I don't think the guys meter was messed up.He just got it.
It's made so inspectors can measure workplace hazards and in the vehicles/motorhomes we sell(gas,sound etc.).
My friend just got re certified and the teacher of the coarse recomended the meters to the class.(For whatever that is worth-doesn't mean anything except the guy liked the meters for whatever reason.)
It did give out readings the same as other meters my friend has that do the other-non light- individual tests.He didn't have a Lux meter though to compare reading for light-just for the other stuff it does.
I don't know where the light sensor was on the meter-if it was pointed forward or up.
I measured the light by putting the meter on an empty pot where I grow my plants to see what the plants were growing in.
The meter did say not to try and measure light by pointing it at the source.
You are trying to measure light per Sq. meter not how bright the sun is.
It was afternoon over a couple hours time.
I know it wasn't cloudy but there might have been haze-don't remember.
According to what I've read the sun puts out 32,000 - 100,000 lux depending on different conditions-altitude,weather etc..
Actually I don't really care if the readings were right or not- I was looking to see how far from sunlight my LEDs were.
As long as I used the same ruler for both measurements the comparison still gives me an idea about the difference between outside and on my shelf.
I just used a 12inch ruler that was possibly a little short but I used the same ruler for both places.
Now I'm going to have to borrow the meter and play with it some more to see readings on different days and see if my panels always read the same too.
This time paying attention to more details.haze etc.
I was suprised the one panel was so bright.
I do have to turn them off when I walk into the room or they screw up my eyes when I leave the room-see dots. LOL
Ahhh,a chance to play with other peoples toys.
If I find different readings for the panels every time I measure them I'll post about it so nobody possibly wastes their hard earned cash on these meters if they are no good.