HIOKI LUX HiTESTER 3423 Digital Light Meter Review

06.04.2012

If you are reading this article, you are interested in choosing and buying digital lux meter. I decided to help you and wrote a brief review of HIOKI LUX HiTester Digital Light Meter 3423.

ToolBoom store offers light meters of various brands. However, in order to help you learn more about lux meters, I have chosen exactly HIOKI LUX HiTESTER 3423 due to its wide measuring range.

Technical Specifications

Display LCD, 3 BBЅ digit (1999),
auto display indicator (AUTO),
hold display indicator (HOLD),
battery consumption display indicator, backlight, measuring unit (lx)
Measurement scale interval 20, 200, 2 000 lx range: 1 count step
20 000 lx range: 10 count steps
200 000 lx range: 100 count steps
Digital overflow "OFF" is displayed
Measurement accuracy ± 4 % ± 1 dgt. (23 ± 5 ºC)
Sensor silicon photodiode
Analogue output 200 mV (DC voltage) full scale ± 2,5 % of full scale
Battery operating time up to 25 hours
Effect of radiated radio frequency electromagnetic fields ± 120 digits at 3 V/m
Dimensions (W × L × T), mm 74 × 170 × 30
Weight (including the battery), g 310
Package content light sensor cap, 2 R6P batteries, carrying case, user manual
Accessories (not included in the package) connection cable (RS 232, 9-pin), analogue output cable (3.5 mm connector)

Silicon photodiode is built in the light meter. Such light sensor allows measuring illumination created by light sources with any spectral-response characteristics. Whereas accuracy of measurements constitutes 4% you can check compliance of premises or objects with illumination standards using HiTESTER 3423. Analogue output allows using light meter as sensor in automation systems.

Features

The lux meter is extremely easy to use. There are three light meter control buttons placed on the panel.

 HIOKI LUX HiTESTER 3423 Digital Lux Meter
HIOKI LUX HiTESTER 3423 Lux Meter

Right lateral side of the digital lux meter contains power on/off button, power adapter jack (6 V, 100 mA) and analogue output terminal (3.5 mm).

 Connectors of HIOKI LUX HiTESTER 3423 Digital Lux Meter
Connectors of HIOKI LUX HiTESTER 3423 Lux Meter

So, let us deal with functions of HIOKI 3423 luxmeter in details:

  1. Change of the measurement range – "RANGE" button. There are five illumination measurement ranges in the digital light meter and due to this you can estimate value in any of them more precisely. "AUTO" shown on the display means that the device is using automatic mode of range selection. Luxes (lx) are used as measurement units. They are shown in the right bottom corner of the display. When the measured value exceeds the measurement range "O.F" indication is displayed.
  2. Holding readings on the display – "HOLD" button. You can fix readings of the digital lux meter shown on the display any moment. Such function is extremely useful if you have to hold luxmeter in the way when you do not see the display. In such case you should wait 2-3 seconds until measurement is finished and press the "HOLD" button.
    HIOKI HiTESTER 3423 Lux Meter
    HIOKI LUX HiTESTER 3423 Lux Meter
  3. Display backlight – hold down "HOLD" button for more than 1 second. Backlight mode works only with "HOLD" function. Display backlight lasts for about 7 seconds. You can disable it by pressing "HOLD" button again.
  4. Performing zero adjustment – "0 ADJ" button. Indication "ADJ" and then "CAP" will be shown after pressing. When indication "CAP" is shown you should cover light sensor with the cap and wait a few seconds until display shows "0".

Design

HIOKI LUX HiTESTER 3423 Light Meter
HIOKI LUX HiTESTER 3423 Light Meter

HIOKI LUX HiTESTER 3423 is a compact, however, rather heavy luxmeter equipment with very durable body frame. Digital light meter package contains light sensor (silicon photoreceptor, photo detector) and counting unit (unit for device control and measurements processing).

 RS232 Connector of HIOKI LUX HiTESTER 3423 Light Meter
RS232 Connector of HIOKI LUX HiTESTER 3423 Digital Light Meter

You can connect them in two ways: attach light meter control unit directly to the sensor or use RS232 connection cable. Usage of connection cable will simplify measuring in hard-to-reach places.

 Connection of Modules of HIOKI LUX HiTESTER 3423 Light Meter
Connection of HIOKI LUX HiTESTER 3423 Light Meter Modules

You should use protection cap in order to avoid lightmeter damaging. The cap is the same as one used for performing measuring scale zero adjustment.

Power is supplied from two batteries. Light meter package also contains protective case which allows fixing it on the belt or hanging on the hand strap.

 Power supply of HIOKI LUX HiTESTER 3423 Light Meter
Power Supply of HIOKI LUX HiTESTER 3423 Digital Light Meter
 Case of HIOKI LUX HiTESTER 3423 Digital Lux Meter
Case of HIOKI LUX HiTESTER 3423 Digital Luxmeter

Application

I measured illumination of workplaces of my colleagues in order to test the digital luxmeter. The photometer is highly sensitive: any change of the position influenced readings of the lightmeter. Illumination of all workplaces by the daylight met the standards (300 lux). However, at night, the digital light meter readings complied with the standard only in the places located directly under turned on fluorescent lamps. In such cases application of the digital photometer helps to detect whether illumination level is safe for eyesight.

In any industrial or residential premises illumination level must comply with the existing standards in order to provide comfortable environment for people to live and work, plants to grow, etc.

There are a lot of application fields of the digital lux meter:

  • labour protection sphere;
  • educational institutions and research centers, project organizations;
  • museums, libraries, archives;
  • transport and communication companies;
  • standardization, metrology and certification centers;
  • medical institutions;
  • assessment of individual workplaces;
  • agriculture, etc.

Conclusions

As I have already mentioned ToolBoom supermarket for engineers offers light meters of such brands: UNI-T, MASTECH, Pro'sKit and HIOKI. All of them have different price and quality of measurements. HIOKI LUX HiTSTER 3423 is significantly more expensive than others (for example, MASTECH MS6610 illumination meter). Difference in price is compensated by high quality of the light meter equipment, wider range of measurements and high accuracy of readings. Due to this you can use it to test premises for compliance with lighting standards.

Buy HIOKI LUX HiTESTER 3423 light meter

ToolBoom School

Light Meter is a device used to measure and control amount of light in premises or on the surfaces. Illumination level is measured in luxes or foot candles. Operating principle of the illumination meter lies in transformation of light energy into electric current energy. Photo receptor included into completed circuit with electricity meter is used in any lux meter for this purpose. Readings of one photoreceptors depend on the spectral structure of the emission. Others, for example, silicon photoreceptors with light correction, allow measuring level of illumination from any light source.

Most of light meters are calibrated by filament lamps. When measuring level of illumination of another spectrum (luminescent lamp, daylight) you need to take adjustment coefficient into consideration. In this case measurement errors constitute not less than 10% of the measured value.

Measurement range of the lux meters correspond to various ranges of the measured illumination level. Shift of ranges is performed by changing resistance of the electric circuit. You can measure higher level of illumination using light diffusing cap for photoreceptor. Such cap decreases emission falling on the receptor in a certain number of times.

There are a lot of various additional accessories for illumination meters. Adjustment light filter is used to approach spectral response of the lux meter photoreceptor to the eye sensitivity. Control device is used to check spectral response of the light meter equipment.

Spatial characteristics of the illumination are measured with the aid of special caps of spherical and cylindrical shape. Some models of light meters have function of brightness measurement.

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