Blocking RF Noise from Digital Ballasts

[InvisibleM]

Sounds like your light fixture/ hood is not grounded. Shouldn’t have to run a separate wire for the ground. Assuming you have a three wire cable going to your lamp base, if not that’s a problem. There is probably a disconnect between your ground wire and the hood. Typical reasons for this problem are painted parts and or screws that do not conduct electricity. Sometimes anodized or some other coating that doesn’t conduct electricity is the problem. So if the lamp base is grounded and the base assembly is painted and its bolted to the hood sometimes just using a star washer or something to dig into the paint so it will make connection with the next piece of hardware will do the trick. Good troubleshooting skills finding that problem.
:icon_spin:

You nailed it... even though the 4 square box above the hood fixture was connected to the ground in the lamp cord, somewhere it wasn't making a good connection with the rest of the hood (it's all metal).

The reason I know this is I did a continuity check between the hood and a known good ground which I didn't mention in my earlier post.....

But still, with magnetic ballasts it wouldn't have mattered.

 

[InvisibleM]

Any problem (static) with the cable TV in your condo DrDanko?

 

[Widowmaker]

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.

You may have a problem with your grounding. If you’re in a house check the grounding block for your cable. It should be near the electrical entrance to the house. All electrical, phones, cable by code comes into your house in one area. All that stuff is grounded in one way or another. Cable should be grounded there, loosen and retighten the ground connections. If that doesn’t work get DirecTV its better anyway.LOL.

You want to make sure all your ballast are grounded threw the electrical plug. Sometimes the ground for your house is not good enough and that will make all these problems worse.
:icon_spin:

 

[DrDanko]

its not the electrical company you have to worry about.. its the cable guys or if you live somewhere the elect. company's is in cable...ive done cable for the past 10 years what we use was a seeker..this bad boy can point me right to you if there was anything wrong...heres a link most cable company's has something like this in each truck..fcc rules...
now a common thing we ran across from power was the neutral on the main burned up and the power for the house was looking for a ground witch usually was us... never fun grabbing hot cable... thats it hope this helps... oh on the link it tells you what fq we are looking at...

Hey Lollipop: Appreciate the prompt reply. Most of what you said makes total sense to me. Told U I have no clue when it comes to electrical/cable!

Widowmaker...Your advice on the ferrite beads makes sense and I believe/hope it will be the small addition I need to silence or nullify the RF. Great advice!

InvisibleM: I haven't had ANY interference but I have Satellite service. I don't think many people in these condo's have cable(Charter sucks!), most buildings have a DirecTV satellite on the roof, hard-wired into the building. So it does feed into my apartment like regular cable would, but it's satellite. I do, however, have Charter for Internet, which I've seen can get interfered with as well. No net within 20 ft of the room, and I don't have a wireless set-up so it connects directly into my computer. Also, I'm just thinking now that the dish on the roof is almost right above the 'room' I have going. Do you think that will be an issue? Any advice here Widowmaker or InvisibleM or anyone? Like I've said, from what I can tell the 'noise' seems minimal, and plan to add in Ferrite beads tonight. Thanks again to everyone for the help! Much Appreciated. Peace. DrD.

 

[CelticEBE]

So glad I found this thread. I ran into this issue the other day, but not from the cable company. I have an IceBox with the requisite thermostat and I have been running magnetic ballasts. Well the other day I scored two 1000 watt lumateks and when I hooked everything up the fan that cools my hoods started pulsing. So I write HydroInnovations and they tell me the older lumateks have RF problems that interfere with the thermostat. They offer me the solution of moving the thermostat. Well I tried that to no avail.

I am going to give the aluminum foil a shot. I have also found paint that is supposed to cancel the RF signal and some kind of sheeting. I still have my magnetics to fall back on, but I really want to run the lumateks so I need to find a solution to this. Whatever I come up with I will post here in hopes that anyone else who has this issue it can help.

 

[strawD]

i have 2 old school (first model) lumatek ballats that i'm about to start up again soon. these had lots of problems in the past, quit working etc. Now looking at this thread, i'm pretty sure if i am more particular about my wiring and bulb choice then i should be fine.

 

[TrichromeFan]

Great thread guys!
Anybody run into RF probs with quantum or lumatek ballasts, affecting a Sentinel atmospheric controller?

 

[TwoCreeks]

I'm running quantum 1000w digital ballasts and have had no problems at all.

 

[Luke Harrison]

Just My input had a Hanna grow check meter that went ape shit when the lumatek 1000 came on. Called them they said the ballist screws with that meter and exchanged it for another. So something has to be coiming out of it. I am just saying.

 

[Wheezy]

Really sucks that THIS is my first post. Been lurking for a long time. My experience on DAY 2 of this project.

