Hydrofarm LGBQM Quantum PAR Meter Micromol Sensor

I'm growing droseras (carnivorous plants) indoor as I live in a place with not enough light . So far I used a good Luxmeter but I couldnt be sure that the light level was ok : You can have the Lux level that seems ok but the real PAR amount (PPFD) too low or too high and my Lux meter couldnt say.Now that I could buy this affordable PARmeter it has changed everythying : I was able to check properly the PPFD (at last!!) and save my plants that was always going dormant despite my search and constant adjusment (different color temp..etc). I can check and make proper adjustment of the light level in my growing space. I found that this PAR meter was a vey useful tool . I even checked and calculated the coefficient factor for Lux to PAR conversion with this model and I got values the same range as the proffessional "Apogee" model that was far too expensive for me.So yes its a good purchase for me as an amateur. It also allowed me to calculate if the DLI was correct .

*** This rating has been edited from 3 to 1 because of obvious build flaws. Read my edit below to see how this can be overcome. ***First thing to address is the frozen screen issue many reviews mention.After using it for 40 days or so my meter also started showing a frozen screen. There is another review here that said re-seating the connector plug inside the unit was a fix. See the other review for a picture. Removing the back panel is very easy with the plug front and center. I adjusted the plug and the unit seemed to work fine after that.Then it started showing the frozen screen again (almost immediately) and after some playing with it I've discovered that when the cord has tension on it - stretching it to get the sensor in more distant spot, the screen freezes. There must be a loose connection in the cord itself. I have not disassembled the sensor to look there but since the cord has a rubber stopper molded into it to secure it in the both the sensor and body cases, I'm not confident the fix is in the body of the meter.So now I don't stretch the cord (or rotate the sensor which also freezes the screen) and it is working fine for now. Should the problem get worse, I might consider wiring in new wires myself. Not an option if your not solder friendly however. But I am willing to do that considering the price.The meter itself does a decent job and seems fairly accurate though I don't have a standard to compare it with. So take that with a grain of salt. Even if it isn't accurate, it seems consistent in it's readings so I can be confident I have a reliable way to gauge the amount of light falling on my plants. A quantum meter is very helpful for indoor growing so I recommend it if you can't afford a higher end model.It does feel flimsy as the plastic feels thin and a little cheap. It is not water proof in any way so keep it dry, though the buttons do have a complete covering so a little water on a finger won't be a problem.The read out is large and clear even though it isn't back lit. Of course, you're using it under lights so back lighting isn't needed.Why do I give it 3 stars? This meter is less than half of the next higher quality meter and 1/3 the price of an Apogee (the industry leader). I don't have $400 to spend on a light meter so this one fits my budget. As it is likely only some meters have the screen freezing issue, you have a good option here to take a chance. If you order one, I suggest giving it a bit of a work out on the cord (don't go crazy) and see if your's has a similar issue. Then you will have time to return it for a replacement.For me, I feel fairly confident I can make a repair if the screen freezes permanently. I don't mind tinkering and doing a little work on it to repair it is worth $200+ in savings. If the screen does freeze permanently I will return here to edit my review.If it didn't have these build issues it would be an automatic 5 stars. I don't think you can beat it for the price.*** Edit 2/25/18Yesterday the screen froze permanently and I knew it was in the sensor housing. Opening it up -- a simple task with a single screw on the backside -- I could see that one of the wires had broken from the solder joint. I soldered it back together and it's good as new. However... The wires twist back and forth when the sensor is moved due to the wires free floating in the coiled 'wire housing' between the sensor and the meter. This is why I was having the screen freeze when I rotated the sensor. Even without the wire breaking, they were rotating such that two would touch and cause a short.This means the wires are likely to break again as one did while I was soldering the original break. To fix this, I put some hot glue on them at the junction of the wires and the coiled wire housing to lock them in place. If you do this, I stand by my above statements on it's value compared to other meters.This problem is a definite and serious manufacturing design problem and I would expect others to have the same happen with their units at some point in the future. My recommendation is to open the sensor housing and hot glue the wires in place before they break. It's quick to do and good insurance.I'm lowering the rating from 3 stars to 1 star since I think 95% of buyers won't want to or know how to fix the wiring problem in the sensor or possibly re-seating of the connector in the meter.. If 'I' read this review, I would purchase it since fixing things is something I enjoy and the fix is pretty low skill if you have ever soldered before, and isn't needed if you hot glue them in place before they break. But it is something the manufacturer needs to address, especially for a pricey purchase.If you read this review, than I think you should consider it a solid 3-4 stars if you hot glue the wires in the sensor immediately after purchase. If you don't like fiddling with your purchases at all you should stay away.

My thoughts after owning and using the Hydrofarm LGBQM Quantum Par Meter for 2 weeks.#The Good:-Inexpensive compared to other units available. It is a third the cost of the next higher unit which is the Sun System (rebranded Apogee MQ-200) and a fifth the cost of the current generation Apogee MQ-500.-Appears to read accurate par measurements when used. When tested against the calculated solar value for my location using the (painfully) detailed input on the clearskycalculator quantumsensor test page (google it), the solar measurement of the meter is within +/- 30 of the calculated value of solar PAR. I consider this an assessment that the unit is reasonably accurate for home (but not lab) usage.-purchase includes a decent softcase for storage.#The Bad-Fails to hold charge at all. Charge full one day and the next it's all but totally dead. Also, When charge shows empty, unit still runs but appears to produce inconsistent and inaccurate results. If the battery symbol shows totally empty, give it at least a 15 minute charge just to make sure you get accurate readings. CHECK your readings as well, don't assume. Do multiple reads from the same spot, if they are not very close to the same, it needs a charge.# In Media Res (the middle)-So far after owning it two weeks, I have not had the shorting issues that other owners have had. I have not had to open it and do the noted repair/resoldering work (yet). However, due to the responses of others before me, I baby this unit and do not stretch the cord at all if possible.-The cord is spiral and as such coils to reduce length. That being said, the space taken by the coil is not well accounted for in the little softcase that comes with the unit. As such the bending of the connection points required to get the cord into the case would probably contribute to the cable stress that results in the solder joint breakages others have noted.# SummaryOverall after owning and using this unit for two weeks, my overall assessment of it is 4 out of 5 starts. It is reasonably accurate for my needs and inexpensive for hobbyist needs. At $121, it is a third the cost of the next higher unit which is the Sun System (rebranded Apogee MQ-200) and a fifth the cost of the current generation Apogee MQ-500.Note: The fact that it breaks and requires soldering skills (which I have tools for and can do easily) to repair drops it to a 2, but since I haven't had that experience, I can't include that. Looking to buy this unit, you may want to assess this potential ownership requirement and factor it in to your buying decision.In closing, all that being said, I recommend that anyone doing any semi-serious gardening get one of these PAR meters. You have to assess soil moisture, temperature, and light among other things to be able to accurately assess a plant's health. If you can't measure it, you can't effectively gauge it. Knowing where you are now allows you to accurately assess the results of your changes when it comes to lighting.