Radio interference from LED battens.

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pidgeonpost

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After buying a couple of 240v 30W 3' LED batten lights in October I'm finally getting round to fitting them. A quick-and-dirty test is very promising as far as light levels go, but the interference on my workshop FM radio (e.g. BBCR4) is horrendous. Luckily the test coincided with 'The Archers' so not the end of the world, but I wonder if anyone has experienced similar and can suggest a suitable cheap filter please? Thanks.
 
Unfortunately, it is often the case for cheap ones that their power supplies are RF noisy, and there really isn't much that can be done without major work internally on them...

Sometimes, fitting ferrite cores to the incoming mains leads can reduce it (if the cables are acting as radiators ie bloody long antennas lol) but in a lot of cases its the PSU itself thats doing the radiating...

And to fix that means opening it up (not always even possible) and adding the missing components- to a PCB likely not made to accommodate them...

Look for the clipon ferrite cores, you will need two (one fitted over the active at the lights terminal connections, one fitted over the neutral)- usually look something like this
1737410961974.png

Check the specs on them- there are a LOT of different types out there that all look visually the same- you want something that covers the 100Mhz to 1Ghz range at least

They are quite cheap, about $5 Au each here- and they 'may' reduce or even fix the problem if the power cables are indeed radiating the interference- if its coming from the driver itself, they won't do much unfortunately...

A 'common mode noise filter' will also work (a bit better than the two individual ferrites even) but again- more expensive (about $30 Au), harder to accommodate (although in a batten there may be space inside the fitting) and again, if it is the driver PCB itself that is radiating, won't stop it entirely (but may reduce it)
1737412490076.png

Commonly available at RS, Mouser etc (that 10A one is just a little oversized for a single batten LED lol- but it had a pic...)

In both cases, you want them as close to the lights driver as is possible...
 
Thanks for that info. I was hoping for something like the ferrite core that would simply clip on to the 3-core mains cable but from your reply it sounds like I need open up the 3-core and attach one on the 'live' and another on 'neutral'? I don't fancy trying to open the batten unit itself. I'll have to do a bit of Googling. :)
 
Thanks for that info. I was hoping for something like the ferrite core that would simply clip on to the 3-core mains cable but from your reply it sounds like I need open up the 3-core and attach one on the 'live' and another on 'neutral'? I don't fancy trying to open the batten unit itself. I'll have to do a bit of Googling. :)
What brand is it??- most are easily openable to access the mains connections (at worst you could probably do it outside the case- but the regs say double layer of insulation- so the 'slit' cable and ferrites would have to be inside a junction box to be legal...)
 
Thanks for that info. I was hoping for something like the ferrite core that would simply clip on to the 3-core mains cable but from your reply it sounds like I need open up the 3-core and attach one on the 'live' and another on 'neutral'? I don't fancy trying to open the batten unit itself. I'll have to do a bit of Googling. :)
In my experience with reducing radiation on instrumentation you only need one ferrite on the combined live and neutral although earth can be added and possibly should be added as well.
For common mode I've often just used a ferrite ring and wrapped the main cable around it 3 or 4 times or more with great success.
Have fun
Martin
 
In my experience with reducing radiation on instrumentation you only need one ferrite on the combined live and neutral although earth can be added and possibly should be added as well.
For common mode I've often just used a ferrite ring and wrapped the main cable around it 3 or 4 times or more with great success.
Have fun
Martin
Because the interference is present on both wires, but opposite in polarity, they really don't work that well when used that way (common mode in particular requires the windings to be in OPPOSITE directions...)
1737448883490.png
 
Because the interference is present on both wires, but opposite in polarity, they really don't work that well when used that way (common mode in particular requires the windings to be in OPPOSITE directions...)
View attachment 196355
Not my experience and I would add it's best if the two or three circuits are bifilar wound. My experience also suggests someone always knows better but hey ho! May be I'm just an old grumpy git.
 
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