Apogee Instruments SQ-616 User manual

APOGEE INSTRUMENTS, INC. | 721 WEST 1800 NORTH, LOGAN, UTAH 84321, USA

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

OWNER’S MANUAL

EPAR SENSOR

Model SQ-616

Rev: 1-Feb-2021

TABLE OF CONTENTS 
Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................................................................................................... 1 
Certificate of Compliance............................................................................................................................................................. 3 
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................................................. 4 
Sensor Models.............................................................................................................................................................................. 5 
Specifications................................................................................................................................................................................ 6 
Deployment and Installation ........................................................................................................................................................ 9 
Software Installation .................................................................................................................................................................. 10 
Windows Software ..................................................................................................................................................................... 11 
Mac Software ............................................................................................................................................................................. 16 
Maintenance and Recalibration ................................................................................................................................................. 21 
Troubleshooting and Customer Support .................................................................................................................................... 22 
Return and Warranty Policy ....................................................................................................................................................... 23 
 

CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE

EU Declaration of Conformity

This declaration of conformity is issued under the sole responsibility of the manufacturer:

Apogee Instruments, Inc.

721 W 1800 N

Logan, Utah 84321

USA

for the following product(s):

Models: SQ-616

Type: ePAR Sensor

The object of the declaration described above is in conformity with the relevant Union harmonization legislation:

2014/30/EU Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Directive

2011/65/EU Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS 2) Directive

2015/863/EU Amending Annex II to Directive 2011/65/EU (RoHS 3)

Standards referenced during compliance assessment:

EN 61326-1:2013 Electrical equipment for measurement, control and laboratory use –EMC requirements

EN 50581:2012 Technical documentation for the assessment of electrical 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

diphenyls (PBDE), bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and

diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP). However, please note that articles containing greater than 0.1% lead concentration are

RoHS 3 compliant using exemption 6c.

Further note that Apogee Instruments does not specifically run any analysis on our raw materials or end products

for the presence of these substances, but rely on the information provided to us by our material suppliers.

Signed for and on behalf of:

Apogee Instruments, February 2021

Bruce Bugbee

President

Apogee Instruments, Inc.

INTRODUCTION

Radiation that drives photosynthesis is called photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and, historically, is defined

as total radiation across a range of 400 to 700 nm. PAR is almost universally quantified as photosynthetic photon

flux density (PPFD) in units of micromoles per square meter per second (µmol m-2 s-1, equal to microEinsteins per

square meter per second) summed from 400 to 700 nm (total number of photons from 400 to 700 nm). However,

ultraviolet and far-red photons outside the defined PAR range of 400-700 nm can also contribute to

photosynthesis and influence plant responses (e.g., flowering).

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. Sensors that function like

traditional quantum sensors, but measure a wider range of wavelengths can be thought of as an ‘extended range’

quantum sensor.

Typical applications of traditional quantum sensors include incoming PPFD measurement over plant canopies in

outdoor environments or in greenhouses and growth chambers, and reflected or under-canopy (transmitted) PPFD

measurement in the same environments. The extended photosynthetically active radiation (ePAR) sensor detailed

in this manual uses a detector that is sensitive to radiation from 380-760 nm, which allows it to measure photons

from UV and Far-red.

Apogee Instruments SQ-600 series ePAR sensors consist of a cast acrylic diffuser (filter), photodiode, and signal

processing circuitry mounted in an anodized aluminum housing. A cable to connect the sensor to a measurement

device is also included. SQ-600 series ePAR sensors are designed for continuous photon flux density measurements

in indoor or outdoor environments. The sensor is potted solid with no internal air space. The signal from the sensor

is directly proportional to radiation incident on a flat surface where the radiation comes from all angles of a

hemisphere.

SENSOR MODELS

This manual covers the USB quantum sensor, model SQ-616 (listed in bold below). Additional models are covered

in their respective manuals.

Model

Signal

SQ-610

Self-powered

SQ-612

0-2.5 V

SQ-614

4-20 mA

SQ-615

0-5 V

SQ-616

USB

SQ-617

SDI-12

SQ-618

Modbus

Sensor model number and serial number are

located on the bottom of the sensor. If the

manufacturing date of a specific sensor is

required, please contact Apogee Instruments

with the serial number of the sensor.

