WARNING! Digital/ Electronic ballasts can get you busted! The A.M. radio test!

I had issues I wrote about in this thread.

I now run all phantom 2 ballasts. No RF noise.

GarlandGreen said:

Does anyone know if this works??

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Just PM the folks @Revolution Micro, personally I don't think they would offer it if it didnt work. Greg and Marisa are pretty darn smart.

why not add a RF choke on the return line. its just a heavy torroidal inductor. youd have.to take.apart your ballast and find the switching component connected to the positive terminal on the rectified DC side.

i get this problem when i make high voltage self oscillating plasma drivers. induction heaters. stuff like that. but yea you either need to filter out the RF before it goes back to the rectifier which is connected to the city power.

yea this is that is the kinda shit that will damage a battery if you were solar.

but no, police using radio scanners would only hear noise and you can claim you purchased some chinese appliance that must not have a radio frequency choke.

just a crummy ballast it sounds like.

This issue still around in 2016? My 600w ballast has a little static when I. The room, a lot when the radio is within inches..I would assume the ballasts have had much improvements over the years and not an issue any longer.

Thoughts?

i have to agree with the original post ,, i did used 2 600w magnetic ballast for about 2 years with no problems , i decided to upgrade to digital ballasts and within 6 months i got busted ,

Anyone should be using cords with ferrite on input and output. Many today come with them on cords.
http://growershouse.com/smart-volt-dual-ferrite-cord-w-2-molded-ferrites-6-ft

I just purchased a ballast im gonna be running a 400w and 600w mh/hps. How can i test if this will be detected?

dr-weed said:

i have to agree with the original post ,, i did used 2 600w magnetic ballast for about 2 years with no problems , i decided to upgrade to digital ballasts and within 6 months i got busted ,

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yuuuuuck. hope it all worked out

How many ballast were you running? is it possible one ballast wont give off enough fr to be detected?

Ahhh that initial post. Anyone who is having this issue, google faraday cages!

It would be great to know which ones are the worst so that people avoid them or take steps to deal with theirs.

bullSnot said:

This issue still around in 2016? My 600w ballast has a little static when I. The room, a lot when the radio is within inches..I would assume the ballasts have had much improvements over the years and not an issue any longer.

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driel said:

It would be great to know which ones are the worst so that people avoid them or take steps to deal with theirs.

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Yes this issue is still around in 2017, I just got a knock on my door. Cable guy said since I hooked up my brand new vivosun 1Kw switchable mh/hps hundreds of customers lose internet at the exact moment my lights switch on and comes back when they go off.

I am currently scouring the net and RIU for a solution and thanks @Revolution Micro for the link, will look into that. I am in an emergency situation and could use some help finding a fast solution yesterday.

Sorry to revive such an old thread, this is not supposed to happen these days. I thought it was UL listed when I bought it.

I don't have time to read thousands of posts in hundreds of pages in dozens of threads, if someone can help me right now this minute, I'll buy you a blowjob. Point me to a specific post or solution I can implement immediately. I don't have a core or inductor real handy, I may try just wrapping the cord around some iron or some knee jerk shit until I can find a better/real solution.

HELP!!!

go buy a new ballast that has the noise reduction in the cords - both sides

can't afford that yet, I need something quick and cheap until I can, few more months

completenoobie said:

can't afford that yet, I need something quick and cheap until I can, few more months

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I had the exact same situation as you. I had to buy new ballasts. Only way I felt safe.

Phantom 2 is the only one I know for a FACT has the noise cancellation. Switched to all phantoms and they've never been back 2 years later.

I know that's not an option, sorry.

I know you can build the RF cages from copper but I'm not sure how reliable they are. Good luck man.

I am headed out of town to go pick up a couple of those nanolux filters specifically for this. Will find out if it works after a 300 mile trek. I also plan on trying to rig up some kind of cage maybe. The cords are the biggest problem, or at least where the problem gets out anyway.

New ballasts are an option, just not immediately. I had always planned on this being a quick fix and that lights are an ongoing project. I will look at those Phantoms and I also want to look at @Revolution Micro 's Revolution Deva. I am also buying his rfi filter as well.

I should have done things differently but at first I was dead set on all leds of some kind, quantum boards, cobs, something, but that was before I found out they are using just as many watts at the meter as HID. I thought the whole purpose was to have more effective light using less electricity.

Anyway, appreciate the recommendation on that brand, I will check em out. Just won't be buying real soon, gotta fix what I got first then when I move some shit, I can reinvest. I don't have an established op yet, just getting back started after a bad injury a few years ago.

Thanks

One suggestion I can make after going through this recently, as in twice in two days. When they come back the 2nd time trying to fix the issue, be prepared with a good excuse as to why you can't replicate the problem. I have a half dozen good reasons as to why I would have rfi issues. They are gonna want you to make it happen on command. In real time.

I have a few different measures I will be putting in place. For my UL listed ballast the manufacturer admits this has happened and says the fix is to mount it to an aluminum plate. I have purchased a grounding rod, rfi filter for ballasts, and will be utilizing the plate when I get one.

Looked at a phantom and will be considering the revolution deva as well

I am more afraid of being targeted for theft now. I know he knows something

I was not aware it was a requirement to have RF filters on devices.

I promise you, you DO NOT want the FCC asking you to cease and desist with RFI. It is the end consumer who is ultimately responsible for making sure what they own and operate does not interfere with another single device or consumer.

The FCC will kick in your door and take every computer, TV, toaster, blender, microwave, calculator, wristwatch, tablet, and EVERYFUCKINGTHING you own that is electronic or electric except major appliances and may take your smart fridge if they like it.

They will take every grow light you have and any pumps or fans or any other electric or electronic device you have for grow control like co2 monitor and relay, timers, EVERYFUCKINGTHING, and leave your tomatoes and marijuana plants and take you to jail and THEN alert the police to your other activities.

They have an inferiority complex because they have just as much authority as the FBI, NSA, and any other alphabet soup agency but are overshadowed because those police agencies are cool and garner respect and make huge busts and get national attention all the time. So they make EVERYONE an example. A nuclear example.

I'd rather not argue and spend 20 bucks and keep idiots off my property the easy way. AND keep the FCC the fuck away from me. I have more money in radio equipment than I do grow lights. I want to keep it all.

oh sorry. I thought you were in a Legal Grow State/Country. I would never jeopardize my freedoms for Dope. She ain't worth it.