CFL cans interfering with FM radio
davidmeiland
| Posted in Energy, Heating & Insulation on
House has ~20 CFL can lights in kitchen/dining area plus adjacent laundry and bathroom. Most are dimmable ballast type. Owner reports that a tabletop FM radio used in this area gets interference from the lights. I don’t yet know more… how many lights have to be in use to cause this, whether radio is plugged into a lighting circuit, whether dimming the lights makes a difference, etc. Wondering if there is a plug-in interference filter that could be used with the radio to solve this, or some other trick? Or, would a newer/better radio solve it?
Replies
Blame the radio.
Seriously, what does he want you to do about it? I can hear my washing machine through mine.
Uh, gee, that's helpful. This is a person who paid me a small fortune to build a house and asked a simple question, which I relayed here. Thanks for playing.
Are all the lights on one dimmer? Or does the addition of each dimmer increase the interference? Some dimmers are more prone to producing RFI, as are some CFLs. Might be worth trying some substitutions. Otherwise an external antenna might help as well as increasing the radio's range...PaulB
http://www.finecontracting.com
We had to go thru some headaches to get dimmers that worked with these cans. Juno tells you which one to use...
Could see if the radio has an external antenna terminal on back, if so grounding it might help. PaulB
http://www.finecontracting.com
I've had the same problem in my shop with electronic ( the better ones) ballast florescent lights. I tried grounding them as well.
From what i understand, (I'm no expert), all florescent lights leak energy.
I'm in the planning stage of setting up a new shop and want good radio sound.
I'm thinking of putting the radio somewhere else and controlling it remotely.
I can run speaker wires to the shop.
The upside to it is I can put the radio where it gets better reception.
I'm thinking of putting it in the attic with an antenea in the attic with it.
I have heard good things about Bose radios. She could try that. It would be an easy fix if it works. See if she can take it back if it doesn't.
Will Rogers
Edited 11/19/2009 7:15 pm by popawheelie
The dimmable CFLs are "noisier" than most other lighting options. Likely the radio station he's listening to is marginal on that set, in its current location, and the CFLs manage to break through.
One simple thing to try first is to unplug the radio and flip the plug around the other way (if it's not polarized). This works in a surprising number of cases.
This works in a surprising number of cases.
So you're saying that if I flip DW around, it might quiet her down? Somehow, I don't think that'll work, but I'll give it a try.copper p0rn
(Sometimes it makes things worse, of course.)
A strong nation, like a strong person, can afford to be gentle, firm, thoughtful, and restrained. It can afford to extend a helping hand to others. It's a weak nation, like a weak person, that must behave with bluster and boasting and rashness and other signs of insecurity. --Jimmy Carter
I'm reminded of a joke, but can't tell it here.
Is it about a golfer in Japan?copper p0rn
It's not!
It is the nature of florescent lighting. The current does not flow thru an element to make light, but it creates an energized filed that excites the gas in the tube.
Ther adio picks up on that.
Additionally there is a transformer involved whih can be sending out a signall too
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Owner reports that a tabletop FM radio used in this area gets interference from the lights.
Hi David,
So much you can experiment with.....in general terms this is normal or shall I say typical.
I would start a couple of different places.....first tune the radio to the strongest/closest station you can find......does the noise go away, only to return when tuning in distant stations? If so an outdoor antenna is a solution....if the radio doesn't have a separate input, you can have a custom shop add one or buy one for the high $ client. While looking into custom resolutions to a cheap radio.....if you wrap the radio in aluminum foil, does it decrease the noise.....if so the custom shop may be able to add foil tape inside the radio cover and ground it but that will also block radio reception so you're back to a coaxial antenna outside.
Another idea is to do two things at once....put is on an extension cord plugged into a far room.....does the noise lesson.....if so you may be getting noise from a shared power source....adding a super high quality computer type surge protector can often help. While still on the power cord, does moving the radio around within the kitchen lesson the noise in certain areas?
Changing to a higher quality dimmer may result in a noise reduction. Does covering the dimmer "temporarily" with aluminum foil reduce noise.....if so, it may be radiating the noise from the electronics inside......painting a metal face place to match the decor may block the noise radiation.
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