[Bkessler]

I put new advanced electronic ballast in and t8 lamps in 8 lights in a home the other day and when you turn on the one switch in the master bathroom it makes a loud static noise on the home owner computer speakers. The cirucit goes from the panel to the bathroom light switch then to the bedroom light switch that controls a split duplex that the computer is plugged into, all connections look good. Any ideas what would cause this?

 

[brian john]

Possibly a defective ballast?

Simple test would be to replace the ballast.

 

[gilbequick]

I had an issue the other day with zenon under cabinet lights (UCL). Each UCL has a high and a low brightness setting. When the lights were on the low setting the intercom transformer (that's on the same circuit) would buzzzzzzz like crazy. On high there was no noise. These were 12v lights.

I don't have an answer to your question as I never figured out what the issue with my situation was, but my guess would be it has something to do with the transformers, as computers use 12v also.

Edit: If anyone ever goes to add power for an intercom system, pull a dedicated line to it if at all possible. This way you won't have any buzzing issues. Some equiptment states in the literature that a dedicated circuit is required.....my guess would be because of the buzzing associated with some lighting systems.

 

[high leg]

thats a prime example of "dirty power" especially between non-linear loads such as flour. lighting and computers

I put new advanced electronic ballast in and t8 lamps in 8 lights in a home the other day and when you turn on the one switch in the master bathroom it makes a loud static noise on the home owner computer speakers. The cirucit goes from the panel to the bathroom light switch then to the bedroom light switch that controls a split duplex that the computer is plugged into, all connections look good. Any ideas what would cause this?

 

[Bkessler]

Possibly a defective ballast?

Simple test would be to replace the ballast.

There were three 8' 2 lamp fixtures cord and plug connected. I thought it would be a bad ballast but it did not matter which fixture was plugged in it still made the noise.

 

[waco]

Could the lamps be using non-polarized plugs? In the old days, we used to handle noise by reversing the plug in the receptacle. Also, I have eliminated noise from fluorescents by reversing the bulbs, one at a time. I don't know why it worked.

 

[frank]

Have you thought about RF. This could be an answer to the static. High Frequency ballasts emit quite a selection of odd ball air born frequencies that can be picked up by electronic equipment. Try placing the computer on a different supply source and in another room. If it clears you have your problem sorted. if not then try making sure that the fitting is grounded. The grounding must run the entire length of the tube. Just remedies that have worked this end from time to time and sure worth a try

Frank

 

[Bkessler]

The first thing I did after I realized all three ballast were making the noise was use a cord and plug it into another circuit and the noise stopped. It's just a bummer because the old t12 ballast did not make a noise at all and were still working fine when I got there. I was replacing a few others and talked the HO into replacing all of them since the house was 25 years old with the original ballast still in place.

 

[gilbequick]

So where do you go from there? Put the old ballasts back in?

 

[Bkessler]

I know, I am not sure what to do there could real easily by be some grounded conductors out of whack. There has been a "non electrician" in there that for sure.