Electrical Question - Replaced ballast now radio is static filled! HELP!

[MossflowerWoods]

You are definitely getting RF interference.

Could we also go at this from the other direction...

How old is the radio?

Is it on the same circuit as the lights--even though it is not controlled by the switch?

Radio is over 20 years old Pioneer component stereo system (Works great still!), and it is on the same breaker for sure, not switched.

It is plugged into a surge suppressor power strip though.

I can try to find a different circuit, but I have very few, and limited space too boot.

David

PS - If I change the one older bulb, might that be the issue?

 

[aczlan]

PS - If I change the one older bulb, might that be the issue?

Does the interference follow the bulb? (ie does that bulb make noise no matter which side it plugs into, or is it only on one side?).
I might change both bulbs to see if that changes anything.

Aaron Z

 

[ustmd]

Radio is over 20 years old Pioneer component stereo system (Works great still!), and it is on the same breaker for sure, not switched.

It is plugged into a surge suppressor power strip though.

I can try to find a different circuit, but I have very few, and limited space too boot.

David

PS - If I change the one older bulb, might that be the issue?

If the radio is only 20 years old, that is a little young to have problems with most RF interference--it can happen, but generally with older stuff.

YOu can try the replacing the other bulb (it is the easy/cheap fix), but I think you have a bad ballast. Either it is generating RF out of range or is creating noise on the ground/supply circuit that is affecting the radio. Does the static only happen when you use the radio (vs the cassette player or cd player or?).

 

[MossflowerWoods]

If the radio is only 20 years old, that is a little young to have problems with most RF interference--it can happen, but generally with older stuff.

YOu can try the replacing the other bulb (it is the easy/cheap fix), but I think you have a bad ballast. Either it is generating RF out of range or is creating noise on the ground/supply circuit that is affecting the radio. Does the static only happen when you use the radio (vs the cassette player or cd player or?).

The radio is closer to 22 or 23 years old...

Bad Ballast! I just bought the danged thing! GRRRR!

Wife is making Shepherd's Pie from last night's lamb roast :licking: I'm not welcome on the Kitchen... Better try to go sneak in some tractor time...

When its in the oven, and she hss the girls at music lessons I'll mess with it again.

David

 

[k0ua]

The radio is closer to 22 or 23 years old...

Bad Ballast! I just bought the danged thing! GRRRR!

Wife is making Shepherd's Pie from last night's lamb roast :licking: I'm not welcome on the Kitchen... Better try to go sneak in some tractor time...

When its in the oven, and she hss the girls at music lessons I'll mess with it again.

David

RFI can be tough to fix David this is some interesting reading:

Fluorescent light RFI solved - rec.radio.amateur.antenna | Google Groups

But this doesnt tell you how to fix it other than getting rid of that ballast. which is what I would do.. I have had some ballasts thru the years that radiated a lot of RFI, and I junked them and got different ones. Of course you could go the discrete component troublshooting route and try putting some bypass capacitors on the ballast. I could give you some ideas if you really want to go there, but I am thinking take the ballast back and get something else route to be the best. I know you served on a sub so you must have some radio experience as well, but it can get complicated in a hurry.

James K0UA

 

[Craig Clayton]

To MossflowerWoods
I typed my orginal reply very quickly because we needed more info of which you have provided.
I copy and pasted the Philips spec and found out what you purchased.

http://www.advance.philips.com/documents/uploads/literature/EL-2470-R02.pdf

Please check the link, I believe you have a electronic ballast which needs to use F34 lamps T12 or F40 T12.
Magnetic ballasts are no longer supplied because they are demended to be less efficient.
We have had magnetic ballast last over 25 years and are dripping in tar. We installed some electronic ballasts with (T8 ) lamps and in a industrial power system they failed , they are better now.
Check the wiring schematics on the face of the ballast as some electronic ballast require the yellow wires to be arranged in a different pattern, I think the red and blue should also be checked. I have not done any rewiring of electronic ballasts for some years so I am not positive what you have. With the single lamp lighting I think that is what happens when a electronic ballast is wired like a magnetic. If you look up electronic ballasts on the net you will find some straight forward articles. I found some that were getting way too deep to even gloss over. And on the ballast spec ( Philips ) it is listed as 120-277 volt does it have a muilti tap voltage tages on the lead wires.

That is the best I can due for now.
Craig Clayton

 

[Craig Clayton]

I have a little follow up on electronics ballasts. Today at the plant my work mate and I had set up to swing some heavy duty power cables around ( 600 VAC 3 PH 250 MCM corflex ). Well it was changed at the last moment so we did heavy switch testing ( ACB 600 VAC 400 Amps ).
So at the end of the job which went easy my work mate noticed there was a fluorscent ballast out above a control panel. He said he needed to replace the ballast and we use electronic ballasts as replacement. I said before you put it up show me show me the wiring schematic on the ballast. This ballast is a aftermarket and cheaper.
This ballast is for (347 Volt 2 tube T12 F34 lamps ).
The bottom line is black hot to black , white neutral to the identified conductor, green to ground ( bonding conductor).
Red to yellow
Blue to blue
Other blue to blue.
Marrette on extra blue.
The New lamps were rated at 34 watts ( meaning they use slightly less power.

The lamp turned on .

Craig Clayton

 

[SPIKER]

One thing with the cheaper ballasts is the output wires need to be twisted around each other so the high freq RF gets canceled out some. this HELPS but is not a cure. also try and keep the wires as short as possible so you have less antenna there. the other thing is you can make sure you have a good ground rod & Neutral bonded for your home wiring. this can help some too as often a poor ground will cause some issues.

make sure you replace both bulbs as a pair on a NEW ballast also as a bad bulb can ruin a new ballast.

mark

 

[MossflowerWoods]

One thing with the cheaper ballasts is the output wires need to be twisted around each other so the high freq RF gets canceled out some. this HELPS but is not a cure. also try and keep the wires as short as possible so you have less antenna there. the other thing is you can make sure you have a good ground rod & Neutral bonded for your home wiring. this can help some too as often a poor ground will cause some issues.

make sure you replace both bulbs as a pair on a NEW ballast also as a bad bulb can ruin a new ballast.

mark

Mark,

Output wires (red blue and yellow) not the AC input (black & white) wires. Right?

Then wrapped around each other as in all the (R, Y, B) wires bundled together and and twisted? or coiled?

To be tidy I coiled them each into their own small bundles by color now. So I have a red coil, etc. and they are seperated from each other.

Thanks in advance,
David

The wires are a bit long...

 

[k0ua]

David here is an interesting thread with some information. but bottom line if you can find one of the older magnetic ballast and get rid of that electronic ballast, it will probably fix your problem.

Re: [RFI] Can Fluorescent bulbs cause RFI problems?


James K0UA