Hi, is there any way of knowing when the sensors were installed?
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I agree – I am just burning through points and time guessing while trying to find sensors with the same date range in my Chester, PA community (2021-2025). There should be a metadata table without requiring points downloads. Is there one? I can’t find it…
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There are a few methods that will get you close. If you’re checking a large number of sensors via the API, you can request the fields date_created and/or last_modified from the Get Sensors Data API to get you close. This will require very few points.
There are limitations to both, as date_created acknowledges when the sensor was made and tested, not when it was installed in the field, and last_modified is the datetime of the most recent registration, so if the sensor has had its registration updated, this will not represent its start date.
If you’re only looking at a small number of sensors, using the Map will be your best option. Select the sensor to pull up its historical data graph. Any data layer should do. You’ll then change the “Averaging period” to “1-month.” This will give you 20 years of historical range, which takes you back further than the origin of PurpleAir, so you are guaranteed to see the month the sensor started.
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