PASCO PS-3213 User manual

Reference Guide
013-14935B
Wireless Light Sensor
PS-3213
®
800-772-8700 (US) [phone]
www.pasco.com [email protected]
Hardware
Introduction
The Wireless Light Sensor is a coin cell battery powered
wireless sensor that connects to a computer or tablet
device through Bluetooth. The sensor measures light
through two apertures. The Spot Light Aperture mea-
sures red-green-blue (RGB), and white. The Ambient
Light Aperture measures illuminance (measured in lux or
lumens per square meter), Photosynthetically Active
Radiation (PAR) in sunlight, and solar irradiance (in
watts per square meter). The Ambient Light Aperture
also measures UVA (ultra-violet A) and UVB (ultra-violet
B) allowing ultra-violet index (UVI) to be calculated.
PASCO Data Collection Software will display and ana-
lyze the measurements from the sensor. NOTE: The
software also supports remote data logging for long term
experiments.
The sensor is designed to optimize the battery usage
time. Since each sensor has a unique Device ID
number, more than one can be connected to a computer
or tablet at the same time.
1Battery Status LED 5 Battery Drawer
2Spot Light Aperture 6 ON Button
3Bluetooth Status LED 7 Ambient Light Aperture
4Device ID Number
5
4
Power: Replaceable Battery
Connection:
3
1
2
6
7
Included Equipment Part Number
Wireless Light Sensor PS-3213

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Wireless Light Sensor PS-3213
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ON/OFF Information
To turn the sensor on, press and hold the ON button
until the status LEDs start blinking. To turn the sensor
off, press and momentarily hold the ON button until the
status LEDs stop blinking. (See the LED information.)
The sensor puts itself to sleep after several minutes of
inactivity if not connected, and after about one hour of
inactivity if connected.
Data Collection Software
See the PASCO Web page at
www.pasco.com/software
for help in selecting the right PASCO software and to
check the latest versions.
Software Help
See the SPARKvue Help or PASCO Capstone Help for
information about collecting, displaying, and analyzing
data.
• In SPARKvue, select the HELP button in any screen
including the Home Screen.
• In PASCO Capstone, select PASCO Capstone Help
from the Help menu, or press F1.
Compatibility
Check the PASCO Web page at
www.pasco.com/compatibility
for the latest information. See Appendix A for more
information about Bluetooth compatibility, the PS-3500
USB Bluetooth Adapter, and older Mac OS X models.
LED Information
The Bluetooth and the Battery Status LEDs operate as
follows depending on the type of connection:
For a wireless Bluetooth connection:
*Logging: PASCO wireless sensors can either stream
live data to a compatible device for “real-time” viewing or
log data (save it to the sensor’s memory). After logging,
the data can be uploaded to the computing device for
display and analysis at a later time. Logging capability
supports long-term or remote data collection while not
connected to a device.
Check the PASCO Web page at:
www.pasco.com/software
for the latest software version.
Set Up the Software
SPARKvue
Connecting the Wireless Sensor to a Tablet or a
Computer via Bluetooth
• For SPARKvue, select the Bluetooth icon to open
the Wireless Devices list. In the Wireless Devices
list, the sensors are ordered by proximity to the
device.
• Select the correct address that matches the
XXX-XXX number found on the sensor.
• Select Done. A list of measurements appears under
the sensor in the Home Screen.
Collect Data
• In the SPARKvue Home Screen, select a
measurement from the list under the sensor’s name.
A graph of the measurement versus time opens.
PASCO Capstone SPARKvue
• Mac OS X • Mac OS X
• Windows • Windows
•iOS
•Android
• Chromebook
Bluetooth
LED
Status Battery
LED
Status
Red blink Ready to pair Red blink Low power
Green blink Connected
Yellow blink Logging*

