Some times you find yourself with egg all over your face, a wet splotch on your trousers, toilet paper hanging behind you, etc. Well, this, for me, is one of those days.

Today I tested two more reflector materials. First I covered the mylar surface with plain aluminum foil, with only moderate care not to wrinkle it. Next, I covered the mylar with white paper and spray painted the paper with glossy white paint. I took PAR readings with both configurations just as I did yesterday, to prove to myself how superior the metalized mylar is - and I have been insisting to all who care to listen that metalized mylar has to be superior. Here are the results: (Ignore my tear drops on the graphs.)


It is obvious how wrong I have been. Aluminum foil, even used with little care to keep the wrinkles out, is much better than the aluminized mylar. But, the real shocker is that plain old paper with a thin coat of glossy white paint is also better than the mylar.

I can either believe the PAR meter, and my eyes, which also gave the same results, or I can insist that my theoretical musings about the superiority of aluminized mylar were correct. Being a retired engineer I will go with the PAR meter results. Back to the drawing board for me!