The best solar power meters measure broad ranges of solar radiant flux, have low measurement resolution, are highly accurate, are cosine corrected, and are easy to carry around in just one hand.
Therefore, when buying a new solar power meter, look out for its measuring range, resolution, accuracy range, cosine correction, and portability. But beyond the said features, you should also look out for the type of sensor, display type & size, and memory function.
Things to Consider
Solar power meters typically measure solar radiation with two types of sensors: pyranometer and pyrheliometer.
The pyrheliometer generally offers better accuracy when measuring solar irradiation and sunshine duration. But, a pyranometer is more effective at measuring diffuse solar radiation, especially when it is cloudy or foggy. These days, the margin of accuracy between both sensors is very minimal.
Solar power meters often come as small handheld devices. So, in many cases, the display is small. When reading values off it, this can be an issue for you, especially in the brightly lit conditions offered outdoors.
Radiation from the sun will not always fall directly on the meter. Sometimes, the rays reach the meter’s sensor at acute angles. Without cosine correction, the radiant intensity of incident rays at such angles will not be accurate.
Portability is vital with solar power meters. A portable meter will not burden you if you go up the roof with other tools.
You will measure the irradiance in various locations over time and may want a record of it all. With a solar power meter that has a memory function, this should not be an issue.
Then, of course, you want a solar power meter with a broad measuring range, low resolution, and high accuracy. This way, you are almost sure the sensor can detect small changes in radiant flux and high irradiance levels with near-flawless precision.
Best Solar Power Meters Reviewed
1. Tenmars Handheld Digital Meter
The Tenmars Handheld Digital Meter comes in at number one on our list. Its portability, display type & size, battery life, and price place it ahead of other solar power meters on the list.
Portability
The Tenmars Handheld Digital Meter is one of this list’s lightest and smallest products. It fits quite well in the hands. Only the Digital Radiation Measuring Instrument matches its portability – having about the same size.
Display Type & Size
The Tenmars Handheld Digital Meter display is the largest solar power meter on the list. Plus, it has a green LCD screen. So, even in the brightly lit conditions outdoors, you will not have too much trouble reading the screen.
No other solar power meter on the list has such a feature.
Battery Life
The Tenmars Handheld Digital Meter uses a 9-volt battery. Only the Digital Radiation Measuring Instrument and the Solarmeter Model 10.0 match this. The other products on this list run on 4 AAA batteries, which, when combined, produce only 6 volts.
The 4 AAAs typically last for about 100 hours. But the 9-volt battery of the Tenmars Handheld Digital Meter should last longer.
Price
The Tenmars Handheld Digital Meter is the least expensive compared to the others. Next to it is General Tools DBTU1300 Digital Solar BTU Power Meter.
Beyond the above, the Tenmars Handheld Digital Meter has a measuring range of up to 2000 W/m2 and 634 BTU/(ft²-h). Its resolution is 0.1 W/m2 and 0.1 BTU/(ft²-h). Digital Radiation Measuring Instruments only better this range.
Other devices on the list fall within the same measuring range and resolution. The Tenmars Handheld Digital Meter has an accuracy of ±5% or ±10 W/m2 and ±3 BTU/(ft²-h) – any of them is higher in natural sunlight. For temperature-induced errors, the measurement will be accurate within ±0.38 W/m2/℃ and ±0.12 Btu/℃ at 25℃ and above.
The Tenmars Handheld Digital Meter operates in temperatures up to 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit).
The Tenmars Handheld Digital Meter uses a pyranometer for sensing. So, it is perfect for when you have to measure diffuse solar radiation, too. The Tenmars Handheld Digital Meter is cosine corrected, offering angular precision.
The Tenmars Handheld Digital Meter has a memory function that allows the storage of up to 2,000 readings. The only solar power meter on the list with a higher memory capacity is the TES 1333R Solar Power Meter, with a capacity of up to 43,000 readings.
While a memory function of 2ooo readings is decent, it is nowhere near 43,000. So, if you do many insolation assessments, you may want to go for the TES 1333R Solar Power Meter.
Pros
It is inexpensive – comes at the lowest price of any product on this list.
The display size is the largest of any product on the list. It is a green LCD, so it will not be hard to read in brightly lit conditions.
