Ordering Solar and Atmosphere Monitoring Instruments from IESRE

Ordering

As part of its research and education mission, IESRE has designed and sells several different kinds of solar and atmosphere monitoring instruments. These instruments are designed for student use, but they can also used for research projects, especially when the required levels of spatial coverage precludes the use of more expensive commercial equipment. Although IESRE sometimes recommends equipment manufactured by others (data loggers from Onset Computer Corporation, for example), IESRE is not a distributor for instrumentation made or sold by other vendors. An order form with a list of currently available standard instruments is available HERE. If your order is not complicated, it is not necessary to fill out this form. Instead, you can simply send an e-mail to brooksdr@InstESRE.org. Sometimes, instruments are not available if we have not been able to calibrate them due to weather conditions. If so, we will let you know at the time of your order.

Payment

IESRE does not accept credit card payments. Payment can be made by check in US dollars or through PayPal to brooksdr@InstESRE.org. For PayPal orders, add 3% of your order total (including shipping) or a minimum of US$1.00 for orders shipped inside the U.S., and 4% for orders shipped to non-US addresses. Please make payment at the time of your order. If your order is from an institution such as a college or university, IESRE will accept purchase orders and will invoice according to your instructions. IESRE can provide the necessary routing information for a bank transfer to our account. Our bank's fee for transfers, regardless of amount, is US$18.00. For larger orders, the total cost to you may be less than the PayPal transaction fee.

Checks should be made payable to Institute for Earth Science Research and Education. Our mailing address is:

David Brooks
IESRE
2686 Overhill Drive
Eagleville, PA 19403-4822
USA

Shipping

Inexpensive items such as one or a few pyranometer kits will be sent by US Postal Service to US addresses. Pyranometer kit and assembled pyranometer prices (as given on the order form linked above) include shipping to US addresses. IESRE usually uses UPS for other items, such as sun photometers, and all large orders. The minimum UPS shipping fee, which will cover standard ground shipping of small orders to US addresses, is US$15. Based on your order, we will notify you if the actual UPS charges will exceed $15.00. Whenever we use UPS or some other commercial carrier we will forward to you, by e-mail, tracking information for your package.

Shipping to addresses outside the US by UPS or other commercial carriers can be VERY expensive. Even one sun photometer, which weighs much less than a pound (half a kilogram) will be billed for international commercial shipping using an assumed weight based on the dimensions of the shipping box. We have often found this "dimensional weight" to be calculated at 4 pounds (2 kilograms) regardless of the actual weight of the shipment. UPS shipping charges to any non-US destination other than Canada will probably be more than US$100. You can, of course, estimate these costs yourself by accessing commercial carrier websites. The minimum size box for one sun photometer is about 4" x 6" x 8" (10cm x 15cm x 20cm).

An alternative for international shipments, especially for small instruments, is USPS Priority Mail International Flat Rate boxes. A small box is suitable for shipping a few pyranometer kits, for example, and costs about US$24. Larger instruments will not fit in these small boxes and the next size box costs about $60. Regular USPS international shipping (not International Flat Rate) for a sun photometer is about $40. The disadvantage of USPS shipping is that there is no in-transit order tracking. It is possible to insure these shipments, but that roughly doubles the USPS shipping cost. Depending on your location outside the US, it is up to you to decide whether USPS shipping is a reasonable alternative to a commercial carrier.

Special Orders

IESRE is always ready to discuss special needs for inexpensive monitoring instruments. Please give us a call to discuss ways we might collaborate on your education and research projects. We also offer workshops for teachers and students, including workshops at which participants can build their own solar and atmosphere monitoring instruments.