LED work lights and radio interference

[SidecarFlip]

The LED's themselves make no 'noise'. It's always the drivers. Having said that, cheap SMD's will always have cheap drivers. Cheap = noise.

Of course you will never know the quality or lack of with the drivers but my rule of thumb is always price. If the light (light bar or even a single array) is fairly high priced, chances are drivers will be quality as well.

There is a zillion retailers selling LED's on Amazon today and elsewhere like Flea Bay. I tend to buy all mine from Superbright LED. They will list SMD's by quality right on their website and quality always dictates price and I don't nickle and dime that because it's basically a one time refit.

So I gravitate to the CREE SMD's. You know that any builder using CREE (which are more costly to by for assembly) will also use good drivers.

So far I've had zero problems with noise and both my tractors are 99% LED now.

 

[dlsmith]

I would guess that if you have a light that has a range of supply voltage, like 8-32 Volts DC, that is going to have a driver to boost or regulate the input voltage to whatever the LEDs require, and is likely to generate some interference if not filtered properly.

A single voltage LED, like a turn signal or backup light LED, most likely will not have any driver circuitry that will generate interference.

I have a pair of LED floods to mount on my BX, I'm going to take one apart just to see what lurks within.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I would guess that if you have a light that has a range of supply voltage, like 8-32 Volts DC, that is going to have a driver to boost or regulate the input voltage to whatever the LEDs require, and is likely to generate some interference if not filtered properly.

A single voltage LED, like a turn signal or backup light LED, most likely will not have any driver circuitry that will generate interference.

I have a pair of LED floods to mount on my BX, I'm going to take one apart just to see what lurks within.

Dead giveaway will be the case itself. Usually a heat sinked case (finned) will contain driver circuitry. It's finned to remove the heat generated from the drivers.

I have 4 heavily heat sinked 85 watt multiple (9) CREE SMD's, 2 facing front, 2 facing back and they are wicked bright. So bright it actually causes pain to look directly at them. Illumination distance is about 1/2 mile on a clear night. Have to be careful with them at night if I'm on the road coming home so as not to blind oncoming drivers. Got them at Super Bright. A pair was just under a hundred bucks. No noise at all.

be careful when taking them apart. If they are IP65 rated they will be sealed with some kind of sealant.

Just checked, they had a price increase. About $110.00 a pair now.... Inflation I guess.

 

[Orange1forme]

I have 4 heavily heat sinked 85 watt multiple (9) CREE SMD's, 2 facing front, 2 facing back and they are wicked bright. .

Are you running those on the factory wiring or did you use your own/larger gauge?

 

[SidecarFlip]

Are you running those on the factory wiring or did you use your own/larger gauge?

Factory wiring. Factory rocker switch. The draw less that the OEM halogen's did. No reason the change anything. What I like about LED's.

 

[dochsml]

Seems like there are two options. Either try installing ferrite bead or scrap them in favor of a different light that doesn't broadcast FM noise. I would be curious to hear which way the OP went.

 

[Orange1forme]

Factory wiring. Factory rocker switch. The draw less that the OEM halogen's did. No reason the change anything. What I like about LED's.

Thanks.

Just curious.

 

[Orange1forme]

Seems like there are two options. Either try installing ferrite bead or scrap them in favor of a different light that doesn't broadcast FM noise. I would be curious to hear which way the OP went.

I'll let you know.

 

[200mph]

YES. Don't wear headphones while operating your tractor!

Purchase LED lights with the proper shielding.

I didn't mean to offend anyone about wearing headphones.

Headphones are defined as "a pair of earphones joined by a band placed over the head, for listening to audio signals such as music or speech." This is what I thought the OP was referring to... Something that could be used to listen to music or other.

Yes, I'm in big favor of wearing hearing protection and that is different from headphones.

 

[mikester]

I changed my factory front lights to LEDs and added LEDs to the rear in the stock locations.

When I use the rear lights they make my FM headphones have poor reception/interference.

Is there something to be done?

Can't say if it has the same effect on the radio, I don't use it much.

If you are lucky and bought the LEDs somewhere with a good returns policy I'd recommend returning them and buying different vendor/brand. Post the LED brand name here so others can avoid the same problems.

All the LED lights I've purchased through Princess Auto so far have had zero issues with RF interference. Sorry about your bad luck.

 

[Orange1forme]

These are the headphones:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0146A4SW...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

Here are the front lights(don't seem to interfere):
https://www.amazon.com/Nilight-1800...7CX4WJG2XJC&psc=1&refRID=C7M0KSRKY7CX4WJG2XJC

These are the rear lights:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N0SFVCT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[dochsml]

These are the headphones:
https://www.amazon.com/3M-WorkTunes...ocphy=1027744&hvtargid=pla-434189531700&psc=1

Here are the front lights(don't seem to interfere):
https://www.amazon.com/Nilight-1800...7CX4WJG2XJC&psc=1&refRID=C7M0KSRKY7CX4WJG2XJC

These are the rear lights:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N0SFVCT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'm assuming you got the model of headphones with built in AM/FM? Also, at least one reviewer warns about radio interference with those lights you have in the rear. Out of curiosity, have you tried AM? Just to see if there is also interference. The noise could very well be specific to FM. I did a quick search on Amazon and found https://www.amazon.com/FAIR-RITE-0431167281-FERRITE-9-85MM-100MHZ/dp/B00DK858VA/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=fair-rite&qid=1583255632&sr=8-1. Nothing else on Amazon that I found seems to specify frequency. This one says 240 Ohm @ 100 MHz which is probably middle of the road. How thick is the power cable?

