T 5 lighting interfering with radio signals

[Coast]

In the process of replacing T12 fixtures with T5 in a storage warehouse. But have noticed that when the T5 lights come on there is interference with FM/AM radios signals and some two way radios which can cause concern. Is this the nature of the T5 ballast or cause?

 

[iwire]

The T-8s in my garage do the same thing.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Same here - my basement T-8 cause static on the radio. I believe that a filter may help but never tried it. I find it really aggravating that this happens. Go electronic and this junk happens.

 

[K8MHZ]

Same here - my basement T-8 cause static on the radio. I believe that a filter may help but never tried it. I find it really aggravating that this happens. Go electronic and this junk happens.

The noise is from the switching power supplies.

Good luck with filtering.

Be advised, if the RF from the lights cause interference, intentional or not, to a licensed radio service, continuing to use the lights could be against the law.

That includes ham radio, as well as a licensed business radio.

It's not an FCC rule, it a federal law, part of CFR 47's communications act of 1934.

If you are only causing interference to yourself, your choice is to put up with it or remove the cause of the interference.

Touch lamps do the same thing on certain frequencies, even when off.

 

[grich]

One of the radio stations I care for is fighting the same problem. When the T12 ballasts fail (they're electronic, too), they are swapping with T8's. One of the T8 fixtures was throwing enough hash to waste AM radio reception in a 100-foot radius of the building. They are going to swap ballasts to see if that helps. They have another building full of T8's and no interference problems, so perhaps the noise is either poorly designed/made ballasts, or just a faulty one (or two...).

 

[svh19044]

It's not an inherent problem, you should be able to use a different ballast to correct the interference issue. A lot of ballasts specifically list being RF friendly/low EMI, and others don't. RFI/EMI suppression is just different for whatever reason, while THD remains similar or the same. I've also seen poor grounding cause interference issues.

What ballast, and have you contacted the ballast manufacturer?