Noise on panel

[Fred B]

Have seen several panels that will have so much noise that circuit tracers will not even locate at all (several different brands and quality of tracers including my fox and hound). Sounds like a radio cranked up not tuned to any station. Have had others that will have no noice and no problem with any of my tracers, or just and the cheapest one failing to locate.
Would such be visible on a scope? What would it look like? What sort of issues would be experienced (besides inability to use a tracer) on or by such noise on a residential panel if any? Could such interference leed to higher bill caused by inefficiency on motors like refrigerator, dryer, AC?

How would you go about tracking down source if it is an issue?

 

[ptonsparky]

So many questions...I will attempt the last.

Turn off each piece of equipment until the noise disappears.

 

[Fred B]

So many questions...I will attempt the last.

Turn off each piece of equipment until the noise disappears.

So you think it maybe related to a specific peice of equipment?

 

[ptonsparky]

So you think it maybe related to a specific peice of equipment?

Yes, or a combination of several. I lack the educated experience of others but using the Fluke 43B as a scope I've seen how different loads affect the sine wave. A SEWAG would suggest that they could cause grief with your circuit tracers.

 

[hbiss]

Likely LED lighting.

-Hal

 

[steve66]

Likely LED lighting.

-Hal

Electronic Fluorescent ballasts are also very likely.

Maybe even more likely if they are older fluorescent ballasts. Most seem to suppress the noise well as long as they are working properly, but older ballasts tend to have the filters go bad.

And I believe quality LED's are not very likely to produce that much noise.

If the LED's are cheap junk, then yes, it likely the LED's. And cheap dimmers are probably also very suspect.