Very portable – only the Digital Radiation Measuring Instrument is as small and light as this product.
Decent memory function – only bettered by the TES 1333R Solar Power Meter.
It uses a pyranometer for sensing, offering more precise measurements for diffuse radiation.
It runs on a 9-volt battery, so you can expect it to last longer than those using 6-volts.
Cosine corrected.
Cons
The memory function could be larger to accommodate more readings.
No other solar power meter on this list possesses a memory function that matches what the TES 1333R offers. But apart from its superior memory function, the TES 1333R has a decent measuring range, display, top-notch durability, and is cosine-corrected.
Firstly, the TES 1333R can accommodate up to 43,000 readings in its memory. The closest to this capacity is the Tenmars Handheld Digital Meter, with a capacity of 2 thousand readings. Of course, as you can see, the difference is huge.
The measuring range, resolution, and accuracy of the TES 1333R are the same as that of the Tenmars Handheld Digital Meter. Both devices have a range of up to 2000 W/m2 and 634 BTU/(ft²-h) with a resolution of 0.1 W/m2 and 0.1 BTU/(ft²-h). Of course, this falls short of that of the Digital Radiation Measuring Instrument.
TES 1333R also has an accuracy range of ±5% or ±10 W/m2 and ±3 BTU/(ft²-h), whichever is higher in natural sunlight. For temperature-induced errors, the measurement will be accurate within ±0.38 W/m2/℃ and ±0.12 Btu/℃ at 25℃ and above.
Display Type & Size
The display is decent – not as large as that of the Tenmars Handheld Digital Meter. However, it is not the smallest on the list and should be easy to read for most people. The TES 1333R uses a 4-digit LCD.
Unlike the Tenmars Handheld Digital Meter, this LCD is not green. Nonetheless, you should be able to use it under normal outdoor lighting conditions.
The TES 1333R is made for durability. Its detector is very stable, and the overall structure of the solar power meter is rugged and compact. The TES 1333R is cosine corrected like the General Tools DBTU1300 Digital Solar BTU Power Meter.
So, with either product, the precision from measuring the irradiance of angular rays is pretty high.
Battery Life
4 AAA batteries power the TES 1333R. This will not last as long as the Tenmars Handheld Digital Meter batteries, the Digital Radiation Measuring Instrument, and the Solarmeter Model 10.0. Nonetheless, you can get up to 100 hours of battery lifespan with those 4 AAA batteries.
The TES 1333R comes with a compact disc containing the software for computer use. It also comes with an RS232 for connection to a computer.
All in all, the TES 1333R is easy to operate. However, you feel the battery life can be longer, and the screen could be larger.
Pros
It is pretty durable.
The memory function has a higher capacity than any other device.
It is cosine corrected, so the irradiance measurement for angular rays is quite accurate.
With the Digital Radiation Measuring Instrument, you are getting a device with a high measuring capacity. The Digital Radiation Measuring Instrument has the highest measuring range of any device. But apart from that, it has a decent memory function and rapid sampling time.
With the Digital Radiation Measuring Instrument, you can measure the solar radiant flux of up to 3999 W/m2 and up to 3999Btu/(ft²-h). No other device on this list comes close.
However, its range error and temperature change error are pretty much the same as that of the TES 1333R and the Tenmars Handheld Digital Meter (±10W/m²/±3Btu/(ft²-h) or ±5% and ±0.38W/m²/℃ ±0.12Btu/(ft²-h)/℃ deviation at 25°C, respectively).
The Digital Radiation Measuring Instrument has a memory-dedicated push button switch (hold). This switch allows for easy retention and retrieval of data for comparison. Nonetheless, we should state that the memory capacity of the Digital Radiation Measuring Instrument is nowhere near that of the TES 1333R.
Besides its wide measuring range, the Digital Radiation Measuring Instrument has a rapid sampling time. The sampling rate is about 0.25 times per second.
Battery Life
Like the Tenmars Handheld Digital Meter and the Solarmeter 10.0, it uses a 9-volt battery. However, this battery is not included in the pack.
Display Type & Size
The screen of the Digital Radiation Measuring Instrument is pretty average – not large or too small. It is an LCD that shows up to 4 digits, including the digit after the decimal point.
