Light Sensor (LS-BTA)
Specifications and User Guide

TROUBLESHOOTING

  • Primary Test: Make sure that the sensor is not picking up the 60 or 120 Hz flicker from fluorescent or other lamps. Eliminate all artificial light sources (except battery powered flashlights) and try your experiment.
  • Secondary Test: Test the Light Sensor positioned as you plan to use it. Set the sampling at 1000 points/second for 0.1 second. If the flicker is the problem, you will see a drastic variation in the light intensity with a period of 60 or 120 Hz (50 or 100 Hz outside North America).
  • Tertiary Test: Set the sample rate to a number that is not a factor of 60. For example, using 30, 20, or 10 samples/s is worse than using 17, 23, 27 samples/s.

RELATED TIL ENTRIES
The Light Sensor reading fluctuates, but the light appears steady.
Light Sensor label has wrong range and incorrect units.
Can I use a Vernier light sensors to measure PAR?
What is the conversion from lux to W/cm2 ?
How do I calibrate the Light Sensor?

SPECIFICATIONS
Resolution, 10-bit (CBL or CBL 2): 0–600 lux: 0.8 lux, 0–6000 lux: 8 lux, 0–150000 lux: 200 lux
Resolution, 12-bit (LabPro, Go! Link, ULI, or Serial Box): 0–600 lux: 0.2 lux, 0–6000 lux: 2 lux, 0–150000 lux: 50 lux
Diameter: approximately 14 mm OD

CALIBRATION

  • Calibrate? No. The sensor is set to the stored calibration before shipping.
  • If you wish to calibrate the sensor, there are two options. One method requires a calibrated light meter and is similar to the procedure used to calibrate any other Vernier probe. The other method requires no extra equipment and is based on the known sensitivity of the Light Sensor. Refer to the detailed instructions in the sensor booklet.

RELATED VERNIER PRODUCTS
TI Light Probe (TILT-BTA, discontinued)