Buzzing lines from lighting fixture

everyman

Hi,
I'm in the process of installing new lighting sconces in my bathroom. They each have two small 35w halogen bulbs in them, so presumably also have a transformer in them.

As soon as I turned them on I noticed that that I was getting a loud buzz from the radio in another room. I'm sure yet what other negative effects this will have on stereo, guitar amp, TV, computer etc... The fixtures are properly grounded and that doesn't appear to have any effect at all.

I'm wondering if there is some kind of filter I can install inline to minimize or eliminate this side effect? Also I'd like to install them on a dimmer switch since they are undesirably bright. Would this serve to isolate them at all?

Thanks for the help !!

Eric

AllanJ

The interference you heard in your radio will probably not cause problems with computers, stereos, etc.

A dimmer is likely to make more interference, both wire borne and airborne as opposed to isolate any power line interference the lights may have created. Computers generate some airborne interference too.

Try an in-line noise filter (you plug the noise filter for example looking like a two inch cube, into a receptacle and plug the "offending" equipment into the filter). Typically it contains a capacitor that smooths off the sharp angles of the AC waveform created by certain electrical equipment including many dimmers. Spurious high frequency content in wires can radiate as airborne interference and a filter near the source cuts off those high frequencies rather than let them propagate down long lengths of wire giving more opportunities to radiate as airborne,

The sharper the waverform points or corners, the greater the high frequency content. One megahertz is right in the middle of the AM radio band.

everyman

so far this seems to be correct. Guitar amp seems silent as well.

Grr, that stinks. I'd love to throw these on a dimmer as they are plenty white.

I don't suppose you might know where such a thing can be found? I asked at the electrical isle at the local box store and they didn't know what I was talking about. I googled a bit and everything that turned up seemed to be for car stereos or phones.


Yep, that's where it is, and unfortunately I listen to AM a lot. Maybe I should just go back to listening to music. I'd probably be better off.

Thanks for the tips, sorry for the delay. I've been caught up in other projects.