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• In SPARKvue, select the Start button to begin
collecting data.
PASCO Capstone
Connecting the Wireless Sensor to a Tablet or a
Computer via Bluetooth
• For PASCO Capstone, select Hardware Setup in the
Tools palette. The sensors in the list are ordered by
proximity to the wireless device.
• Select the sensor with the address that matches the
XXX-XXX Device ID number on the sensor.
Collect Data
• In PASCO Capstone, select a display in the main
window or from the Display palette. In the display,
use the <Select Measurement> menu to pick a
measurement to be shown.
• Select Record to begin collecting data.
Troubleshooting the Wireless Llight Sensor
• If the Wireless Llight Sensor loses Bluetooth
connection and will not reconnect, try cycling the ON
button. Press and briefly hold the button until the
status LEDs blink in sequence, and then release the
button. Start the sensor in the usual way.
• If the sensor stops communicating with the
computer software or tablet application, try
restarting the software or application.
• If the problem remains, press and hold the ON
button for 10 seconds and then release. Start the
sensor in the usual way.
• Turn Bluetooth off and then turn it back on. Retry.
About the Battery
Battery Usage
Battery life is very important to making the sensor simple
and always ready to use, so all of the PASCO wireless
products are designed for long battery life. For example,
the sensor turns itself off after a few minutes of inactivity
to conserve battery life.
The Wireless Light Sensor includes a 3 V coin cell
battery (CR2032). We expect more than one year of
battery life, but the actual amount depends on factors
such as the data collection sampling rate.
Sensor Storage
If the sensor will be stored for many months, we
recommend that you remove the battery to avoid
damaging the sensor in case of a battery leak.
Maximizing Battery Life
One of the factors that affects battery life is the storage
temperature. Therefore, avoid storing the sensor in very
cold or very hot environments.
Battery Removal and Replacement
If the sensor’s battery status LED blinks red, the battery
may need to be replaced. Replacing the small,
disk-shaped battery involves opening the Battery Drawer
on the back of the sensor, removing the old battery,
installing a new battery of the same type, and closing the
Battery Drawer. The procedure uses a small, thin blade
screwdriver or a finger nail and a CR2032 three volt
battery.
• Coin-cell Battery Replacement Pack (10 pack) -
PS-3504
NOTE: This battery is commonly available in electronic
and commercial stores.
Open the Battery Drawer
Hold the sensor top-side up. Use a thin blade
screwdriver or a finger nail to push down slightly on the
center section of the battery drawer. See 1.
1
2
1 cm

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Wireless Light Sensor PS-3213
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Pull the battery drawer
out of the sensor about
one centimeter. See 2
Turn the sensor over so
the bottom is facing
upward. Pull the battery
drawer the rest of the
way out of the sensor.
Replace the battery with
another identical battery.
Close the Battery
Drawer
Align the battery drawer
with the slot on the end
of the sensor and push the battery drawer all the way
into the sensor until you hear a click.
The discharged battery must be recycled or disposed of
separately from household waste. (See “Battery
Disposal Instructions” under Technical Support.)
Related Item
• Coin-cell Battery Replacement Pack (10 pack) -
PS-3504
Suggested Experiments
Practically any experiment that uses a Light
measurement can be done with the PS-3213 Wireless
Llight Sensor. See the PASCO Web site at
www.pasco.com/products/lab-manuals
and also select “Training & Resources” at the top of the
page for more information about experiments.
Or, enter “Light” into the Search window at
www.pasco.com
Measurements
The Spot sensor measures relative light levels in red,
green, blue, and white. The Ambient sensors measure
relative light levels in red, green, blue, white, UVA, and
UVB. Note that the software does not report red, green
blue, and white from the Aperture.
Measurements
* Based on solar radiance
*Sum of normalized RGB peaks
See Appendix B for more information about the
Measurements.
Specifications
Battery Drawer
Battery
Ambient Light Sensor
Measurement Range of Values
UVA (%) 0 to 100
UVB (%) 0 to 100
UV Index 0 to 12 (typical in daylight)
Illuminance* (lux) 0 to 131,000
PAR* (µmol/m²/s) 0 to 2400
Irradiance* (W/m²) 0 to 1362
Spot Light Sensor
Measurement Range
White* (%) 0 to 100
Red (%) 0 to 100
Green (%) 0 to 100
Blue (%) 0 to 100
Item Information
Battery Coin Cell.
Expected battery life
greater than one year.
Connectivity Bluetooth SMART
Max Wireless Range 30 m (unobstructed)
Max Sample Rate
(Ambient)
2 samples/second
Default Sample Rate
(Ambient)
1 sample/sec
Max Sample Rate (Spot) 20 samples/second
Default Sample Rate
(Spot)
5 samples/second

