Ceiling Fan Speed Control Makes Nearby Fluorescent Lights Go Bananas

[richwaskowitz]

I have a customer with a ceiling fan speed controller which makes a nearby ceiling mount fluorescent light in the next room flash like crazy as the speed ramps up or down. It has not effect on incandescents. Could it be because the ballast is electronic and is reacting to the signal being imposed on teh circuit by the speed control transmitter?

 

[Dennis Alwon]

I have a customer with a ceiling fan speed controller which makes a nearby ceiling mount fluorescent light in the next room flash like crazy as the speed ramps up or down. It has not effect on incandescents. Could it be because the ballast is electronic and is reacting to the signal being imposed on teh circuit by the speed control transmitter?

I have not seen that but I am sure there is something going on with the electrnic ballast and the speed control. What brand speed control are you using? Is it a variable speed control rather than a set 3 speed fan control?

Everytime I turn the electronic ballast on im my basement it interferes with the radio station. I am not happen with them.

 

[richwaskowitz]

I did not get the opportunity to take the coverplate off to see who's controller it was nor did I confirm that the ballast was electronic. I am only brainstorming right now. It had three preset speed buttons and a dimmer control for the light. The light went goofy any time any of the speeds were selected or when it was stopped. Once it go up or down to any speed, the flashing stopped.

 

[iwire]

I would look for an open neutral on the circuit.

 

[weressl]

I would look for an open neutral on the circuit.

..and ground, ground, ground.

 

[iwire]

..and ground, ground, ground.

Sky, sky, sky.

 

[gar]

080913-1920 EST

Dennis:

Try a low pass noise filter inside your fluorescent fixture. Corcom is one source.

.

 

[jcassity]

I also vote open ground wth the fan or the flourecent circuit.

to troubleshoot, here is what i would do,

-run a single conductor from the G leg of the flourecent light ballast to the sub panel G bar.
-retest- if problem persists, go to next step.
-run a single conductor from the G leg of the fan to the sub pnl G bar.
-retest- if problem persists, go to next step.
-double check the hollow tube supplied with the fan which the wires pass through is connected on both ends with the typically supplied ring lug ground jumpers with small self tapping screws.
-retest- if problem has not been solved by now , kill the breaker feeding the fan and see if it also controls the flourecent. If so, relocate the flourecent circuit to another breaker and retest.
-If problem persists, its an inside wire issue that you might want to bid so you can investigate further.

You could also repeat both of the above principles by jumpering the N legs of both units to the sub panel and test.

If your issue is not solved with the above, I aint got a clue., nor would i want to go any further without stewing over the entire two circuits by toning and locating how they wired. Lay it out on paper and see it on one layout.