 

[Orange1forme]

I'm assuming you got the model of headphones with built in AM/FM? Also, at least one reviewer warns about radio interference with those lights you have in the rear. Out of curiosity, have you tried AM? Just to see if there is also interference. The noise could very well be specific to FM. I did a quick search on Amazon and found https://www.amazon.com/FAIR-RITE-0431167281-FERRITE-9-85MM-100MHZ/dp/B00DK858VA/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=fair-rite&qid=1583255632&sr=8-1. Nothing else on Amazon that I found seems to specify frequency. This one says 240 Ohm @ 100 MHz which is probably middle of the road. How thick is the power cable?

No have not tried AM.

Power cable is oem from Kubota and the light mfr.
I only added end connections and heat shrink.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

If the EMI noise is being 'back fed' into the power wiring ,usuing the wires as antenna, then yes a ferrite bead should work, though you'll need the correct one and correct # of turns.. one of those trial and error methods as no amount of 'math' will be right. I did a LOT of 'math' as an Avionics tech and T&E always won the race to get the plane into the air.
If the EMI is airborne, then the headphones need the filter.

 

[SidecarFlip]

LEDS's do have their drawbacks, especially cheap non shielded ones.

 

[greenacresnorth]

Recent new regulations in aviation require that ALL aircraft operating above 10K’ and/or within congested airspace (within 30 miles of large airports) be equipped with a new type of in/out surveillance system that augments radar called “ADS-B” and there’s no cheap way to do it. The minimum investment for even the smallest airplanes is $2K just to replace ONE wingtip lightbulb. (This is as short a description as I can make without teaching avionics ground-school, but is an accurate bottom-line.)

The point is these new wingtip lights are VERY sophisticated LED lights which must be certified by FAA, FTC, FCC, Mil-Spec, TSO, etc etc. They MUST NOT interfere with other important electronic equipment, not only on-board the modified aircraft, but ALSO must not interfere with any other aircraft OR the Nat’l Airspace Traffic Control System. Point is: This is sophisticated electronics, not your typical “cheap china LEDs”. (They contain LEDs, GPS, Altitude Sensors, radio transmitter/receiver and on-board WIFI all built-in to that wingtip light smaller than a household light-bulb.)

Guess what? My Delta Airline Captain buddy complains that the one on his small Cessna interferes with his professional-grade headset whenever it’s light is turned on for nighttime use. The certified aircraft-avionics shop cannot figure out why.
When we were discussing it over a fly-in breakfast in front of an Air Force B-1 Bomber avionics technician... He said, “Hey! That’s what happens in my Dad’s little Cessna too! I’ve pulled my hair out trying to figure it out!”

Little ol’ simple me, thinking back to my High School days Knight-Kit phonograph player I put together because my older brother wouldn’t let me play “TelStar” on his new “Hi-Fidelity” player.
It had a “humm” in it’s audio until I installed a ferrite-coil in the speaker circuit.
So I told the B-2 ECM (Electronic counter-measures) guy about it, and suggested he wrap the ADS-B power-lead-wire around a pencil a few wraps and/or use a ferrite-ring and see if that helped.
The very next day he called to share the news...IT WORKED!

Very simple method. Give it a try... coil up about an inch of power lead to that LED worklight, and/or shield it by wrapping the lead inside a grounded co-axial lead.

I had a problem this summer when a customer bought 2 brand new machines from us and put them on KCLT changing out terminal jet ways on the RJ terminal. whenever they would back a CRJ out and said jet would fire up and pull away, we would loose all CAN modules on the boom... cycle power and all was good until the next plane got close. after doing a ton of research and talking with some friends (sister is a USAF Officer at HILL AFB) in the radar and missile industry, we came to the conclusion that the pilots are fireing up there SHF radar on the ground and sweeping these machines crashing the CAN bus!!!! the fix??????? sticky back tin foil in the head of the boom and around angle sensor box on the side of the boom!!!

 

[GreensvilleJay]

re: crashing the CAN bus!!!!
Anyone who has ever cut low level code for CAN( drivers), knows WHY it shouldn't be used Bad enough the hardware is,well, flakey....)

 

[SidecarFlip]

Way too complex for me. I just buy high buck LED's with good drivers and shielding and be done with it. Like most things in life, you get what you pay for.

 

[GeoHorn]

I had a problem this summer when a customer bought 2 brand new machines from us and put them on KCLT changing out terminal jet ways on the RJ terminal. whenever they would back a CRJ out and said jet would fire up and pull away, we would loose all CAN modules on the boom... cycle power and all was good until the next plane got close. after doing a ton of research and talking with some friends (sister is a USAF Officer at HILL AFB) in the radar and missile industry, we came to the conclusion that the pilots are fireing up there SHF radar on the ground and sweeping these machines crashing the CAN bus!!!! the fix??????? sticky back tin foil in the head of the boom and around angle sensor box on the side of the boom!!!

If you can confirm that’s what’s happening you might want to complain to their Sta. Mgr. and/or Chief Pilot. That amount/level of microwave energy can be harmful to your operators on the ramp. Most aircraft these days have the radars on a “squat switch” the pilot has to deliberately over-ride to get the radar to operate on the ground. We typically only do that when pulling onto the runway to scan the departure path (Specifically to avoid radiating ground personnel, fuel trucks, etc.)