All QUV and Q-SUN testers come with a black panel temperature sensor to monitor and accurately maintain temperature within the tester. For some Q-SUN models, a chamber air temperature sensor can be substituted or used simultaneously.  The black panel temperature sensor in the tester needs to be calibrated periodically. For the QUV tester, this is accomplished simply by using any reference thermometer. In the case of the Q-SUN testers, a special reference black panel thermometer must be used. The reference thermometer itself needs to be calibrated once per year. All QUV and Q-SUN testers are equipped with the SOLAR EYE irradiance control system (except for the QUV/basic tester). The SOLAR EYE system monitors and accurately maintains irradiance levels within the tester. The sensor within the SOLAR EYE system must be calibrated by the user periodically. This is accomplished with a special calibration radiometer. This radiometer itself needs to be calibrated once per year. The Universal Calibrator (UC) system is used for calibration of temperature in Q-SUN testers and irradiance in QUV and Q-SUN testers. This system consists of a handheld display unit that can be used “plug and play” with all irradiance and temperature sensors. Q-Lab also services and supports existing calibration radiometers (CR10 and CR20) and calibration thermometers (CT202). Either system can be used with any QUV or Q-SUN tester.
 
QUV Thermometer Calibration
The QUV black panel temperature sensor needs to be calibrated periodically by the user to assure accurate and consistent results.  Calibrating the QUV black panel temperature sensor is simply performed with any standard reference thermometer.Temperature sensors do not require normal replacement.  In the event of an unlikely failure, a replacement can be ordered under the following part number:
V-2156-X              QUV Black Panel Temperature Sensor (replace as necessary)
 
Q-SUN Thermometer Calibration
All Q-SUN black panel temperature sensors need to be calibrated periodically by the user to assure accurate and consistent results.  Calibrating the black panel temperature sensor is simple using the Universal Calibrator system’s UC202 calibrated temperature sensor and UC1 handheld display, or the historical CT202 thermometer, and takes only a few minutes.  Note that CT202 and UC202 thermometers comes with either an uninsulated black panel or insulated black panel sensor, and must match the type of sensor actually used in the Q-SUN tester.
 
Calibration of the UC202 and CT202 thermometers needs to be performed annually. The UC202 thermometers were designed to be disposable and cost-efficient, and should be replaced annually with a  freshly-calibrated UC202. The CT202 thermometer needs to be returned to Q-Lab once per year for an inexpensive recalibration. UC202 units may also be returned for calibration for users who prefer recalibration to replacement.  Our calibration labs are ISO 17025 accredited by the American Association of Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA - Ohio Certificate Number 2382-01, China Certificate Number 2383-02 and England Certificate Number 2383-03).  Calibrations are traceable to the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).  See Recalibration Return Procedure.
 
In the Q-SUN Xe-1, the tester can have an optional chamber air temperature sensor (included for a model Xe-1 with chiller).  Calibrating the Xe-1 chamber air temperature sensor is simply performed with any standard reference thermometer.In both the Q-SUN Xe-2 and Xe-3 models, the low-cost, combination relative humidity/chamber air temperature sensor was thoughtfully designed to be disposable.  It should be replaced once a year and cannot be recalibrated.
 
Common Q-SUN thermometer part numbers are shown below:
X-10235-X: Q-SUN Xe-1/Xe-3 Black Panel Temperature Sensor (replace as necessary)
X-7778-X: Q-SUN Xe-1/Xe-3 Insulated Black Panel Temperature Sensor (replace as necessary)
XR-11463-X: Q-SUN Xe-2 Black Panel Temperature Sensor (replace as necessary)
XR-11464-X: Q-SUN Xe-2 Insulated Black Panel Temperature Sensor (replace as necessary)
X-10415-K: Q-SUN Relative Humidity/Chamber Air Sensor (replace annually)
UC1:  Universal Calibrator Handheld Display
UC202/BP: Universal Calibrator System Q-SUN Black Panel Calibration Thermometer
UC202/IBP: Universal Calibrator System Q-SUN Insulated Black Panel Calibration Thermometer
UC202/RECAL: Recalibration of UC202 Calibration Thermometer (annual replacement is recommended but annual recalibration is available)
CT202/RECAL: Recalibration of CT202 Thermometer (recommended annually)