Frequently asked questions
You can look up the calibration data for most LI-COR instruments by selecting Calibration Certificates above the search bar and entering the serial number. You can also contact us to get the information.
90 µA/1000 W/m2.
Unreasonable readings can occur for a variety of reasons. With the LI-1500, readings of 0 are caused by reversed polarity of the cable or an incorrect calibration multiplier. With the LI-250A and LI-1400, readings with a negative value are caused by reversed polarity of the cable or an incorrect calibration multiplier. These are described in troubleshooting.
Light sensors output a voltage or current signal, which can be read by the LI-250A, LI-1500, or many dataloggers.
The following topics describe how to connect the sensor:
To fix a dataset, simply divide by the incorrect multiplier and multiply by the correct multiplier.
0 to 25 mV, or 16-bit 0 to 100 mV.
This question is most often asked to determine whether the measurements being obtained are reliable and correct. In this case, one generally wants to know the “full-scale” response of their sensor, or what would be seen under the most ideal conditions. However, LI-COR light sensors can measure values far above the full-scale response, so the maximum value that can be obtained may not be a correct value to use when determining whether the measurements are reliable and correct.
For example, the LI-200R pyranometer is a solar radiation sensor. It has a linear response up to 3000 W m-2, but the full-scale value on a clear sunny day is approximately 1000 W m-2. Spikes due to cloud-edge reflection effects can be higher than full scale, but these readings should be transient. If a value above 1300 W/m-2 is consistently observed, the LI-200R has either left Earth’s atmosphere or it is reading incorrectly.
If you have any questions about accuracy of LI-COR light sensors, please contact us for assistance.
No. Some companies incorporate LI-COR pyranometers in their sun tracker devices, but LI-COR no longer makes one.