Solar Project Instrumentation

Some suppliers of instruments useful in measuring the performance of solar and renewable energy projects.

Be sure to see the Measurements section as well.

Instrumentation
First, see this section on Measurements ...	The Measurements section provides a lot of information on how to do good measurements for not much money.
Onset http://www.onsetcomp.com/	Wide variety of data logging instruments. I use the U12 series loggers, and have had good service from them.
DATAQ http://www.dataq.com/applicat/index.htm	PC based data acquisition systems, including some nicely priced "starter" sets.
Labjack http://www.labjack.com/	Inexpensive PC based data loggers.
Data Logger Kit http://www.oceancontrols.com.au	Inexpensive data logger kit
Quasar -- Data Logger Kits http://www.quasarelectronics.com	Inexpensive data acquisition and data logger kits.
Carl's Electronics http://www.electronickits.com/kit/complete/complete.htm	Several interesting looking kits for sensors, controllers, and data loggers. Low prices.
King Solar www.kingsolar.com	King Solar carries quite a few flow measuring devices at pretty reasonable prices.
GEMS http://www.gemssensors.com/	Wide line of affordable flow meters and other sensors.
Omega http://www.omega.com	Very wide range of measuring instruments and sensors. No problem with small orders.
Kestrel http://www.nkhome.com/ww/1000/1000.html	Kestrel pocket wind meters -- good for measuring low speed airflow in solar collectors.
Daystar Solar Meter http://www.zianet.com/daystar/solar_meters.html	Inexpensive meter to measure incident solar radiation
Apogee http://www.apogee-inst.com/pyr_spec.htm	Relatively inexpensive solar radiation measurement instrument.
Kipp and Zonen http://www.kippzonen.com/pages/8/3	Solar Radiation Instruments.
Dwyer Instruments Magnehelic Differential Pressure Gages http://www.dwyer-inst.com/htdocs/pressure/Series2000Intro.cfm	Wide variety of instruments. Dwyer gages to measure small air pressure differences. Might try ebay first.
Quality Kits http://store.qkits.com/category.cfm/TEMP	Some temperature logging kits that use the DS1820 one-wire temperature sensor. Also some thermostats and other interesting kits.
Hobby Engineering Data logger and sensor kits http://www.hobbyengineering.com/H1255.html	Some inexpensive and interesting looking kits for data logging and various sensors, including a wind velocity sensor.
Simple Circuit Boards http://www.simplecircuitboards.com/products.html	Some inexpensive boards for taking temperature measurements and interfacing thermocouples.
Kill-A-Watt	This amazing $35 gadget measures voltage, current and power (in watts) consumed by a 120VAC appliance plugged into it. It will also accumulate energy used (KWH) over the period of time the appliance is plugged into it. The claimed accuracy is 0.2%, which is amazing.

Please note that I have had no dealings with most of the suppliers, and cannot vouch for them in any way. These links are just a place to get started in your system/component searches. I have no financial or other arrangement of any kind with any of these suppliers.

Gary April 16, 2008