The Digital Radiation Measuring Instrument is easy to use – requiring no adjustment to measure sunlight directly. It can operate at temperatures up to 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) and can be stored between -10 and 60 degrees Celsius.
Pros
It has the highest measuring range of any meter on the list.
The measuring range, resolution, and error ranges are decent – about the same as the other solar power meters on the list.
Decent memory function.
Rapid sampling time.
It is quite portable – about the Tenmars Handheld Digital Meter size.
The General Tools DBTU1300 is like the TES 1333R, except it is less expensive and has a lower memory capacity.
The General Tools DBTU1300 has a measuring range of up to 2000 W/m2 or 634 BTU/(ft²-h) and a resolution of 0.1 0 W/m2 and 0.1 BTU/(ft²-h). Its measurement accuracy is ±10W/m²/±3Btu/(ft²-h) or ±5% – the higher value of the two. Both of these values are the same as that of the TES 1333R.
Display Type & Size
The screen sizes of the General Tools DBTU1300 and the TES 1333R are the same. Both are LCD screens with support for up to 4 digits.
Portability
Like the Tenmars Handheld Digital Meter, the General Tools DBTU1300 operates between 0 and 50 degrees Celsius. It is pretty lightweight, weighing just about 5.6 ounces.
Battery Life
Like the TES 1333R, the General Tools DBTU1300 runs on 4 AAAs, which offers up to 100 hours of running time.
While this is decent, it is less than the 9-volt battery of the Tenmars Handheld Digital Meter, the Digital Radiation Measuring Instrument, and the Solarmeter 10.0 offers.
Price
While the TES 1333R has a memory capacity that supports up to 43,000 readings, the General Tools DBTU1300 only has space for 99. But on the bright side, the General Tools DBTU1300 goes for less than half the price of the TES 1333R.
The General Tools DBTU1300 works within a 400-1100 nanometers spectral range. It has a sampling rate of 4 per second and is cosine-corrected.
Pros
It is relatively inexpensive – compared to the TES 1333R.
Lightweight and portable.
Cosine corrected.
The measuring range, resolution, and error ranges are decent.
Like the Tenmars Handheld Meter and the Digital Radiation Measuring Instrument, it uses a 9-volt battery. Unlike the Digital Radiation Measuring Instrument, the Solarmeter 10.0 has a battery.
Battery Life
A standard 9V battery will last approximately 2 years, which is an advantage of the 4 AAAs used by the other solar power meters. The battery operates properly from 9V down to 6.5V. But below that voltage, the numbers on the LCD will begin to fade, indicating the need for battery replacement.
Display Type & Size
The screen of the Solarmeter 10.0 is about the same size as the other meters, except the Tenmars Handheld Meter. The screen is a 3.5-digit LCD – pretty much like every other solar power meter on the list.
The measuring range of the Solarmeter 10.0 reaches up to 1999 W/m2, and it has a resolution of 1 W/m2. While the measuring range is about the same as the vast majority of products on this list, it falls short of the Digital Radiation Measuring Instrument.
Its resolution is pretty high, which means it would not pick any changes in irradiance readings below 1 W/m2. One drawback with this product is that it does not show BTU/(ft²-h) readings.
The spectral range of the Solarmeter 10.0 is the same as that of the General Tools DBTU1300 – 400 to 1100 nanometers. However, its operational temperature falls below that of the Digital Radiation Measuring Instrument and the Tenmars Handheld Meter.
The Solarmeter uses a silicon photodiode detector located in its sensor window. On the other hand, the sensor window is located at the top of the product. Whenever you want to use the meter, you must point the sensor window to the source of the UV rays, and you get your results.
The calibration of the Solarmeter 10.0 is traceable to the World Radiometric Reference.
Pros
Since it uses a 9-volt battery, you can expect it to run for quite a while.
WRR-traceable calibration.
The screen size is decent – only smaller than the Tenmars Handheld Meter.
The measuring range is decent – about the same as every other meter on the list, except the Digital Radiation Measuring Instrument.
Cons
The resolution is relatively high. This makes it harder to detect smaller changes in solar radiant flux.
A digital solar power meter measures the sun’s irradiance at a specific location. It is typically used during the pre-construction stage of solar systems. However, you may also use it in the post-construction stage.
