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Re: [RFI] Dealing with RFI from light dimmers

To: rfi@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [RFI] Dealing with RFI from light dimmers
From: Frank O'Donnell <vfo@inkbox.net>
Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2020 14:12:41 -0800
List-post: <mailto:rfi@contesting.com>
On 12/27/19 1:39 AM, Jim Brown wrote:
My advice -- 1) replace your noisy dimmers with top-of-the-line Lutron. Make sure you're buying dimmers designed for use with old fashioned incandescent lighting. 2) Replace LED and fluorescent bulbs with incandescent bulbs. 3) Apply common mode chokes to both wires connected to each dimmer, as close as practical to the dimmer.

The good news in my situation is that all of the bulbs controlled by our dimmers are incandescent.

Last week I phoned Lutron to ask if they could identify any of their dimmer models known to have better RFI suppression. Basically the answer is they weren't able to say. The rep suggested trying newer models, such as Maestro or other C.L. type, but couldn't vouch that these would be quieter at RF.

The local hardware store was out of Maestros, so I took a look on Amazon to order one. There I noticed one review by a user who said that his light controlled by a Maestro dimmer could not be completely turned off -- it could only be dimmed to a very low level. This would be a show stopper for us.

So, before I move on to working on chokes, I'm a little stuck on which Lutron model(s) to try. For our uses it needs to have a switch that can turn it completely off. I did note Gary Johnson's post from mid-December in which he reported that Lutron's Diva model is not RF-quiet, particularly at lower bands.

If anyone has suggestions on a specific Lutron model to try, I'll be happy to do so.

Thanks much,

Frank K6FOD


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