reading would be, at a specific UV Index, multiply the numbers by the UV Index you need.
e.g. if you want a UV Index of 2 under a ZooMed Reptisun 5.0 tube, multiply 31.4 by 2.
So UVI 2 would read about 63 µW/cm² under a ZooMed Reptisun 5.0 tube....
.....ok?

For the sun, it's really complicated because it changes depending on the height of the sun in the sky. My formula requires a calculator!
But here are some calculations I made based on a large number of paired solar readings plotted on a graph...
UVI 1 = 57µW/cm²
UVI 2 = 108µW/cm²
UVI 3 = 155µW/cm²
UVI 7 = 301µW/cm²
UVI 12 = 437µW/cm²
UVI 15 = 521µW/cm²

For example.... suppose I wanted to create a basking zone with a maximum UVI of 3. This is like early morning sunshine about 8.30am in the tropics.
If I was measuring sunlight the Solarmeter 6.2 might read about 150 µW/cm².
To match that, I would need approximately:
98 µW/cm² with a ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 (3 x 32.7)
37 µW/cm² with a 100watt ZooMed Powersun (3 x 12.2)


Link to original post: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/zoomed-digital-uv-index-radiometer.85716/

 

[MelissaB]

Here's a link to UVguide website. Great information there.

http://www.uvguide.co.uk/usinguvmeter.htm

 

[junglefries]

Now you see what I was talking about. got physics? I just want someone to tell me 'you need this bulb(s) for this cage height and this chameleon'. Take the guess work out of it. I'm 43 with an autistic son, mother whose had 4 strokes with renal failure, I'm permanently disabled, have god knows how many chameleons on any given day, and they all rely on me to take care of them. I don't have the 4 seconds it takes to do the math on some days.

 

[MelissaB]

LOL, I know what you mean about the math, JungleFries.

I think Happiness wanted to know how to convert the 6.2 readings to UVI so she could make sure her meter was working correctly. So she could look up the UVI for her area and see if her readings (outside) were close. I've recently purchased 2 used UVB meters, and had wondered the same thing.

 

[junglefries]

People nowadays will sell things that aren't 'up to snuff', Melissa. It is a shame. No trust.