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

[MossflowerWoods]

I went to Lowe's and the guy helped me match up the ancient ballast I had to a new one.

I installed it and wired it up, color to color, wire to wire, very easy, not confusing at al.

Voila! The Kitchen light NOW works!

But the instant it comes on, the radio goes all fuzzy... It seems it did not do this with only one bulb installed, but only when I installed the second one.

Any advice?
Thanks in advance,
David

 

[bearhawk]

Could the ballast be for a different style bulb?

Not sure of the term, but something about the difference in the newer high efficiency bulbs makes me wonder..

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Could the ballast be for a different style bulb?

Not sure of the term, but something about the difference in the newer high efficiency bulbs makes me wonder..

Bear Hawk,

I took the old ballast with me to lowes and the guy helped me find the right ballast. It is rated for 2 40W, 4' bulbs. I have a whole box of ths flipping bulbs, and they do not look THAT old, but... The box says they are T-12 40w bulbs.

Also with one bulb it did not seem to do this, and it is RF only, sdoes not affect cd's etc.

David

 

[CrownHawg]

Is the new ballast grounded properly? I have found that flourescent lamps will create a lot of RF interference if not grounded well. Just a thought!

 

[Craig Clayton]

You could have installed an electronic ballast and you are using from old stock magnetic core fluorscent ballast tubes. Please read the name plate info on the new ballast and we will watch and tell you what you need. Electronic ballasts require a similiar tube ie 4' long but rated to fire from a electronic ballast.

Craig Clayton

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Is the new ballast grounded properly? I have found that flourescent lamps will create a lot of RF interference if not grounded well. Just a thought!

There was no ground wire specifically for the ballast. the ground wire from source was solid to the fixture.

What else do I look for?

David

 

[MossflowerWoods]

You could have installed an electronic ballast and you are using from old stock magnetic core fluorscent ballast tubes. Please read the name plate info on the new ballast and we will watch and tell you what you need. Electronic ballasts require a similiar tube ie 4' long but rated to fire from a electronic ballast.

Craig Clayton

Craig,

Roger, wilco.

Give me a few to get it opened up again.

David

 

[Ray_Fort_White]

There are generally 2 classes of electronic ballasts; commercial and residential (FCC-B rated). Commercial units do not meet strict radio interference standards. Residential units are supposed to have much better suppression of RF. All digital-switching equipment will emit some RFI.

Even if you have a residential unit it may not be of good quality. I recently bought 3 ballasts at Home Depot and one of the 3 went up in smoke when the power was turned on.

I got tired of replacing ballasts in my kitchen lights. They seem to fail every couple of years. I put in track lights that accept CFL's.

By the way, those touch-on or off lamps are also frequently a source of RFI in the home. If you listen to weak radio stations you should avoid those.

Ray

 

[MossflowerWoods]

You could have installed an electronic ballast and you are using from old stock magnetic core fluorscent ballast tubes. Please read the name plate info on the new ballast and we will watch and tell you what you need. Electronic ballasts require a similiar tube ie 4' long but rated to fire from a electronic ballast.

Craig Clayton

It is a...

Philips Advance
Centium ICN-2S40-N

for 2 T12 F30, F34, or F40 3 or 4 foot lamps.

with one bulb, no static, with both - FUGGEDABOWDIT...

I tightened the lug that attached the ballast to the fixture, and I checked the ground, and I moved the wires away from each other.

I actually got louder static.

Help me please.

David

My wife did notice he bulbs are different. one is a older GE, the other is a new sylvania.

 

[ustmd]

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?