Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[troll334]

Greetings again,
Thought I'd share something I just found out re: CFL.
I've purchased CFL's mostly from H.Depot. Usually the contractor package. All that I've seen so far are made in China.
In this last pack, all 12/12 work good. I plugged the XTBM in the same extension cord I use for my test socket, screw
in a CFL, then turn it on while watching XTBM (thanks Jeff V). I get an N0.01 on initial startup then it calms down to 0.
Here's the neat part: I reached in to unscrew the CFL before turning off the socket. The N level went to .5
So I backed off and the noise level started calming down. The closer my humanoid hand gets to the sprial tube of the
CFL, the noisier it becomes to the line. In retrospect, it feels like Tesla is playing around from the grave. I guess what
I'm doing is disturbing the electrons in the tube which causes feedback and fluctuation in the CFL's electronics, ballast,
etc. The noise was incredible. So, I went right to the kid's gooseneck, 5-lamp floorstand light and plugged in XTBM.
The shrouds of the lamps are plastic.
WOW! No noise with all 5 CFL's burning (after the initial spike that is). As soon as I reached toward one CFL, the noise
ramped up. Then, I put a single CFL in a metal gooseneck lamp and XTBM'd that circuit. Noise = 0.25 w/o me touching it.
Turned it off and noise gone. It appears we have some RF-type characteristic going on here.
Proximity of the CFL to its surrounding environment may be a key factor when troubleshooting.
Those of you with ceiling cans and other metal-housed lamp sockets might consider the above.
BTW: I've had the kid's gooseneck running on an AM466 for months now w/o failure; no matter the number of lamps
burning in it.

[Brian H]

I have some Litetronics MicroBrite MB-800DP CCFLs that radiate noise that gives me XTBM reading when close. Not even touching the bulbs with my hands. I sent one to Jeff as he was interested in what was happening.
They have no readable noise if the bulb is not close to the XTBM.

[troll334]

Now that's bizaaaare! Talk about RF eh?
I forgot to mention, one of the bulbs in my kid's lamp is an 88-LED screw-in. Zero noise and it comes from China!
Of course, it's not very bright but in the cluster of lights, it adds to the mix.
Oh well...
You might have to put a faraday cage around that CCFL 
Just kidding.

[Brian H]

Yes it is radiated from the bulb into the XTBM as there is no power line noise readings on the meter.

Now I do have a EarthLED Evolux S LED bulb that has around .99 volts {maybe more I believe that is the max} if measured in the same outlet and can be seen in many places in the house. So much for an early LED light that at the time was on SALE for $74.99 if you bought two of them.
Maybe its the universal power supply. It can do 90-277 volts AC 50/60Hz. Oh and has a small internal fan that is getting physically noisy now. 

[JeffVolp]

I have some Litetronics MicroBrite MB-800DP CCFLs that radiate noise that gives me XTBM reading when close. Not even touching the bulbs with my hands. I sent one to Jeff as he was interested in what was happening.
They have no readable noise if the bulb is not close to the XTBM.

Yes, I saw that effect too with Brian's bulb.

120KHz is really low-end RF, so I can see how it would radiate through space.  The "front end" of the XTBM is not electromagnetically shielded, so I can understand how a nearby high energy field could couple in.

I wonder if any of the interference we see with X10 modules is direct radiation like this...

Jeff

[dave w]

The closer my humanoid hand gets to the sprial tube of the
CFL, the noisier it becomes to the line. In retrospect, it feels like Tesla is playing around from the grave.

OK the tin foil hat is coming out of the attic! No CFL is going to make me sterile.   

BTW that discovery and writeup gets a helpful.

Thanks!

[HA Dave]

....  I've purchased CFL's mostly from H.Depot. Usually the contractor package. All that I've seen so far are made in China.

In America we do have what is called value added manufacturing. What that means is: The country of origin is, or can be, determined by the value contributed. So say if a product is packaged in America, and the package increases its value more than the actual cost of importing the product... it can actually be labeled as.. Made in America. One of the same contractors CFLs... packaged for sale as a single unit might be consider American Made.

I don't think ether the EPA or OSHA would ever allow CFLs (or MILLIONS of other products) to actually be manufactured in America. As I understand it... there was a CFL plant planned for SC... but regulators changed the investors minds. I hope I am wrong... but as I understand it no CFL's are [or will be under current regulation] manufactured in America.