48w led panels

Cannyfixit · Post by **Cannyfixit** » Tue Mar 24, 2020 6:53 pm

Bought 4 x 48w led panels off EBay to replace the Fluorescent lights in the garage whilst I’m stood down from work I fitted them today,problem is now they interfere with the radio I’m assuming it’s the power supplies I’m I right if so what power supply would be be suitable
I think I’ve fell into the buy cheap buy twice trap lol

ericmark · Post by **ericmark** » Tue Mar 24, 2020 8:15 pm

Switch mode power supplies often work in the kHz range, and also often have a warning no more than one meter of cable should be used between power supply and lights, however a guy called faraday realised you can use a cage to stop the interference. First thing is insure there is a good earth, but likely the interference can be reduced, you do not say what radio, if using a world wide radio to work earth moon earth communications then unlikely you can reduce interference enough, but for commercial radio it may be possible.

Many years ago as an apprentice I was given the job to install a car radio, in collage we were taught where to fit links, capacitors, and chokes, but try as I could I could not stop the interference, but an old guy came along and said it may be the radio, try this radio and see if OK, and not a crackle, the radio had a very poor front end, and would pick up any strong signal even if not on the frequency it was tuned to. Since then I have found it again and again, poor radios can pick up anything, so step one is try another radio.

Rorschach · Post by **Rorschach** » Tue Mar 24, 2020 8:52 pm

Try wrapping the cable in foil.

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Wed Mar 25, 2020 7:51 am

Rorschach wrote: ↑Tue Mar 24, 2020 8:52 pmTry wrapping the cable in foil.

I see what you are thinking (screened cable) but it will look rubbish and should be earthed at one end.

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Wed Mar 25, 2020 8:00 am

Cannyfixit I would suggest you get a "decent" power supply and replace what you currently have with it.

Often for small lights the power supply is simple such as a capacitive dropper (I have some small lights, and they do have this) if you get a "not cheap" power supply it should work no problems. Your next thing to do is to check the voltage of the LED lights and get a power supply to suit.
We don't know the voltage, but we do know it must be able to supply 48W min.
You could buy one power supply to run all 4 lights (200W), but 4 smaller ones would be better, and in the unlikely event its too noisy you will not have wasted sh@t loads of money.

Either that or buy anew radio

Cannyfixit · Post by **Cannyfixit** » Wed Mar 25, 2020 4:01 pm

It’s a Roberts DAB/FM radio,DAB has completely disappeared and only the strongest FM stations work but with a hissing noise,it’s less than a metre for the flex from the junction box to the power supply ,lights are 240v/12v ,did look at one 200w power supply but it was mega expensive lol
As for earthing the flex I’m using is 3 core into the power supply with 2 core coming out to the LED
Is the tin foil a joke lol,if it works I’ll try it it as the lights are in the garage so I’m not bothered about looks

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Wed Mar 25, 2020 4:49 pm

No, the tinfoil is not a joke (I just don't think it will work) the idea is it acts as a screen, but in order for it to work it should be earthed at one end.

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Wed Mar 25, 2020 4:50 pm

200w 12v powersupply Less than £20 on ebay.

Cannyfixit · Post by **Cannyfixit** » Sat Apr 04, 2020 8:42 am

Just an update on the I interference issue,I have shortened the flex to the lights to the minimum,originally I had around 2mts of flex on each light to allow me to drop them down for maintenance,each light now has about .5mt the Interfernce has almost gone,so what I’ve done now is resite the radio to the furthest point away from the lights and by hitting the mono button on the radio I can now listen to my favourite stations

idkhow2diy · Post by **idkhow2diy** » Sat Apr 04, 2020 10:39 am

Cheap power supplies usually have no suppression (it seems many in particular from China have the space for the components but none fitted). It's a pain those of us into amateur radio suffer from all the time. I dismantled a wall-wart that produced hash all over RF in our house to find exactly that case.