Apogee offers two types of pyranometers; our original silicon-cell models and our new line of thermopile pyranometers. Silicon-cell models are excellent for applications that do not require the higher accuracy and cost of a thermopile pyranometer. They are less expensive and have a faster response time, but have higher errors under cloudy conditions. Our new cost-effective thermopile pyranometers are not officially ISO classified, but feature a blackbody thermopile detector that provides a much broader and more uniform spectral response for better performance in all atmospheric conditions that compares favorably to other thermopile pyranometers at a fraction of the cost. Applications include shortwave radiation measurement in agricultural, ecological, and hydrological weather networks, and optimizing photovoltaic systems.
Detector Type
Silicon-cell
Spectral Range
360 to 1120 nm
Response Time
Less than 1 ms
Error Due to Clouds
+10 to 15 % (common to all silicon-cell pyranometers)
Heated Option
SP-230 All-Season has a 0.2 W heater
Output Options
Available in multiple analog options and attached to a hand-held meter with a digital output.
| SP-510 Upward-looking | SP-610 Downward-looking | SP-110 Upward-looking | SP-212 Upward-looking | SP-214 Upward-looking | SP-215 Upward-looking | SP-230 Upward-looking | SP-420 Upward-looking | SP-421 Upward-looking | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Supply | 12 V DC for heater with a current draw of 15.4 mA | 12 V DC for heater with a current draw of 15.4 mA | Self-powered | 3.3 to 24 V DC; current draw 10 µA | 7 to 24 V DC, maximum current draw of 22 mA (2 mA quiescent current draw) | 5.5 to 24 V DC; current draw 10 µA | 12 V DC for heater with a current draw of 15.4 mA | - | - |
| Output (Sensitivity) | 0.057 mV per W m-2 (variable from sensor to sensor, typical values listed) | 0.15 mV per W m-2 (variable from sensor to sensor, typical values listed) | 0.2 mV per W m-2 | 2 mV per W m-2 | 0.008 mA per W m-2 | 4 mV per W m-2 | 0.2 mV per W m-2 | - | - |
| Output Type | 0 to 114 mV | 0 to 300 mV | 0 to 400 mV | 0 to 2.5 V | 4 to 20 mA | 0 to 5 V | 0 to 400 mV | USB | SDI-12 |
| Resolution | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.1 W m-2 | - |
| Digital Input Voltage | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5.5 to 24 V DC |
| Calibration Factor (Reciprocal of Output) | 17.5 W m-2 per mV (variable from sensor to sensor, typical values listed) | 6.7 W m-2 per mV (variable from sensor to sensor, typical values listed) | 5 W m-2 per mV | 0.5 W m-2 per mV | 125 W m-2 per mA, 4 mA offset | 0.25 W m-2 per mV | 5 W m-2 per mV | Custom for each sensor and stored in firmware | Custom for each sensor and stored in firmware |
| Calibration Uncertainty | ± 5 % | ± 5 % | ± 5 % | ± 5 % | ± 5 % | ± 5 % | ± 5 % | ± 5 % | ± 5 % |
| Measurement Range | 0 to 2000 W m-2 (net shortwave irradiance) | 0 to 2000 W m-2 (net shortwave irradiance) | 0 to 2000 W m-2 | 0 to 1250 W m-2 | 0 to 1250 W m-2 | 0 to 1250 W m-2 | 0 to 2000 W m-2 | 0 to 2000 W m-2 (net shortwave irradiance) | 0 to 1250 W m-2 |
| Measurement Repeatability | Less than 1 % | Less than 1 % | Less than 1 % | Less than 1 % | Less than 1 % | Less than 1 % | Less than 1 % | Less than 1 % | Less than 1 % |
| Long-term Drift | Less than 2 % per year | Less than 2 % per year | Less than 2 % per year | Less than 2 % per year | Less than 2 % per year | Less than 2 % per year | Less than 2 % per year | Less than 2 % per year | Less than 2 % per year |
| Non-linearity | Less than 1 % | Less than 1 % | Less than 1 % up to 2000 W m-2 | Less than 1 % up to 1250 W m-2 | Less than 1 % up to 2000 W m-2 | Less than 1 % up to 1250 W m-2 | Less than 1 % up to 1750 W m-2 | Less than 1 % up to 1750 W m-2 | Less than 1 % up to 1750 W m-2 |
| Response Time | 0.5 seconds | 0.5 seconds | Less than 1 ms | Less than 1 ms | Less than 1 ms | Less than 1 ms | Less than 1 ms | Software updates every second | Less than 0.6 s |
| Field of View | 180° | 150° | 180° | 180° | 180° | 180° | 180° | 180° | 180° |
| Directional (Cosine) Response | Less than 30 W m-2 at 80° solar zenith | Less than 20 % for angles between 0 and 60° | ± 5 % at 75° zenith angle | ± 5 % at 75° zenith angle | ± 5 % at 75° zenith angle | ± 5 % at 75° zenith angle | ± 5 % at 75° zenith angle | ± 5 % at 75° zenith angle | ± 5 % at 75° zenith angle |
| Spectral Range | 385 to 2105 nm | 295 to 2685 nm | 360 to 1120 nm | 360 to 1120 nm | 360 to 1120 nm | 360 to 1120 nm | 360 to 1120 nm | 360 to 1120 nm | 360 to 1120 nm |
| Temperature Response | Less than 5 % from -15 to 45 C | Less than 5 % from -15 to 45 C | 0.04 ± 0.04 % per C | 0.04 ± 0.04 % per C | 0.04 ± 0.04 % per C | 0.04 ± 0.04 % per C | 0.04 ± 0.04 % per C | 0.04 ± 0.04 % per C | 0.04 ± 0.04 % per C |
| Zero Offset A | Less than 5 W m-2; Less than 10 W m-2 (heated) | Less than 5 W m-2; Less than 10 W m-2 (heated) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Zero Offset B | Less than 5 W m-2 | Less than 5 W m-2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Operating Environment | -50 to 80 C; 0 to 100 % relative humidity | -50 to 80 C; 0 to 100 % relative humidity | -40 to 70 C; 0 to 100 % relative humidity; can be submerged in water up to depths of 30 m | -40 to 70 C; 0 to 100 % relative humidity; can be submerged in water up to depths of 30 m | -40 to 70 C; 0 to 100 % relative humidity; can be submerged in water up to depths of 30 m | -40 to 70 C; 0 to 100 % relative humidity; can be submerged in water up to depths of 30 m | -40 to 70 C; 0 to 100 % relative humidity; can be submerged in water up to depths of 30 m | -40 to 70 C; 0 to 100 % relative humidity; can be submerged in water up to depths of 30 m | -40 to 70 C; 0 to 100 % relative humidity; can be submerged in water up to depths of 30 m |
| Heater | 780 Ω, 15.4 mA current draw and 185 mW power requirement at 12 V DC | 780 Ω, 15.4 mA current draw and 185 mW power requirement at 12 V DC | - | - | - | - | 0.2 W 15 mA current draw at 12 V DC | - | - |
| Dimensions | 23.5 mm diameter, 28.7 mm height | 23.5 mm diameter, 28.7 mm height | 24 mm diameter, 28 mm height | 24 mm diameter, 28 mm height | 24 mm diameter, 28 mm height | 24 mm diameter, 28 mm height | 24 mm diameter, 28 mm height | 24 mm diameter, 28 mm height | 24 mm diameter, 28 mm height |
| Mass (with 5 m of cable) | 90 g | 100 g | 90 g | 90 g | 140 g | 90 g | 90 g | 90 g | 177 g |
