No reception when bedroom lights turned on

hcriddle

Well-known member
I know I have seen something about this in another thread but I can't find it now. I just installed LED lights in all the fixtures and now when I turn on the lights in the bedroom or the bathroom I lose the signal to the television in the living room. Can't figure it out at all. I don't have great reception here anyway but this knocks out every channel when I turn on the lights. I am on antenna but it only does it on certain channels. any suggestions?
 

Lance & Jo

Well-known member
Morning Buddy, I have a similar problem as bought 4 LED's for the galley at the rally last summer and now can't use the 2 meter radio with the lights on! The LED's are creating a lot of RF noise that interfers with the radio and that's probably whats happening to you with the TV. Suggest 2 things to try: first remove each new LED 1 at a time and see if it is only a single fixture affecting the TV, if that doesn't work check with a good TV repair shop or HAM radio store for a RF noise filter (that's what I will do as soon as we get north of the border again). If the filter idea doesn't work I will have 4 LED's to swap for a cup of coffee!! Hope this helps.
 

hcriddle

Well-known member
Thanks for the help I will give that a try. So far it is not a big deal we just keep the lights off in the bedroom while watching tv.
 

wdk450

Well-known member
For RFI problems like this, I recommend a .001 microfarad ceramic capacitor, 15 volts or better, wired across the power feed wires to the noise making device (LED's in this case). This is a simple noise filter. The more extensive filter like Lance recommended will reduce the noise a lot more, but the capacitor alone may be enough.
 

Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
For RFI problems like this, I recommend a .001 microfarad ceramic capacitor, 15 volts or better, wired across the power feed wires to the noise making device (LED's in this case). This is a simple noise filter. The more extensive filter like Lance recommended will reduce the noise a lot more, but the capacitor alone may be enough.
Holy Smokes Bill! You and Tim Allen must be related somehow.;) I suppose that's better than Red Green though.
Seriously though, we rarely use the 12 volt lighting while watching TV. We have a fcouple small 110 table lamps with low wattage bulbs.
 

wdk450

Well-known member
Holy Smokes Bill! You and Tim Allen must be related somehow.;) I suppose that's better than Red Green though.
Seriously though, we rarely use the 12 volt lighting while watching TV. We have a fcouple small 110 table lamps with low wattage bulbs.

Ray:
A LOT of people (including the poster after you) have complained about losing OTA TV reception when the bathroom vent fan runs, and this solution seemed to fix it.
I am not related to Tim Allen, I just spent 6 years in the Navy Advanced Electronics program in the Vietnam era, 4 years working as a field service engineer for several medical equipment manufacturers, and 26 years working as a Biomedical Electronics Technician in a major University medical center.
 
Last edited:

hcriddle

Well-known member
I am not related to Tim Allen, I just spent 6 years in the Navy Advanced Electronics program in the Vietnam era, 4 years working as a field service engineer for several medical equipment manufacturers, and 26 years working as a Biomedical Electronics Technician in a major University medical center.

This is what makes this forum great. Lots of expertise on stuff that I would never figure out. If someone can tell me what to do I can do it but I have no trouble shooting skills so figuring out the problem takes me forever. I still haven't had time to check and see if it is just one bulb or all of them but I hope to get around to it this weekend.
Ray we very seldom have the lights on when we are watching TV either but it seems like just about the time the main news story I have been waiting for comes on or the solving of the mystery comes about my DW turns on the lights and everything goes black. Kind of frustrating and she doesn't like having to wait for me to give her "permission" to turn the lights on. This is an easy way to keep peace in the family. :)
 

Bob&Patty

Founders of SoCal Chapter
Buddy, DW's must all be that way. The only time Pat needs to run the garbage disposal or get ice from the ice maker is when I am trying to here something on TV. It never fails and I have found out that there is NO STOPPING IT.
 
Top