Kipp & Zonen SMP12 Class A Pyranometer

The new SMP12 is pioneering fast response spectrally flat Class A pyranometer that combines solid-state dome heating preventing dew and frost, with no moving parts, and best-in-class surge protection to maximize accuracy and minimize maintenance.

The SMP12 combines proven sensor and diffuser technology from the RaZON+ PH1 and PR1 radiometers with an enhanced version of the Smart interface and the low maintenance of the SMP10.

The SMP12 has an internal drying cartridge that will last for at least 10 years if the housing is not opened. This further reduces maintenance significantly.

The SMP12 feature set includes:

• Solid-state dome heating for dew and frost prevention.


• Multi-axis tilt sensor to enable remote monitoring of the pyranometer mounting and orientation.


• Internal humidity and temperature monitoring to provide confidence in the integrity of the instruments internal functionality.

The SMP12 has a 2-wire RS-485 Modbus® RTU interface but, unlike the other SMP models, it does not have an analog output. The characteristics of the thermopile detector provide a fast response time of less than half a second. The wide power supply range from 10 to 30 VDC makes integration into solar energy plant performance monitoring stations easy. SMP12 has class-leading electrical protection in the form of 2-stage surge and reverse polarity protection on the power input and 3-stage surge protection on the RS-485 data lines.

Like all SMP series pyranometers, the calibrated sensitivity is stored in memory and can be accessed via the Modbus® interface and the measured irradiance value is output via Modbus® in W/m². This makes it easy and simple to interchange different instruments when recalibration or repair is required.

SmartExplorer Windows™ software provides: data logging on a PC, displaying of data, changing Modbus® communication settings, configuring of the Modbus® addresses – and more. SmartExplorer is free and can be found under the ‘Downloads’ tab of this webpage.