Doorbell rings and I answer the door. It's TWO Cox guys. The first is about 6'5" and full of muscles. Really short hair, glasses, and buff as all hell. The other guy is a little bit smaller but also a pretty big guy.

At first I think nothing of it and let them on the side of the house. Being the inquisitive guy I am I walk out to try and bro out with these guys. They show me the problem and that they've pinpointed it to my house. MAJOR interference and I've allegedly shut down service (or affecting it) at 500 homes.

WELL FUCK ME SILLY AND SLAP ME IN THE FACE!

I knew immediately and walked inside, turned off the light and came back out. Sure as shit, that was it. They asked what it was and asked to come in and check it out.

This situation is NOT ok. Quantum ballasts are NOT ok. You can read any other bullshit you want about tin foil reducing RF and faraday boxes and shitty little plastic clamps. THEY STILL KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE DOING IF YOU RUN ONE OF THESE.

Glad mine is only to grow tomatoes and plumeria. Can you imagine!?!?!?

 

[sky high]

I can do more than imagine..... LOL

After repeated visits and disconnnects of my service from the stooges @ CrapCast....I told em to shove their "digital" cable and internet up their ass and switched to DSL for my Net service.

:fixed:

There's nothin' worth watching on TV anyway.

 

[Noworries]

So magnetic ballasts dont produce the RF strong enough to interfere with the cable? I had a visit today...

Killed all ballasts while he was putting a new connector on and he thought that was it..

Obviously I dont want any more surprise visits

 

[dreamsinblue]

Ok, the title is pretty simple. If your running a digital ballast. There is a chance your producing RF noise. If your running a shitload of them. Good chance your keying a large signal and maybe causing problems with the person next door.

Here's a new material and idea that should cure the problem. Just wanted to post the link and info. I'm sure this idea and product with kill the signal. From what I've read. Looks to be a good idea.

Oh, before anyone saying digital ballast doesn't key up a signal, your wrong. I personally know one of the largest sales rep for one of the biggest light manufacturers in the country and he won't use one in his own personal garden. I won't go into details, but some of them do have their issues and some don't.

Hope this link helps those with any problems.
Take care,
BG

All the man has to do is flip on his AM radio and drive around. The RF will be obvious as he drives past the typical house in suburbia with an indoor grow using digital ballasts.. I won't use them for this reason.

 

[dreamsinblue]

I'm legal so I'm not worried about the cops in this instance or setting off a red flag.

I have wireless, cable TV, Trimeter, cordless phone/etc.....none of which seem affected by the ballasts.

I've seen poorly wired cable TV installs that put out more RF than these seem to...

great thread.

s h

None of those operate in the AM frequency range, that's why their not affected. tune into an AM radio signal, you'll think you're driving through a tunnel.

 

[Max Frost]

Has anyone heard if the Gavita HPS lights that have the ballast attached to the lamp/reflector give off any RF?

 

[masshole61]

Just bought 2 solis tek 1000 w digital ballasts, which have cords which are warped in tin to eliminate any rf noise ...
Can't say enough about these ballasts.

 

[Max Frost]

Just bought 2 solis tek 1000 w digital ballasts, which have cords which are warped in tin to eliminate any rf noise ...
Can't say enough about these ballasts.

Nice to hear!! I hope more manufacturers get on the bandwagon and address this issue. The Solis Tek look to be GREAT!!! They were actually my number one pick until I started researching and found out about the RF issues. Did the cords come supplied like this WITH the ballast? Thanks!

 

[dreamsinblue]

Yo guys.

I have 6 digi's running @ present and will add more soon.

Any tips on how folks can test to see if they are tossing out RF without specific measuring devices?? Transistor radio? Phone? Some other device that will screw up in the presence of RF?

I used to work for the local Cable TV Co. We did the same kinda mobile tests. (Ok..this was in the 80's so the testing equip is probably different..)

any tips for the novice/layman on how to detect this interference?

thanks

s h

 

[dreamsinblue]

Just bought 2 solis tek 1000 w digital ballasts, which have cords which are warped in tin to eliminate any rf noise ...
Can't say enough about these ballasts.

all the man has to do is drive down your street with his AM radio tuned in and powerd on. a digital ballast will cause about the same effect as driving under an overpass or through a tunnel . as nice as digital ballasts are, ill stick to my old school ballasts for now.

 

[seaslug]

So magnetic ballasts dont produce the RF strong enough to interfere with the cable? I had a visit today...

Killed all ballasts while he was putting a new connector on and he thought that was it..

Obviously I dont want any more surprise visits

The mags run at your line frequency, 60Hz if you're in North America. The electronic ballasts run much higher frequencies into the lamp. I haven't heard of and can't imagine coil-and-core ballasts interfering with Comcast cable.