RFI
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [RFI] Dimmer Switch Help

To: Paul Christensen <w9ac@arrl.net>
Subject: Re: [RFI] Dimmer Switch Help
From: kd4e <doc@kd4e.com>
Reply-to: doc@kd4e.com
Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2009 10:17:09 -0500
List-post: <rfi@contesting.com">mailto:rfi@contesting.com>
One variable is the size and quality of the contact surface with the 
slider,
poor quality and/or small surface area increases the probability of noise.

Also, a poorly sealed unit or one that uses moisture-sensitive materials
will degrade under certain environmental conditions.

I would prefer a good quality step switch to a slider for noise mitigation
in a variable light-level control.

> My own tests indicate that the Lutron dimmers produce far less RFI than 
> those made by Leviton.  I recently installed a Leviton dimmer that was 
> boldly branded as having an RFI filter.  But on 160m-80m, its filtering was 
> much less effective than the comparable Lutron model.  I have since replaced 
> all Leviton dimmers in our household.
>
> For years, my shack's 120VAC equipment was simply plugged into the nearest 
> shack wall outlets.  These outlets share the same circuit with a couple 
> other rooms on a common breaker.  Running 100W from an HF rig resulted in a 
> slight dimming of the room's incandescent lights.
>
> About a year ago, I decided to run two dedicated 20A circuits into the shack 
> fed from a tandem breaker -- each breaker feeding one 20A duplex outlet in 
> the shack.  Each outlet subsequently feeds an isolation transformer, which 
> is then routed to a two-circuit, 16-outlet Ethernet-controlled power strip. 
> Gone is the room light dimming and almost miraculously, other RFI/EMI has 
> also disappeared.
>
> FYI - I put a bit of money into the outlets.  They are Leviton 
> hospital-grade, isolated ground, with built-in surge protection (Catalog 
> 8380-IGW).  At first glance they seem absurdly expensive, but comparing the 
> cost to a high-quality surge-protected power strip, the cost was comparable.
>
> Paul, W9AC
>   
-- 

Thanks! & 73, doc, KD4E
FS/Swap/Wanted: http://kd4e.com/swapn.html
Free OS : http://www.PuppyLinux.com
Personal: http://kd4e.com
            |_|___|_|
            | | & | |
       /\      {|
      /  \     {|
     /    \    {|
    /   @  \   {|
    |   |~_|~~~~|
    |   -| |    |
============\ # KD4E
Have an http://ultrafidian.com day!

_______________________________________________
RFI mailing list
RFI@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rfi

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>