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Suggestions
• SE-6478 Ergopedia Optics System
• SE-6481 Ergopedia Light, Color and Optics Teacher
Resources
• EX-5547A Light Intensity vs. Distance Experiment
• Solar Panel Efficiency
• Photosynthetic activity at different light levels or
colors
• Transpiration at different light levels
• Modeling day and night
• Modeling seasons
• UV protection of different materials
Technical Support
For assistance with any PASCO product, contact
PASCO at:
The Reference Guide will be updated periodically. For
the latest revision of this Reference Guide, visit the
PASCO Web site at
www.pasco.com/manuals
and enter the product number, PS-3213, in the text
window.
Replacement Parts
For information about possible replacement parts,
contact Technical Support:
• Coin-cell Battery Replacement Pack (10 pack) -
PS-3504
Limited Warranty
For a description of the product warranty, see the PASCO catalog. For
more information visit www.pasco.com/legal
Copyright
This PASCO scientific
Reference Guide is copyrighted with all rights
reserved. Permission is granted to non-profit educational institutions for
reproduction of any part of this manual, providing the reproductions are
used only in their laboratories and classrooms, and are not sold for profit.
Reproduction under any other circumstances, without the written consent
of PASCO scientific, is prohibited. Version 23-07-2016.
Trademarks
PASCO, PASCO scientific, PASCO Capstone, PASPORT, and
SPARKvue are trademarks or registered trademarks of PASCO scientific,
in the United States and/or in other countries. All other brands, products,
or service names are or may be trademarks or service marks of, and are
used to identify, products or services of their respective owners. For more
information visit www.pasco.com/legal.
FCC Statement
This Class A digital device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may
not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any
interference received, including interference that may cause undesired
operation.
CE Statement
This device has been tested and found to comply with the essential
requirements and other relevant provisions of the applicable EU
Directives.
Product End of Life Disposal Instructions:
This electronic product is subject to disposal and recycling regulations that
vary by country and region. It is your responsibility to recycle your
electronic equipment per your local environmental laws and regulations to
ensure that it will be recycled in a manner that protects human health and
the environment. To find out where you can drop off your waste equipment
for recycling, please contact your local waste recycle/disposal service, or
the place where you purchased the product.
The European Union WEEE (Waste Electronic and
Electrical Equipment) symbol (to the right) and on the
product or its packaging indicates that this product
must not be disposed of in a standard waste
container.
Battery Disposal Instructions:
Batteries contain chemicals that, if released, may affect the environment
and human health. Batteries should be collected separately for recycling,
and recycled at a local hazardous material disposal location adhering to
your country and local government regulations. To find out where you can
drop off your waste battery for recycling, please contact your local waste
disposal service, or the product representative.
The Lithium Polymer (Li-Poly) rechargeable battery used in this product is
marked with the International symbols to indicate the need for the
separate collection and recycling of batteries
.
Address: PASCO scientific
10101 Foothills Blvd.
Roseville, CA 95747-7100
Phone: [phone] (worldwide)
8700-772-8700 (U.S.)
Web: www.pasco.com/support
Email: [email protected]

