My LED lights kill my DAB radio....

photodog

photodog

Lord High Commander of Upper Broughton and Gunthor
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Sitting here I have today noticed that if I switch on any of my g4 led lights down below within about 15 feet of my Roberts radio.... The signal is lost.

Here I have been thinking it was just crappy dab that meant I couldn't get a signal down below... Now I discover it's some weird LED thingy.

Modern technology is pants.
 
I am surprised that your DAB works at all unless you left hand points to the pole star while you right touches the forestay and you stick your left toe in your ear! Throw it in the bin and get a wireless!
 
sailorman said:
He`s made enough wonga this w/e to buy a decent wireless
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I made enough wonga this weekend to buy a round of drinks and the diesel back and forth to foxs..... It sure ain't gonna stretch to a new wireless... Plus I owe the fella who leant me the camera a beer...
 
sailorman said:
You told me he was to be given a crate in grateful appreciation, coz you as a snapper was lacking in the hardware dept
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Enough about my hardware!! Let's get back to how my led lights a messing with Bbc 6 music....
 
photodog said:
Sitting here I have today noticed that if I switch on any of my g4 led lights down below within about 15 feet of my Roberts radio.... The signal is lost.

Here I have been thinking it was just crappy dab that meant I couldn't get a signal down below... Now I discover it's some weird LED thingy.

Modern technology is pants.
Click to expand...

I get the same with one of my bike lights. If it is within 6" of a radio it kills the reception. I've assumed that, if I spent more and got a CE marked light, the "problem" would go away but it really doesn't cause any difficulties for me.

15 feet seems a long way for the interference. Perhaps it's getting round the boat through the wiring?
 
LittleSister said:
A notice in the 'Wanted' forum for an oil lamp and/or cat's whisker radio set will solve the problem. (And I could sell you a MAB to match 'em, if you like!)
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Excellent idea! I take it you are still suffering from fleet ownership?
 
It's not the LED's its the power supply that drives them.

Been said here a million times but few people listen!

I'd get my spectrum analyser out and do a series of bench tests on the emf radiated by LED power supplies sold as 'clean' if I thought it would make any difference to anyone but it wont so I shan't.

Send the LED modules back as not fit for purpose.

The real solution is to go to LED's with limiting resistors instead of crappy constant current circuits, driven from a central, clean, stabilised power supply.

Or buy an old wireless. :)
 
Bosun Higgs said:
wont help if the problem is what nimbus says, and in any case all the roberts radios i have seen are powered by their own battery
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I assumed that the thought behind the original comment (and hence mine) was that the wiring could be acting as a transmitting aerial and hence conveying the interference around the boat. And not directly into the radio, though that would be bad too!

If one of the LEDs could be put in a small tin, or even well-wrapped in tinfoil, it might indicate whether the bulk of the interference is coming from the device itself or its power wiring. And hence whether ferrite beads might help. Or just reject them under fit-for-purpose argument...

Mike.
 
nimbusgb said:
It's not the LED's its the power supply that drives them.

Been said here a million times but few people listen!

I'd get my spectrum analyser out and do a series of bench tests on the emf radiated by LED power supplies sold as 'clean' if I thought it would make any difference to anyone but it wont so I shan't.

Send the LED modules back as not fit for purpose.

The real solution is to go to LED's with limiting resistors instead of crappy constant current circuits, driven from a central, clean, stabilised power supply.

Or buy an old wireless. :)
Click to expand...
Just to be clear, I assume the "power supply" you refer to is the electronics built into the LED lamp. So for all practical purposes, as far as the buyer is concerned, it's the LED lamp that causes the interference.

Constant current sources are far and away a superior method of driving LEDs in this application, over current limiting resistors. Resistors waste power, and as you suggest, a stabilised power supply is required or else there is a risk of overvoltage destroying the lamp, or undervoltage causing a brownout.

The solution is to use LED lamps with integrated constant current driver electronics designed to minimise RF interference.
 
According to reason number 36 for buying led lights on the web site of the supplier of the bulbs, LEDs don't emit radio interference.......

That left me ultra surprised.... Anyways... They are a couple of years old....
 
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