[RFI] RFI Dimmers

[John K9UWA]

I might add here that over the last 3 years I have look at lots of LED bulbs relative 
to RFI generation. There are the good the Bad and the VERY ugly when it comes 
to LED bulbs of all configurations. Testing wasn't of course on a par with what 
K9YC Jim does but viewed up close to the bulbs with SDR receivers looking 
across the HF spectrum that we all use some of these bulbs one needs to get the 
antenna for the receiver within a couple inches before you can hear the bulb and 
some are so bad that the bulb roars for 30 to 40 feet away from the bulb under 
test. A couple things I have noticed is bulbs that cite FCC part 15 seem to be 
among the quieter ones. And also bulbs that claim to be dimable are as a general 
rule seem to be among the noisy ones. Beyond that point I didn't bother with 
dimable bulbs as I wouldn't have any form of dimmer anyplace in any house that I 
had control over. 
John k9uwa


> A few years ago I tested both a Luton and Leviton LED dimmer with 120 VAC
> dimmble LED recessed lighting, and both generated RFI but in different
> portions of the MF and HF spectrum (very different behavior between the two
> models I tested).  As typical with dimmers the amplitude of the RFI was least as
> you approached max brightness (maximum conduction).
> 
> Don (wd8dsb).

John Goller, K9UWA & Jean Goller, N9PXF 
Antique Radio Restorations
k9uwa at arrl.net
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