T12'S and radio reception

[rharley]

I just put a radio in my shop, and my T12's are killing the reception.
Is there any solution to this besides turning off all the lights and listening to the radio in the dark?? I tried everything, putting the antenna outside, getting an amplifier (which only made it worse). HELP !!

 

[ScaldedDog]

What T12's do you have? High output (110w bulbs) or regular (34w bulbs)? Magnetic or electronic ballasts? How many bulbs, and how many fixtures?

Mark

 

[rharley]

Hi Mark,

I have a 24x24 garage with 10' high ceilings. I have 110 watt HO lights with the electronic ballasts. I have 14 8foot 2 bulb fixtures for a total of 28 bulbs I love a well lit organized garage. All the lights are controlled by 3 switches on 3 different circuits. As far as the RFI, I think my "overlighting" has me pretty much screwed as far as radio reception. Right now I have the little 1 wire stereo antennae taped to the wall and can pick up 3 stations half way decently. I wish I knew if it was just the little 1 wire antennae picking up the RFI or the radio itself?? If it was just the antennae, I would go out and buy a better stereo with a coaxial connection and run a piece of shielded coax outside to an antennae on the roof. I don't want to buy a more expensive or higher end stereo on a "hunch". Thanks for the help.

Ron
[email protected]

 

[ScaldedDog]

I'm certainly not an expert, but I am just about to buy 14 - yep, 14 - of the two bulb T12 HO lights, though mine's for a 31x33 area. The ones I'm looking at from Home Depot and Lowes have magnetic ballasts. Are you sure yours are electronic? Where did you purchase the lights?

Do your car radios work in the garage? That'll tell you for sure if it's being picked up by the antenna or if it's something like a bad ground in the wiring.

Where are you, BTW?

Also, there are guys on here who've forgotten more about this stuff than I know. Step up, fellas!!

Mark

 

[rharley]

Hi Mark,

I bought the lights from lowes. They were 55.00 each without the bulbs. There were several older boxes on the shelf that had been there a while that were magnetic ballasts. I went to 3 different lowes stores emptying the shelves of the lights with the electronic ballasts. I guess I have to update my profile with my location, I'm not quite what you'd call computer savvy HAHAHA. I'm over in suffolk county NY. I'm just finishing the building stage and haven't even moved my tools in yet, it's a brand new garage. Not sure what radio's will work inside there yet.

Thanks

ron

 

[ScaldedDog]

Interesting. I've seen the signs at Lowes - or was it Home Depot - that mentioned magnetic ballasts in the T12 HO's, so I didn't even know you could get HO's with electronic ballasts.

I'm not sure why no one else is jumping in this thread - there are lots of smart folks on here.

BTW, my wife grew up in Pt. Lookout, NY, so I get back there at least once a year. Not quite as far out on the island as you, though.

Mark

 

[The Alchemist]

I have the same issue with my electronic ballast t-8s in my garage. If I turn on the lights, all of the radios, car or otherwise go to static, turn off the lights and the signal is perfect.

I just put a tv in there instead.

 

[rharley]

Mark,

When you go to lowes to purchase your lights, read the box label carefully and you should see it say electronic ballast. Like I said, I have to sort through 3 stores to weed out the electronic's from the magnetic's.

TV is a thought, we have several music only stations on the local cablevision network. I could probably run the cable box through a dvd player and out to the stereo to the aux inputs.. HHHHMMMMM!!!!! now maybe I should convince SWMBO I neeeeeddddd a few other items

Thanks

Ron

 

[pattenp]

The newer T12's have electronic ballast. Magnetic ballast have been banned by the DOE and can no longer be used in the maufacture of new light units. The electronic ballast are the ones that cause problems with you radio.

 

[rharley]

DDDDOOOOOOOHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I guess I should have cleaned out the shelves of the remaining magnetic ballasts Oh well, at least I'll be energy efficient.

Thanks

Ron