FAQ: We just discovered that one of our light traps has a cracked mirror-the mirror that directs the light into the trap. I note that the light traps have the instrument serial number on it. If we had a spare light trap, would it be transferrable to use on another instrument, or does using a different light trap cause a reading error. I know the instrument white tiles are individually calibrated and assigned to the instrument by serial number. Is the light trap individually calibrated to the instrument as well?
Answer:
Unlike white tiles, bottom-of-scale standards such as the light trap for diffuse d/8-degree sphere instruments or the black glass used on directional 45-degree/0-degree instruments are not individually calibrated. HunterLab does label them with the instrument serial number to keep them together with the instrument.
If you have one, you can use a spare light trap from another HunterLab instrument. If you want to place a sticker over the serial number when you transfer it, this will avoid confusion.
The light trap that HunterLab uses is a classic design. Even although the mirror is cracked and doesn't look good, it may not make a difference it its ability to set bottom-of-scale. If you replace the light trap with another, run the Green Tile test to verify that you are still reading that middle-of-scale diagnostic standard before and after the swap.
Do you still need more information? Submit a ticket and our support team member will reach out to you soon!