Help eliminating static in the shop radio needed

Help eliminating static in the shop radio needed · 05-25-2009, 10:15 PM

I often use hearing protection with a built in radio inside my shop when I'm running loud equipment, and when I turn the T8 electronic ballast flourescent fixtures on they will cause static in my reception on some of the radio stations.

Tonight I added a new shop radio (fire replacement), and the weaker stations exhibit the same problem.

Can anybody advise me as to the cause of the static (do I have a loose connection or is this just typical of flourescents?), and what I can do to eliminate it? The instructions for the new shop radio referenced flourescent fixtures as a typical source of static, so I'm probably not the only person with this problem.

Thx.

Scott

ps - I'll bet that Bruce and Dennis both can offer some good advice re this...

jrs · 05-25-2009, 10:21 PM

this to me implies that it is the ballast:

http://brneurosci.org/fluorescent-la...erference.html

Jeff Mills · 05-25-2009, 10:23 PM

You can tell if static is coming form your fluorescents by tuning into a station with interference then turn off your lights off, if it clears up, fluorescents are likely the cause. If it's the fluorescents check the ground on your ballasts - this is a typical source of radio static.

RayH · 05-25-2009, 10:30 PM

Also check the FCC "Class" ratings on your light ballasts. Class B is required for residential settings and has better shielding. Class A is for use in commercial settings and is allowed more RF emissions. I recently replaced a failed ballast with a Class A one (it has about half the current draw) and got static on my shop radio. Improved grounding will likely minimize, but not remove, the problem.

Best of luck,
Ray

Mike Davis · 05-25-2009, 10:51 PM

Don't know much about it, but I wonder if it would help to mount an FM antenna outside the building?

Also be sure the radio is on an isolated power outlet.

I notice when I run my Bosch drill the radio has a high pitched whine. Or maybe that's the announcer?

scsmith42 · 05-25-2009, 11:03 PM

Originally Posted by Jeff Mills

You can tell if static is coming form your fluorescents by tuning into a station with interference then turn off your lights off, if it clears up, fluorescents are likely the cause. If it's the fluorescents check the ground on your ballasts - this is a typical source of radio static.

That's how I figured out that the problem was caused by the flourescents...

Mike, that's not a bad idea re the external antenna, but I'm not sure that the new radio has a provision for an external FM (it has about a 36" wire hanging off of the back of the radio).

All of my circuits are dedicated, and the static is occuring on both battery powered headphones as well as a 120V radio (separate circuit from the flouresecents)

I read the link provided, and one problem is that my radio sits right below the flourescents and less than 10' away from them. (since this is the corner of the overall shop where I spend most of my time).

My fixtures are grounded, but not the ballasts. The link indicated that grounding directly to the ballast itself would make the problem worse, not better.

I'll have to check the ballast classification tomorrow.

Scott

Makinsawdust · 05-26-2009, 09:42 AM

I wish I had some words of wisdom to but the only thing I can suggest is get yourself some night vision goggles.

My fluorescent lights don't give me a problem but my battery chargers sure do. I get a whistling in my ear every time I get near them with my head phones.

WoodWrangler · 05-26-2009, 09:57 AM

Scott .. the problem is too many BIG tools. Your farm has it's own gravitational pull now and it's causing the radio waves to bend and contort in unusual ways .. thus static. Hope this helps!

MIKE NOAH · 05-26-2009, 11:22 AM

I have been fighting this problem ever since I added T8 electronic ballast fixtures from the Borg to my T12 fixtures a year ago. I had originally bought 4 T12 fixtures Lowes had on clearance rack for $5 bucks a piece I think. I installed these and had no trouble with radio reception even from stations 80 miles away. When I finally got around to sheet rocking my ceiling I added 6 T8 fixtures and lost all but one local radio station and even it crackles from time to time. I checked all my grounds, I tried ferrite magnets from Radio Shack, plug in circuit protectors that supposedly had RF protection, and not an external antennae but one of the square terk brand ones placed near a window. Nothing has helped. If the lights are on in the shop and I pull the truck all the way up to the overhead door it's radio picks up static. I am convinced I just need to buy new ballasts but part of me has that "if it's not broke don't fix it"; tool money down the drain mentality , and the other half is worried about spending a couple hundred bucks on new ballasts and not getting any results.

Dragon · 05-28-2009, 08:14 PM

Try applying a ferrite bead or two to the electrical cord and/or the antenna wiring. Might help. Has worked for me in the past but no guarantees. YMMV

Jeff Mills · 05-28-2009, 08:25 PM

Originally Posted by WoodWrangler

Scott .. the problem is too many BIG tools. Your farm has it's own gravitational pull now and it's causing the radio waves to bend and contort in unusual ways .. thus static. Hope this helps!

Is there really such a thing as "too many BIG tools"? Quick get Jeremy a 60" sander or something he's loosing his mind. Could be too much time on the spinny machine

scsmith42 · 05-28-2009, 08:27 PM

Originally Posted by WoodWrangler

Scott .. the problem is too many BIG tools. Your farm has it's own gravitational pull now and it's causing the radio waves to bend and contort in unusual ways .. thus static. Hope this helps!

I dont think so......

McRabbet · 05-28-2009, 10:21 PM

Quite often, the interference comes in via the 120V/60 Hz line -- have you tried a good isolation plug strip (like an IsoBar from Tripp-Lite)?

scsmith42 · 05-29-2009, 08:52 AM

Originally Posted by McRabbet

Quite often, the interference comes in via the 120V/60 Hz line -- have you tried a good isolation plug strip (like an IsoBar from Tripp-Lite)?

Rob, that's not a bad idea - I'll give it a try. I wonder though.... if the interferance was coming in via the 120, wouldn't it show up on all stations instead of just the weak ones?

Scott

Don Sorensen · 05-29-2009, 09:24 AM

this is an interesting phenomena - I have a 8 of the BORG 4' dual flourescents and a Sony "bookshelf" system (looks like a stack of components, but is really one big aluminum box. With one of those "T" FM antennas (clear plastic, two wires - held to the wall with thumbtacks) on the East side of my garage - huge amounts of static. Moved to the West side - less static. Got rid of the cheapo Phillips bulbs and installed slightly more expensive GE bulbs and that cut down some of the static, and all of the humming. The lights are mostly concentrated in the North half of the building.

But, one FM outdoor antenna (in the attic) and some coax cable later - no static *and* radio stations I didn't even know about.