G4 bulbs replacing with LEDs - AM/FM radio interference

mcanderson

mcanderson

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So over the weekend I started replacing my halogen G4 bulbs with LED bulbs I bought from Amazon (https://www.amazon.co.uk/ELINKUME-L...ements=p_n_feature_three_browse-bin:250338031).

They fit the standard Bavaria lights in my Sport 37 well, but if I install them in the cabin lights close to the AM/FM radio the signal on the radio breaks up. A quick search on google shows this can happen, but the logic of why appears all over the place. Does anyone have an opinion (highly unlikely on here I know!)

Any suggestions or do I need to replace the fittings as well? If I replace the lights completely, why wouldn't these cause interference?
 
How near is “ near “
He’s pics of how near our rad is to recent fitted LEDs .

https://imgur.com/a/zxfta

Like you I got a dozen of pks for nearly nowt .
They seem ok colourwise and there’s no rad interference.
The fact they stay cool in the summer sweltering temps and reckon to be easy on AH re batts was the reason .
Maybe there is some kind of suppression device not fitted to the rad ?
Vaguely remember from my youth car hi fi days of alternators sometimes - needing an aftermarket FR supression device ,can’t rember if fitted to the offending item of conected at the back of the Halfords special teenage upgrade ?

Otherwise source a more reputable replacement bulb and hope it blends in with the rest of the cheap ones .
Ideally they all need to look the same imho if ones OCD ness is allowed to surface :)
 
Last edited:
Shane
We replaced all of our bulbs as soon as we got the boat (same as yours). From memory we used bulbs from bedazzled. To date we have had no interference problems and no bulb failures (nearly 3 years). I can probably dig out the exact bulb spec if you need - but as with all LED's the tech is changing all the time, so they may have moved on to a different type.
All the best
Mike
 
Mike,

Perfect. Thanks. One of my first changes was to upgrade the AM/FM radio, so I don’t want to swap it again. I will get in touch with bedazzled.
 
We also replaced the standard Bavaria radio/cd with a new Fusion unit - neither the old or new have shown any signs of interference with the LEDs fitted. We also replaced the radar arch internal lights with two colour switchable LEDs, but that involved changing the whole unit not just the bulb.
Good luck with your upgrades.
Mike
 
As ours is a hard top I have replaced the three lights with the bulbs I bought from Amazon and they all work like a treat with no interference.

I have no idea where the AM/FM aerial is; do you? I might see how this is shield from other wiring runs.
 
The AM/FM aerial on ours was on the radar arch, fed by coax cable from the radio head unit through the back of the cabinet along the rear of the toilet cabinets (stbd side) then up along the side of the helm and up the radar arch. This all looked like a dealer fit solution as there were other audio/video mods too. On a previous Bavaria the AM/FM aerial consisted of the loop of thin wire that came out of the back of the radio layed inside the cabinet behind the head unit. When we replaced the head unit on the 37 with the Fusion unit we ran new coax cable to a new AM/FM aerial on the radar arch (as well as new VHF aerial, new TV aerial, new cockpit speakers and cable and added radar). So we have all new cabling from aerials to head units with minimal (no) joins along the way.
 
Mike,

Thanks! I will follow the wiring run.

I am also in the process of changing the fire extinguishing system if you would like anything on that. I have removed the firedetec cable and powder based system and replaced it with a FM-200 system from Sea-Fire. The old detect cord wasn't in good shape and I discovered that if a power system is activated and the the engines running the powered will enter the cylinders and can ruin the engine (all based on there being no fire and its an accidental discharge). So I bit the bullet and replaced the lot. If you would like some more info let me know.
 
mparrish said:
Shane
We replaced all of our bulbs as soon as we got the boat (same as yours). From memory we used bulbs from bedazzled. To date we have had no interference problems and no bulb failures (nearly 3 years). I can probably dig out the exact bulb spec if you need - but as with all LED's the tech is changing all the time, so they may have moved on to a different type.
All the best
Mike
Click to expand...

+1 for Bedazzled, used their led bulbs several years ago and still working fine.

Also worth keeping mind the real cheap led bulbs have less protection built into the bulb.
 
Shane
I need to change our engine bay system, as it is getting a bit long in the tooth (all perfectly ok and serviceable, but ageing). What system did you go for ? did you go for an all singing sensor tube and auto shutoff or just auto FM200 ? If it's larger than the existing - where are you locating it ? Your observations much appreciated, thanks.
 
Mike,

I'm at work and my work IT is complete rubbish so I will post more tonight. have a look at what I just posted in Deleted User's post about a new system.

I have gone for auto FM-200 with manual activation as well.

All new Bavaria appear to be fitted with a powder system made by Gloria (I crawled over the 40 at LIBS), but the UK agents for Gloria UK where utterly useless at sourcing the marine system and I got so annoyed I went with the FM-200 system which probable was more expensive.
 
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