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Appendix A: Compatibility
Check the PASCO Web page at
www.pasco.com/compatibility
for the latest information on Bluetooth SMART
compatibility.
*The PS-3500 USB Bluetooth Adapter,
when connected to a USB port, allows
up to three Bluetooth SMART devices,
such as this PASCO wireless device, to
connect to Windows computers,
Chromebooks, and older Macintosh
computers.
Note: The PS-3500 USB Bluetooth
Adapter is the only adapter we can currently
recommend. Many other Bluetooth 4.0 adapters are
available but this adapter has a specific design that
enables in-app pairing of Bluetooth SMART sensors.
1To check the Mac computer’s Bluetooth compatibility,
do the following:
• Click the  (Apple) Menu.
• Select
About This Mac
• Click the More Info ... button.
• Click the
System Report ... button.
• Select
Bluetooth from the sidebar on the left,
underneath
Hardware .
• Scan down the list of information until you find “LMP
Version”.
• If your Mac is equipped with Bluetooth SMART, the
LMP Version will show 0x6. (Anything lower than
0x6 means an older version of Bluetooth. Your
device will need the PS-3500 USB Bluetooth
Adapter.)
1The Mac Mini and MacBook Air were updated with
Bluetooth SMART support in 2011. The MacBook Pro
was updated in 2012. The Mac Pro that debuted in
December 2013 has Bluetooth SMART support.
Exception: Before you upgrade to El Capitan (Mac OS X
10.11.x), if you have a Macintosh with LMP version “0x4”
that requires the PS-3500 USB Bluetooth 4.0 Adapter,
please contact PASCO Technical Support for further
instructions.
What is Bluetooth SMART®?
Bluetooth SMART (also known as Bluetooth Low Energy
or Version 4.0 of the Bluetooth specification) is the latest
protocol of the proprietary open wireless technology
standard created by telecoms vendor Ericsson in 1994.
It is the power- and application-friendly version of
Bluetooth that was built for the Internet of Things (IoT).
Appendix B: Measurements
The graph shows normalized Relative Responsivity ver-
sus Wavelength in nanometers (nm) for Red, Green,
and Blue.
The approximate wavelength ranges at half-max are:
Red - 580 to 650, Green - 510 to 580, Blue - 400 to 510
Platform Bluetooth SMART Compatibility
iOS iPad 3 and later
iPhone 4S and later
iPod touch 5 and later
SPARK Element All models
Android Android 4.3 and later
Chromebook Chrome OS (requires PS-3500 Adapter*)
Mac OS X1Models introduced July 2011 or later
Windows Windows 7 and later (requires PS-3500 Adapter*)
PS-3500 USB
Bluetooth
Adapter

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The following graphic of precise metrics for lighting has
images showing Luminous Flux, Luminous Intensity, Illu-
minance, and Luminance.
Luminous Flux is the quantity of the energy of the light
emitted per second in all directions. In photometry, Lumi-
nous Intensity is a measure of the wavelength-weighted
power emitted by a light source in a particular direction
per unit solid angle, based on the luminosity function, a
standardized model of the sensitivity of the human eye.
Illuminance is the amount of luminous flux per unit area.
The luminosity function (or luminous efficiency function)
describes the average spectral sensitivity of human
visual perception of brightness. It is based on subjective
judgments of which of a pair of different-colored lights is
brighter, to describe relative sensitivity to light of differ-
ent wavelengths. In photometry, Illuminance is the total
luminous flux incident on a surface, per unit area. It is a
measure of how much the incident light illuminates the
surface, wavelength-weighted by the luminosity function
to correlate with human brightness perception. Lumi-
nance is the intensity of light emitted from a surface per
unit area in a given direction.
UVA: Ultraviolet A is ultraviolet radiation with wave-
lengths between 315 and 400 nm.
UVB: Ultraviolet B is ultraviolet radiation with wave-
lengths between 290 and 320 nm, comprising less than
1 per cent of the ultraviolet radiation that reaches the
earth.
UV Index: The UV index is effectively a rough measure
of the amount of harmful ultraviolet radiation in the sun-
light reaching the Earth's surface at a given location. The
index is a scale used to estimate the risk for sunburn in
midday sunlight, with a low number meaning less risk
than a high number.
PAR: (Photosynthetically Active Radiation) This desig-
nates the spectral range (wave band) of solar radiation
from 400 to 700 nm that photosynthetic organisms are
able to use in the process of photosynthesis. This spec-
tral region corresponds more or less with the range of
light visible to the human eye.
Illuminance: This is the total luminous flux incident on a
surface, per unit area. It is a measure of how much the
incident light illuminates the surface,
Irradiance: In radiometry, irradiance is the radiant flux
(power) received by a surface per unit area. The SI unit
of irradiance is the watt per square meter (W/m²).
Sample Data
The graph shows the measurement of light intensity ver-
sus distance using the PS-3213 Wireless Light Sensor
Luminous
Intensity
(candelas)
Luminous
Flux
(lumens)
Illuminance
(lux = lumens/m²)
Luminance
(candelas/m²)
Precise Metrics for Lighting: Luminous Flux (lumens), Luminous Intensity (candelas), Illuminance (lux = lumens/m²). and Luminance (candelas/m²)

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Wireless Light Sensor PS-3213
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mounted on a PASCO Smart Cart (ME-1240), a PASCO
Basic Optics Light Source (OS-8470), a PASCO Track,
and PASCO data collection software.
The illustration shows the equipment setup.
Equipment setup for measurement of light intensity versus distance
Wireless Light Sensor Basic Optics
Light Source
Smart Cart
PASCO Track