LED Lightbulbs

[clv101]

If both the lamp and the computer are CE marked then there shouldn't be any electromagnetic incompatibility issues. Both the lamp won't emit anything other devices can't tolerate and the laptop won't be susceptible to anything it's likely to receive from other devices.

[Kieran]

Have you repeated the experiment to see if the intference was real, or a coincidence ?

I've just tried it a couple of times and it's booted normally. It must have been a coincidence. A quick google came up with this
http://www.lowemfoffice.com/led_light_bulbs_emf.htm
which was a bit worrisome so I thought I'd check here.

Both the netbook and the bulb are CE marked.

[cubes]

Was this just a coincidence or do these bulbs emit enough EM radiation to interfere with electronic devices?

If it hadn't of emitted any EM radiation I'm sure you'd have sent it back!

[Kieran]

Should have mentioned my google search came up with the welcome news that led bulbs won't interfere with orgone accumulators. Now that would have been a real bummer.

[JohnB]

The 12v LEDs in my van cause FM radio interference, but I haven't investigated the cause. It has a wire aerial about a foot from two of the lights.

[revdode]

The most likely problem would be disturbance on the mains rather than emitted radiation so from a personal perspective no issue. It may not be continuous though possibly just related to supply stability.

Adam is (as normal) correct if both carry the CE mark there should be no issue on mains or RFI BUT I've seen on some low cost LED drivers we examined definite evidence that especially when turned on they create mains noise.

In some case we find some of the lower cost luminaires on the market are provided with drivers (power supplies) with insufficient protection from normal noise levels (small transients make them unstable) in others the driver creates problems or generates a supply which is really not suitable for use with an LED light source. In one case part rectified with no smoothing, not a great light source to try to read with.

For information in the mainstream profession luminaires market we are now at over 4000 lumen nominal on system (product) level. Above 5000 lumen at source level. From someone who was slightly skeptical about LED a few years ago I find myself working in a factory where it has become more than 50% of our business in one year. This year we shipped something around 200k pieces of LED luminaires, the largest part of which went into supermarkets for shop lighting.

[Kieran]

The most likely problem would be disturbance on the mains rather than emitted radiation so from a personal perspective no issue. It may not be continuous though possibly just related to supply stability.

Adam is (as normal) correct if both carry the CE mark there should be no issue on mains or RFI BUT I've seen on some low cost LED drivers we examined definite evidence that especially when turned on they create mains noise.

I seem to get a lot of mains noise switching on lights and other things, makes the radio splutter. The bulb had already been on for a few minutes before the netbook failed to boot, presumably any noise would have died down by then?
Tried using a battery powered radio around the lamp and there was no interference at all so that's OK.

[Mark]

Envirolink NW have produced a guide to LED Lighting:
http://www.envirolinknorthwest.co.uk/En ... ghting.pdf

[lancasterlad]

I've just fitted some 5w GU10 style LED's to replace 50w halogen GU10's. They're absolutely incredible. I got the warm white and am very pleased with the result. They're almost as bright as the 50w lamps they replace.

[CountingDown]

I've just fitted some 5w GU10 style LED's to replace 50w halogen GU10's. They're absolutely incredible. I got the warm white and am very pleased with the result. They're almost as bright as the 50w lamps they replace.

Sounds great - what brand / where did you get them?