LED shop lights with NO RFI

[TJwrenchin]

I have been looking into shop lights recently and discovered linkable LED setups. I nearly bought some cheap ones on Amazon but luckily found out they have massive RFI problems. So I started searching for a setup without this issue.

So far I can only find a review of a set of lights costco sells claiming that Euri lights dont have RFI issues. All the other reviews that dont mention RFI and talk about poor build quality.

So what brands out there dont have RFI problems?

 

[countrybumpkin]

I filled my shop with them so that I can jam the governments spy probes in my garage.

I have 20 of the Barina T5s and haven't noticed any problems. I love them. My shop is data connected with smart plugs, security system, Alexa devices and garage door openers. All from my router 100ft away in the house. No connection issues with or without the T5s.

I don't know of a way to measure RFI or I would test and give you some feedback.

Sent from my LM-V405 using Tapatalk

 

[TJwrenchin]

I filled my shop with them so that I can jam the governments spy probes in my garage.

I have 20 of the Barina T5s and haven't noticed any problems. I love them. My shop is data connected with smart plugs, security system, Alexa devices and garage door openers. All from my router 100ft away in the house. No connection issues with or without the T5s.

I don't know of a way to measure RFI or I would test and give you some feedback.

Sent from my LM-V405 using Tapatalk

That's interesting to me because reading the barina reviews on amazon they seem to have some of the worste RFI out there. They interfere with both radios and garage door openers.

 

[BillK]

I don't know of a way to measure RFI or I would test and give you some feedback.

Turn on a portable AM radio.

 

[alfredeneuman]

I don't know of a way to measure RFI or I would test and give you some feedback.

RFI is a frequency of EMF and the tool used to measure it is called a gaussmeter. They range in price from $18 - $300, depending on sensitivity.

I filled my shop with them so that I can jam the governments spy probes in my garage.

This will protect your brain
https://zapatopi.net/afdb/

 

[cybrdyke]

RFI is a by-product of the driver in the fixture. No escaping it. And, even worse, it's not consistent from product to product so even if you find one that's very low, another one of the same model could be higher. Manufacturers need to meet certain guidelines set by the FCC, but these guidelines are relatively loose. Also, shoplights aren't really meant to be used to light up residential garages so they only have to meet the commercial guidelines which are even looser.
If it's your radios that are being interfered with, you can mitigate the RFI some by making sure that they are as far away from the lighting circuit wiring as possible. Using a remote antenna sometimes helps. There are RFI filters that you can install, but I'm not sure how effective they are. Also, dont share any neutral wires between your lighting circuits and other receptacle circuits.
CD

 

[Platonic Solid]

1st step in EMI reduction is to avoid cheap non-NRTL tested (no UL, ETL or CSA) LED lamps and fixtures sold on Amazon which likely don't even meet FCC guidelines.

 

[Max]

1st step in EMI reduction is to avoid cheap non-NRTL tested (no UL, ETL or CSA) LED lamps and fixtures sold on Amazon which likely don't even meet FCC guidelines.

Indeed! If the basic testing wasn’t done (UL) then the more advanced (FCC) wasn’t done either. The earlier suggestion of using an AM radio to measure relative noise is a good one.

I have to respectfully disagree with CyberDyke. I do agree that a switching mode constant current supply will generate noise, but I disagree that the noise can’t be reduced to a level where it doesn’t interfere. Proper filtering, layout, and shielding will reduce EMI so it isn’t an issue. But filtering and shielding costs money, so ...

- Max

 

[Platonic Solid]

I don't think CD is saying it can't be done, but that it isn't really addressed in the standard budget driver market. I make very low conducted and radiated EMI fixtures for military and hospital use, but the price of the custom made drivers alone exceed the price of a quality commercial light fixture.

 

[justjohn]

These are from Amazon and are UL listed. Haven't noticed any door opener issues or wifi problems. Radio is internet based so hasn't come up.

 

[66cj225]

Run them off a battery if you're worried about RFI; Edison vs Tesla stuff, goes way back.

 

[mike93lx]

I don't tend to use my door remotes when all the lights are on, or if I do, it is from my car that us 1ft away from the opener. If I am opening while coming up the driveway, the lights are off. Is this a problem that a lot of people encounter?

 

[Jeepnmon]

These are from Amazon and are UL listed. Haven't noticed any door opener issues or wifi problems. Radio is internet based so hasn't come up.

@justjohn What lights are these from Amazon?

 

[kbuhagiar]

I don't tend to use my door remotes when all the lights are on, or if I do, it is from my car that us 1ft away from the opener. If I am opening while coming up the driveway, the lights are off. Is this a problem that a lot of people encounter?

I'm curious about this, too. Common sense tells me it's only an issue when the lights are on, but now I'm not sure.

Is the RFI active, even with the lights all off? Or is it only when the lights are on?

 

[BentAero]

I've got a couple cheap LED shop lights from Lowes. I have no problems with the door opener, but they cause strong 'static' with FM radio reception on the garage surround-sound receiver. No problem when using it in wi-fi mode.

 

[HogDude]

That garage is stellar. Please post more pics when finished.

Do you remember which lights you bought off of Amazon?