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Re: [RFI] LED light-bulbs and RFI

To: <RFI@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [RFI] LED light-bulbs and RFI
From: "KD7JYK DM09" <kd7jyk@earthlink.net>
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 2016 20:19:39 -0800
List-post: <rfi@contesting.com">mailto:rfi@contesting.com>
: From what I've read, it's not the LED.  It's the switching power supply.

I've been in the process of swapping my lights to LED.  I bought some 
"dimmable" LED lamps of various brands and lumen outputs, did NOT use them 
with dimmers, all generated more noise than I've ever heard from LF to VHF, 
I didn't bother to check higher.

I bought some "Great Value" brand LED lamps from WalMart, single units in 
green boxes labeled NON-DIMMABLE, 40W, 60W, 75W and 100W equivalent.  They 
do generate RFI, to a distance of about 1" from the AC line feeding them. 
In places where the power lines pass through EMT, no noise is heard when 
checking with various hand-held equipment an nothing through my big 
antennas.

I am using the 40's in various rooms in the house.  The 60's got insanely 
hot, comparable to a halogen bulb AND produced audible noise similar to a 
CFL going out or an old fluorescent fixture in cold weather.  I promptly 
removed them.

I have a single WalMart Great Value 75 in the center of the room where I am 
typing this, the illumination is equivalent to the 100W Reveal it replaced.

I replaced 9 100W incandescent bulbs in my shop (never ran more than three) 
with 9 100W equivalent Great Value bulbs putting out 1600 lumens each.  Best 
illumination I've ever had!

I'll be placing four LED lamps over a 16' work bench soon.

I have a power cord reel mounted on the ceiling and I replaced the 
six-outlet tap at the end with a brooder lamp with aluminum reflector.  It 
is over a 4'x4' bench on which I will be rebuilding an automotive wiring 
harness soon.  In that I have a 60W Reveal bulb, which is perfect.  I tested 
it with the 75W Great Value, it's even better!

I've replaced about half the lights in the house, I need about 5 dozen more 
LED lamps of various sizes to replace most of the others.  Haven't figured 
out what to do about specialty bulbs yet, probably nothing...

INTERESTINGLY!  We got caught up in a state-wide power consumption survey 
last year and get reports monthly of something like 1,000 residences.  Even 
with the old incandescent lamps throughout the house, our rating has 
consistently been 1/39th the consumption of an "Efficient" household of 
comparable size.  I figure it should be close to flat-line now.

I did try the 100W Great Value equivalents in my motion light over the 
garage, the sensor is a Heath-Zenith.  The LED lamps don't put enough load 
on the sensor and they flicker and strobe for a few minutes after the sensor 
goes off.  I'll need to find an LED/CFL compatible motion sensor.  Does such 
a thing exist?  I would imagine so, but haven't looked.  Anyone know about 
this?

Kurt 

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