A solar power meter is used pre-construction to ascertain how much UV light reaches a surface (irradiance). In turn, irradiance helps in projecting how much power the PV cells of a solar panel system can generate from the sun in that specific area.
A solar power meter may be installed beside PV panels in the post-construction stage. At such a point, it becomes a diagnostic tool to verify if the solar panels are working correctly.
Apart from the description above, a digital solar power meter may also refer to a device used to measure the energy production from a solar power system. This type may also be called a PV meter, and unlike the meter described above, this type of meter measures how much of the electricity the PV cells produce gets inside your house.
Apart from helping you monitor how much energy your solar energy system is, this type of solar power meter is vital if you want to get a Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC).
You could get an SREC worth over $300 for every 1000 kWh of solar energy your solar power system produces. But you need a PV power meter to prove your energy consumption and how much power your PV modules have produced.
Features to Look Out For
Sensor Type
There are 3 main types of solar radiation detectors: net radiometers, pyranometers, and pyrheliometers. Of these 3, pyranometers are the most common in solar power meters, followed by pyrheliometers.
In the past, pyrheliometers were largely reserved for weather and climate studies. But these days, they are also used in solar energy systems. Pyrheliometers have lower zero offsets and directional errors than pyranometers. So, they are generally more accurate than pyranometers.
However, these days, pyranometers have lower zero offsets and directional errors. So, the difference in their precision is minimal.
Besides the difference in precision, pyrheliometers are effective for measuring radiant influx from direct UV beams. On the other hand, pyranometers are best for diffuse beams of UV. Keep this in mind when choosing your solar power meter.
Cosine Correction
Radiant flux is a function of the angle between the incident UV ray and the normal surface. When UV light falls directly above a solar power meter, the angle does not matter. In such a case, the normal and the incident UV ray angle is zero, and the cosine of zero is 1.
However, the angle will matter when UV light falls on a solar power meter at an angle. Therefore, cosine correction must be in place. Otherwise, the readings will not be accurate.
So, when choosing a meter, ensure it is cosine-corrected.
Measuring Range, Resolution, and Accuracy
When choosing solar power meters, the measuring range is vital. The higher the range, the higher the solar radiant flux you can measure in the meter.
Apart from that, the units of measurement are also vital. While some products allow measurement in two units [W/m2 BTU/(ft²-h)], some allow measurements in just one unit. It is better to opt for those that give the option of multiple units.
The resolution is another important feature to check in a solar power meter. The lower the resolution, the better the meter will detect small changes in solar radiation flux.
Then, accuracy is also vital. The accuracy of solar meters is usually expressed as their margin of error. With lower values come higher chances of getting repeatable results for the normal and temperature errors.
Memory Function
This may not be very important to everyone. But if you want to collect solar radiant flux data from a wide range of locations and compare them, a product with a memory function would be perfect. With such, you can readily store, retrieve, monitor, and compare your data.
Portability
You will not have to worry about portability in many cases since solar meters are typically small and handy. Nonetheless, it would help if you went for the most portable yet functional product you can get. This will make climbing the roof and getting off easy for you.
Battery Life
Solar meters would typically not consume so much power. So, the battery can last quite a long. Nonetheless, some batteries last longer than others. Generally, products that use 4 AAA (about 6 volts) last 100 hours, but those that use the 9-volt battery last longer.
Final Thoughts
We went with Tenmars Handheld as our best solar power meter. It offers a longer battery lifespan, portability, a big screen, a broad measuring range, a fair price, decent precision, and memory function. In other words, it offers many of the best features of solar meters.
Nonetheless, if you want a product with a higher measuring range, you may consider a Digital Radiation Measuring Instrument. Then, if you want one with an even more impressive memory function, try out the TES 1333R.
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Adeyomola Kazeem
Adeyomola loves the purity that comes with solar energy. He believes that with the yellow dwarf star already brimming with energy, the world does not need to deplete non-renewable energy sources. Especially since said energy sources might be harmful to our world.He has had hands-on experiences creating solar energy panels himself and has worked closely with solar engineers. In a bid to preserve environmental integrity, Adeyomola would rather walk certain distances instead of driving or taking a bus. He sometimes spends his free time planting and tending to plants or wondering why we underutilize the biggest star in our solar system.
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What Is a Digital Solar Power Meter?
What Is a Digital Solar Power Meter?
