Blocking RF Noise from Digital Ballasts

[Dr.stickerdick]

It may help to use wire/ cable that has on it "600 volt shielded tray cable" this is used to keep annalog and diggital from effecting each other in industrial situations. Proper grounding {within the whole building} is imperative to quieting harmonics too. This could explain many with no probs.

 

[Billygoat]

Lot's of good info everyone. I just bought another unit the other day. I'm up to 4x600, 240 units now and no issues. I think I'm going to buy a 1000 240 and add a XXXL hood to go with it. That should make for a nice pair. I sure love that dial. Can turn the wattage down for new clones and harden them up some.

Let's hope things run smooth. If all goes well. I think I might setup my next couple of pollen rooms with all 1000 240 units, but will see after I test this first one.
take care,
BG

 

[Back Attack]

Does anyone know of a brand that garuntees against interference with household products? It seems with all the issues, someone would have addressed the problem by now...

Thanks!

 

[InvisibleM]

I would suggest everyone try an AM radio to see if it has static, it's a simple test. On my light hood there is like an rf charge where you get a burning feeling or shock. Not sure if it's from the cord and wiring or the bulb. I have a 4 foot cone hood with tin foil to make it a few inches larger. It's the Quantum ballast that you can dim to 50% or 75% or 100%.

The last digital I will ever buy... If the rf is coming off the hood there's no way to stop it.

 

[Widowmaker]

Noise control in electrical & electronics is a tricky business. The noise from the ballast can travel on the electrical wiring going to the lamp and the power connection going back to the circuit breaker panel. I would suggest sending the unit back to the manufacture if it’s noisy. 20K is not RF (Radio Frequency) so there is something wrong with the ballast if it’s transmitting through the air. Assuming that the electrical wiring is correctly done and you cannot return the ballast; look at using some ferrite beads on the wiring. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrite_bead. You want to kill noise at the source. By the way AM radios will pick up just about any kind of RF noise so don’t be alarmed if you pick up something with it. As far as I know the people actively looking for RF noise are concerned with Cable TV channels approximately channel 14 to 30 because they interfere with airplane radio systems.

:party0023:

 

[tommy2]

I have also had the squealing sound form a off brand digital lamp.It seems to to be coming form the bulb.I managed to stop it by tapping the bulb but it made me nervous so i stopped using it.And later sold it to someone who use's now with no problems.I thank it was something loose in the bulb.Otherwise I love the digital lamps and will nerver use the magnetic lamps again sense I've never had problem with signal interferences.I'm not sure but I use galaxy digital lamps and i think they do guarantee against signal interference.And the ballast is housed in aluminum And mine says Generator-ready.Just a little more info hope this is helpful.

 

[homebrew420]

I will not run digital...yet. They are still intheir infancy. They are on the third maybe fourth gen of these ballasts for our trade, at best. There are still many issues to workout I believe. The core and coil ballasts can last 20 years. I changed out hundreds of electronic ballasts that had been running just slightly more than a year. These were not HID the were T5. The theory is still the same. And the tech has been around about the same amount of time. I have heard and seen pict, know folks, with problems using electronic. They just haven't the reliability that I need to see.

Peace

 

[InvisibleM]

You're right homebrew420, they do last that long. I have a few of them but the outsides do get rusty... lol

 

[Billygoat]

Nice to hear the crap everyone. I use to say the same thing, well i've got the newest units of the 600HPS 240 watt units and love them. I'm running 4 units now and no one problem. They run cool and no noise what so ever. If you don't like them, then don't buy them.

I think they got all the bugs worked out. With me, I had "NO" choice. Try running 9 600HPS together and see how much noise they make. Plus, the heat was getting out of control, so I bought a single unit and checked it out for myself. To drop my room temp by a full 5-10 degree's and not noise. I'm more then happy. As for the comments. I'm guessing they are the older units. I have yet to see any of these new units get turned in.

Trust me when I say. I'm in the middle of where grower's come in any buy $4,000 worth of just ballast at a pop. Not counting the hoods. I've asked all the sale clerks and not one unit from the new ones have had any problems.

As for these new units that will be out. I should have some info by the beginning of Jan. I'll be one of the first to get a unit and see what they are all about. I'll get all the info I can on them.

Not trying to piss anyone off, but I don't want to hear anyone talking any shit. If you got a problem. Then post what it is and post some pictures. I would love to see one of these new units that have melted or whatever.
Later,
BG

 

[doctodD_hawaii]

I have had lots of experience in the radio control industry. In the past we have had to wrap receivers in aluminum foil to reduce rf getting in the unit. I wonder if you wrap the ballast it would do anything?
Any one have a way to test this?

