A Practical Solution to Reduce Interference from Led Lights

Abstract

The study explores the detection of a harmful, wide-band interference signal, whose origin is a traditional desk LED (light-emitting diode) lamp. The interference signal was noticed on the sensitive solar spectrometer observing system, which was operating at a frequency range between 100 and 300 MHz. The interference signal was so strong and wide-band that it destroyed totally the solar observations. The study introduces two practical EMI (Electromagnetic Interference) reducing methods: ferrite cores and shielding (shielding effectiveness, S.E.). Their theoretical background is presented, and, in addition, these methods are tested in practice. The measurements and tests showed that even simple ferrite core was a very effective method to reduce interference effects. It is important that a suitable setup will be found: a single ferrite core cannot solve a whole problem. This interference problem is very demonstrative and it can be used in educational purposes at an undergraduate level at Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, Finland. This study reveals the fact that standard lamps, which are on the market, do not necessarily follow good EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility) practices.