SPECIFICATIONS

Calibration Traceability

Apogee Instruments SQ-600 series ePAR sensors are calibrated through side-by-side comparison to the mean of

four transfer standard sensors under a reference lamp. The transfer standard sensors are recalibrated with a

quartz halogen lamp traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

SQ-616

Resolution

0.1 µmol m-2 s-1

Calibration Factor

Custom for each sensor and stored in the firmware

Calibration Uncertainty

± 5 % (see calibration Traceability below)

Measurement Range

0 to 4000 µmol m-2 s-1

Measurement Repeatability

Less than 0.5 %

Long-term Drift

(Non-stability)

Less than 2 % per year

Non-linearity

Less than 1 % (up to 4000 µmol m-2 s-1)

Response Time

Software updates every second

Field of View

180°

Spectral Range

380 to 760 nm ± 5 nm (wavelengths where response is greater than 50 %; see Spectral

Response below)

Directional (Cosine) Response

± 2 % at 45° zenith angle, ± 5 % at 75° zenith angle (see Cosine Response below)

Temperature Response

-0.11± 0.04 % per C

Azimuth Error

Less than 0.5 %

Tilt Error

Less than 0.5 %

Housing

Anodized aluminum body with acrylic diffuser

IP Rating

IP68

Operating Environment

-40 to 70 C, 0 to 100 % relative humidity, can be submerged in water up to depths of 30 m

Dimensions

30.5 mm diameter, 37 mm height

Mass (with 5 m of cable)

140 g

USB Cable

4.5 m (15 ft)

Current Draw (when Logging)

61 mA

Spectral Response

Mean spectral response measurements of six

replicate Apogee SQ-100 (original) and SQ-

500 (full-spectrum) series quantum sensors.

Spectral response measurements were made

at 10 nm increments across a wavelength

range of 300 to 800 nm with a

monochromator and 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.

Mean spectral response measurements of

six replicate Apogee SQ-600 series ePAR

Sensors. Spectral response measurements

were made at 10 nm increments across a

wavelength range of 300 to 1100 nm in a

monochromator with an attached electric

light source. Measured spectral data from

each ePAR sensor were normalized by the

measured spectral response of the

monochromator/electric light combination,

which was measured with a

spectroradiometer

Mean spectral response measurements of

four replicate Apogee SQ-600 series ePAR

Sensors. Incremental spectral response

measurements were made at 10 nm

increments across a wavelength range of

370 to 800 nm in a monochromator with an

attached electric light source. Measured

spectral data from each quantum sensor

were refined and normalized by comparing

measured spectral response of the

monochromator/electric light combination

to measured spectral differences from a

quantum sensor reference.

Cosine Response

Directional, or cosine, response is defined as the

measurement error at a specific angle of radiation

incidence. Error for Apogee SQ-600 series ePAR Sensor is

approximately ± 2 % and ± 5 % at solar zenith angles of 45°

and 75°, respectively.

Mean directional (cosine) response

of seven Apogee series quantum

sensors. Directional response

measurements were made on the

rooftop of the Apogee building in

Logan, Utah. Directional response

was calculated as the relative

difference of quantum sensors from

the mean of replicate reference

quantum sensors (LI-COR models LI-

190 and LI-190R, Kipp & Zonen

model PQS 1). Data were also

collected in the laboratory using a

reference lamp and positioning the

sensor at varying angles.

DEPLOYMENT AND INSTALLATION

Mount the sensor to a solid surface with the nylon mounting screw provided. To accurately measure photon flux

density incident on a horizontal surface, the sensor must be level. An Apogee Instruments model AL-100 leveling

plate is recommended for this purpose. To facilitate mounting on a cross arm, an Apogee Instruments model AL-

120 mounting bracket is recommended.

To minimize azimuth error, the sensor should be mounted with the cable pointing toward true north in the

northern hemisphere or true south in the southern hemisphere. Azimuth error is typically less than 0.5 %, 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 be used as a protective covering for

the sensor when it is not in use.

Nylon Screw: 10-32 x 3/8

Model: AL-100

Model: AL-120

Nylon Screw: 10-32 x 3/8

SOFTWARE INSTALLATION

The most recent version of ApogeeConnect software can be downloaded at

http://www.apogeeinstruments.com/downloads/.

Installing the software on a PC (Windows compatible, XP and later)

1. Double click on the installer package:

2. On the ‘Welcome’ screen, please click ‘Next’ to continue.

3. Select the radio button next to “I Agree” to the UELA… and click ‘Next’ to continue.

4. On the ‘Ready to Install the Program’ screen, click ‘Install’ to continue.

5. Click ‘Finish’ to complete the installation. There are shortcuts on your desktop and in your start bar.

Installing the software on a Mac (Mac compatible, 10.10 and later)

1. Double click on the installer 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 ‘Installation Type’ screen, click ‘Install’ to install the software. You can change the location the

software installs to by clicking ‘Change Install Location…’. *Note: You may be prompted for an

administrator password at this time. If you are, proceed by entering your respective password and clicking

‘Install Software’.

6. Once you receive the message “The installation was successful.” on the ‘Summary’ screen click ‘Close’.

Your software is now ready to be used.

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