 

[Billygoat]

Everything helps. I'm guessing the foil acts as a blanket and shield the RF noise. Good idea.
Happy Holidays,
BG

 

[spanky]

Ok so im interested in quantum ballasts.I was wondering if good distance from neighbors will keep any rf interference from even happening?Like 150ft.Also does the ferrite choke help only the cable to ballast area?Also does anyone know if it will affect my fios cable and internet?Thanks

 

[proteus]

I run lumatek ballasts, quite a few of them. there is RF and other issues that span about 20-30ft from the ballasts. I'm not sure, but also suspect them of interfering with comcast cable internet. I have had persistant problems with comcast ever since I started using Lumatek ballasts. Comcast continues to shut me off, and I have to call in to get turned back on, they say I am causing a "lot of noise" in their network and they can see this from their infastructure monitoring software.

they pretty much know who is growing pot with digital ballasts. fortunately, there aint shit they can do about it in my state. I've even had the comcast guy tell me to be careful(he was cool.), they know. If I was anywhere but the west coast, I would never use a digital, and as soon as I have a good reason I will be going back to core&coil magnetic ballasts.

why bother paitning or covering your equipment, seriously?
throw that shit away and get some magnetics.

 

[spanky]

I emailed quantum about rfi but they never responded.Its been 2 weeks.They say their ballasts dont give out rfi,but according to people who have tried them,they still give out a rfi signal.I asked someone who is really into cb radios that can reach people all over the world,about ferrite chokes and the only thing they do are block out interference from an outside source.So if ur giving out rfi to ur neighbor,a ferrite choke will help his cable signal.At least this is what I was told.Just my 2.

 

[FaderVader]

Thanks for the thread it was definitely worth the read !_!

 

[DrDanko]

So I've read every post in this section, and am wondering if we can get a review of things. Firstly let me say that I live in a state that's not legal, but I can say that any neighbor of mine that might have a problem with cable, would NEVER even think of something like a ballast causing the problem. I personally grow, but in past when I've had issues with internet(not running any lights at time), not even myself, a grower, thought about a neighbor of mine growing. Not sure that makes total sense, but I'm trying to gauge why, even if u have some slight RF issues, it would be a problem? Obviously you don't want un-invited people knocking on your door. But if the cable guy is the worst I'd see, I'm not very worried. I have a couple NextGen's that I'm gonna run this round but haven't tested yet. So I'm curious what are my main concerns if I DO have an RF problem? And how could I get into any legal trouble(short of letting someone into my place and them finding my room, which I probably wouldn't do anyway)? Seems like almost an irrational fear after reading all of this. If the fear is only that my neighbors or myself might have some internet or cable issues, then I'm not very worried at all. Obviously if you drop hundreds on equipment that you can't use, that would suck. Maybe I'm reading this from the wrong point of view, but it seemed like the thread was warning that if others are interfered with, I might run into trouble with the law? And lastly, can someone explain again the frequencies that are probably ok, and the ones that I might have to worry about? Thx everyone, good info. Just trying to make sense of all of it. ;)

 

[R1ridah]

quick solution

You can just build a custom farraday cage. Not too difficult at all. Other than that you can purchase "chokes, capacitors" that are installed on the cord themselves at both ends to limit the rf seepage. I fancy the first solution.

not to go off topic... but whats wrong with the mag? :evilgrin

 

[InvisibleM]

You can just build a custom farraday cage. Not too difficult at all. Other than that you can purchase "chokes, capacitors" that are installed on the cord themselves at both ends to limit the rf seepage. I fancy the first solution.

not to go off topic... but whats wrong with the mag? :evilgrin

And if the rf is coming off of your hood and bulb and cord then not so easy....

 

[InvisibleM]

I run lumatek ballasts, quite a few of them. there is RF and other issues that span about 20-30ft from the ballasts. I'm not sure, but also suspect them of interfering with comcast cable internet. I have had persistant problems with comcast ever since I started using Lumatek ballasts. Comcast continues to shut me off, and I have to call in to get turned back on, they say I am causing a "lot of noise" in their network and they can see this from their infastructure monitoring software.

they pretty much know who is growing pot with digital ballasts. fortunately, there aint shit they can do about it in my state. I've even had the comcast guy tell me to be careful(he was cool.), they know. If I was anywhere but the west coast, I would never use a digital, and as soon as I have a good reason I will be going back to core&coil magnetic ballasts.

why bother paitning or covering your equipment, seriously?
throw that shit away and get some magnetics.

That's probably what I have to do, unless a different brand doesn't have the problem...

 

[InvisibleM]

So I've read every post in this section, and am wondering if we can get a review of things. Firstly let me say that I live in a state that's not legal, but I can say that any neighbor of mine that might have a problem with cable, would NEVER even think of something like a ballast causing the problem. I personally grow, but in past when I've had issues with internet(not running any lights at time), not even myself, a grower, thought about a neighbor of mine growing. Not sure that makes total sense, but I'm trying to gauge why, even if u have some slight RF issues, it would be a problem?

On my Quantum digital ballast - When you drive to my house with the am radio on about 120 ft away or more you can start to hear static, by the time you get in front of my house (60 ft) there's so much static you can't hear the radio at all. It's obvious where the noise is coming from.

Now it could just be my ballast, I was hoping Billygoat would give us an update as to whether his new ballasts have any am radio interference...