Help please I just finished my garage and have a pioneer stereo and wall hung speakers. Everytime I turn on the lights, florescent T-8, I get static over the speakers. I have tried several of the outlets and no change. What's up with this?
speaker static
- Thread starter gcan
- Start date
RPH
Well-known member
Electrical noise generated by the ballasts. Try using a good computor filter on the stereo supply.
mike944
Well-known member
He means, a power-strip with a noise filter. You can get them single-outlet as well. Also known as EFI filters or RFI filters.
good ones aren't not cheap. See if you can borrow one and try it out first. It might be that the noise is not coming in through the powerline, but rather through the air from magnetic fields produced by the ballast. A plug-in filter will only filter out interference that comes in though the wall outlet. You might need a new ballast or a new stereo (if it's old)
good ones aren't not cheap. See if you can borrow one and try it out first. It might be that the noise is not coming in through the powerline, but rather through the air from magnetic fields produced by the ballast. A plug-in filter will only filter out interference that comes in though the wall outlet. You might need a new ballast or a new stereo (if it's old)
the receiver is a pioneer and is over 5 years old....so maybe it just needs to be updated but I do not remember having a problem with it last year when it was out by the pool....crappy reception but no static. I have tried several outlets and even the dedicated circuit for my compressor.
What would I do if it is caused by the ballast?
OR
Honey Mike said I need a new receiver..........
What would I do if it is caused by the ballast?
OR
Honey Mike said I need a new receiver..........
elvee
Well-known member
Most likely the speaker wires are run over or close to the lighting ballast. As speaker wire isn't shielded, it is picking up interference there. A power filter won't really help at the stereo end. Try hooking the speakers up close to the receiver and see if that clears up your static problem. If it does, then you probably need to relocate your speaker wires to clear the lights.
Glidin & Slidin
Member
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- Mar 2, 2007
- Messages
- 5
Perhaps your speaker cables are paralell to line voltage & too close, less than a foot between them. Low voltage & audio should cross line voltage at a 90 degree angle or should have at least 12" of space. The receiver may be on the same circuit as the light & picking up the noise. Try another circuit or ground the receiver chassis. You've gotta have good tunes in the garage.
Glidin & Slidin
Member
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- Mar 2, 2007
- Messages
- 5
A new receiver might be fun but probably would not fix things. Plug headphones in & see if they sound clean. If the speaker cables are close to(12" or less, if paralell) the Romex running to your lights or if the receiver is on the same circuit as the lights either of those could be the source of noise. Run an extention cord to an a different circuit & give a listen. Try a surge/noise suppressor. Good luck.bmwpower said:
KingPerformance
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2007
- Messages
- 321
Tin foil and heat shrink your speaker wires. It will make a world of difference. It doesn't cure all problems, but it will reduce noise.
Down Under Bloke
Well-known member
At this point no one has asked the obvious questions
Have you had any other radios in you garage and do they have similar problems?
If you haven't had other radios in your garage then go to the house and get the clock radio, the kitchen radio, the kids stereo, etc. Turn them all on in the garage and then turn the lights on. If they all have problems it's the lights. If it turns out to be your garage radio then attempt all diagnostics listed so far.
My experience is that Pioneer makes good stuff, so I'd take it to your local radio tech shop before going shopping for a new one.
Have you had any other radios in you garage and do they have similar problems?
If you haven't had other radios in your garage then go to the house and get the clock radio, the kitchen radio, the kids stereo, etc. Turn them all on in the garage and then turn the lights on. If they all have problems it's the lights. If it turns out to be your garage radio then attempt all diagnostics listed so far.
My experience is that Pioneer makes good stuff, so I'd take it to your local radio tech shop before going shopping for a new one.
I just tried my dewalt jobsite radio and it does the same, static only when I turn the lights are on?
so it must be the lights?? or and please don't laugh because I'm no electrician, could there be something loose or wrong with the wiring?
would a filter help if it is the lights, I don't have the bucks to change them.
I used T-8"s in the detached garage but have T-12's in my house garage with no problems... the house garage only has two 4 footers and the detached has 6 eight footers if that would make a difference.
so it must be the lights?? or and please don't laugh because I'm no electrician, could there be something loose or wrong with the wiring?
would a filter help if it is the lights, I don't have the bucks to change them.
I used T-8"s in the detached garage but have T-12's in my house garage with no problems... the house garage only has two 4 footers and the detached has 6 eight footers if that would make a difference.
I have the same problem. When I flick on my T-8's it actually interferes with the radio inside the house. I don't have any problems with the T-12's. I think the T-8's are a higher frequency, they cause RFI problems. From what I understand, you can get T-8's with really good filters in them but they will be more $$, I don't know how much. Places like hospitals use the good ones because they can't have lights interfering with their equipment. Does this only happen to you when listening to the radio? Or does it happen when playing CD's too?
malibu101
Well-known member
I too had the problem of static when trying to listen to FM in the garage after I installed T8's with electronic ballasts. CD's were no problem, only the radio reception.
Our cable company carries local brodcast FM stations on it. The tuner in the garage now uses the cable for an antenna. Coax to a 300 ohm "converter" and presto, clear sounding radio.
BTW- That also caused a TV to appear in the shop also.
Works great now
Our cable company carries local brodcast FM stations on it. The tuner in the garage now uses the cable for an antenna. Coax to a 300 ohm "converter" and presto, clear sounding radio.
BTW- That also caused a TV to appear in the shop also.
Works great now
Vicious_Cycle
Well-known member
I have the same problem with mine. Turn on the brand new T-8's, radio sounds like hell.
Since the CD player sounds perfect, I know it isn't a speaker wire shielding/routing issue. Pretty sure it isn't noise from the ballasts feeding back through the breaker box and into the radio power circuit.
It would seem that I need to relocate my antenna/FM booster. I haven't tried that yet... I've been playing all my old CDs that I haven't listened to for years.
Since the CD player sounds perfect, I know it isn't a speaker wire shielding/routing issue. Pretty sure it isn't noise from the ballasts feeding back through the breaker box and into the radio power circuit.
It would seem that I need to relocate my antenna/FM booster. I haven't tried that yet... I've been playing all my old CDs that I haven't listened to for years.
I only have a receiver so only have a problem with FM. The reception in my area ***** anyhow and I was considering getting XM, I have it in all my vehicles due to the poor reception, but was holding off because I would hate to buy it then not use the radio due to static.
Sounds like it is a reception issue so going to XM radio should clear this up correct?
Sounds like it is a reception issue so going to XM radio should clear this up correct?
malibu101
Well-known member
My experience says yes, that should clear up your problem.gcan said:
I have a problem with noise on a wireless intercom when the shop lites are on too. When the lights are off-intercom works fine. When the lites are on-speech is almost not even understandable over the static.
Since the intercoms main function is for the wife to call me-I never cared enough to try to make it any better.