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1-10 of 17 messages
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DeWalt cordless drill battery charger....
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by KQ7DX on January 27, 2006
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New neighbors next door bring new RFI problems. As they get more moved in and the more things get plugged in the more frustrating it is. It seems that HF is more and more becoming a vast RF dumping ground from substandard consumer products. The latest here is a Dewalt corldess drill battery charger. One day I noticed the pulse of static with a whurring sound with it that occured every 15 seconds. It was a S-9, 11 through 15 Mhz. Having remembered seeing my new niehgbor moving things into the garage next door I put it together he must have plugged something new in. A quick check whith a portable shortwave radio tuned to 14mhz showed that if I got next to his garage it was the loudest. This went on for a week until I was out next to his garage checking it out and he drove up. I asked him if he had plugged in any thing recently and he said no. I had a feeling from the pulsing it was probably some kind of battery tending type of charger and asked if he had a battery charger plugged in. With that he said oh yes I do have one for my drill. Being very nice {and this doesnt happen often with RFI problems} he disconnected it. Sound gone!. one down 10 to go I thought.. Well has anybody else had this problem and if so what was your solution? I told him I would look for a cure and get back to him as I know he would like to use the drill at some point. The model was a DW -8119 charger for the batteries that go on the handle grip of the cordless drill. Any other charger made that will work with that battery pack? Any help appreciated .. Thanks and 73s.. Scott
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RE: DeWalt cordless drill battery charger....
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by W3LK on January 30, 2006
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Scott,
The problem is pretty much the neighbor's responsibility to remedy. The charger almost certainly has a part 15 sticker/label on it that says it cannot cause interference.
Since it does, your neighbor needs to take it back to the dealer and demand a correctly functioning replacement. Also, a complaint needs to be filed with the FCC for the manufacturer's non-compliance with part 15, if another charger does the same thing.
I know you want to be helpful to your neighbor, but, as I said, the problem really is his to solve.
73,
Lon W3LK
Baltimore, Maryland
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RE: DeWalt cordless drill battery charger....
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by KQ7DX on January 30, 2006
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Hi Lon,
Thank you for the reply. I called Dewalt and spoke with a representative about what was going on. I told him basically after the battery is charged the charger goes to a maintainance mode that pulses a charge to keep the battery up for the next use and when it does this it creates a strong interference from about 11-15Mhz. His response was "you must be using AM and not FM". He mentioned that all there chargers do that. At the shop they have he said it interferes with there radio and makes there flourescent lights flicker when connected to the same outlet. So Dewalt is aware of the problem and they are still selling them. This even includes the $59 chargers. Dewalt wants to send me another one to try but I am afraid it will do the same thing. The chargers they sell are clearly in violation of the law, but it seems that this is becoming more and more common these days as companies are saving money to leave the parts out for filtering or use substandard designs. About leaving up to the neighbor.. your right it is there responsibility. But what I have found out when you leave it up to them they will take a long time if they do anything at all or they dont know how to explain it to the company or know what to do when it comes to technical problems. If they become disinterested or do nothing or get vulgar then I go to plan B which I have done in the past but that also takes a lot of time. If they didnt live next door I think I may have left it up to them but at his point I am trying to keep the peace. Ill keep the the thread posted about what happens. In the mean time if someone knows of a charger that will work without the RFI let me know.. Thanks and 73s Scott
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RE: DeWalt cordless drill battery charger....
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by W3LK on January 30, 2006
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Document everything, including what DeWalt told you and send it all to the FCC as a deliberate interference complaint. This type of action got a couple of RF generating electric blankets pulled.
I would hate to be the bad guy in this, but if the neighbor isn't willing to do anything, you can file against him, as well.
73,
Lon - W3LK
Baltimore, Maryland
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RE: DeWalt cordless drill battery charger....
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by KQ7DX on February 3, 2006
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I got a reply from Dewalt. This is there solution from an email:
>
Hello Scott, and thanks for using DEWALT's on-line support.
I received this information try one-
If interference is coupled out of the charger, the majority of it will be conducted through the power cord. From there, it could be radiated by building wiring. Very little interference in the 20m band would be radiated from the charger.
Or
Have him get a radio interference filter that the line cord of the chager will plug into. This may help stop the conducted interference from radiating out of the neighbors house wiring in his garage.
I suggest the the customer try a plug-in interference filter at the charger. These filters are available at electronic stores.
Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to serve you. If your question remains unresolved or if you require additional information please update this incident.
>
Dewalts solution is very basic and probably wont work since the charger seems to radiate{transmit} the RFI and is not a conducted RFI. Dewalts solution also is for me to spend money to try to fix there product. Good line filters are not cheap and are not available locally. I will try it but I am skeptical. I will keep the thread posted.
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RE: DeWalt cordless drill battery charger....
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by WA1RNE on February 7, 2006
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Step 1:
Do: Fully document and report your findings about Dewalt's battery chargers the FCC.
Asking you or the owner to install a filter is an appropriate response coming from DeWalt. They are side-stepping THEIR responsibility to insure compliance with Part 15 rules.
Step 2:
Don't report your neighbor over a $60 drill/battery charger. The next time you have a really important problem he'll tell you to take a hike.
Step 3: The Containment Plan:
Try adding a snap-on common mode ferrite choke at the charger. If that doesn't help, try a brutforce line filter with common mode and differential mode filtering - as well as making sure the filter has a good earth ground connection at the duplex outlet.
Consider buying this stuff for your neighbor. Don't be penny wize and pound foolish, it's not very expensive.
In the end, the "pennies" will likely pay off, in more ways than one.
73, Chris
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RE: DeWalt cordless drill battery charger....
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by WA1RNE on February 8, 2006
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Sorry, guess I was in too much of a hurry:
Step 1:
Do: Fully document and report your findings about Dewalt's battery chargers the FCC.
Asking you or the owner to install a filter is *NOT* an appropriate response coming from DeWalt. They are side-stepping THEIR responsibility to insure compliance with Part 15 rules.
Step 2:
Don't report your neighbor over a $60 drill/battery charger. The next time you have a really important problem he'll tell you to take a hike.
Step 3: The Containment Plan:
Try adding a snap-on common mode ferrite choke at the charger. If that doesn't help, try a brutforce line filter with common mode and differential mode filtering - as well as making sure the filter has a good earth ground connection at the duplex outlet.
Here's one from Rat Shack that just plugs in, no wiring required. I've never used one, but if if the snap on common mode choke doesn't help, this might:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?parentPage=search&cp=&productId=2104173&kw=line+filter&tab=techSpecs
Consider buying this stuff for your neighbor. Don't be penny wize and pound foolish, it's not very expensive.
In the end, the "pennies" will likely pay off, in more ways than one.
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RE: DeWalt cordless drill battery charger....
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by KQ7DX on February 8, 2006
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THanks Chris..
I have one of those RS line filters. I opened it up and it only had one capacitor and a binocuilar core with about 3 turns{very basic}. I modified it a little by putting a cap from each pin on the load side to ground. THis is always the way I have seen these but the RS version didnt look like it would work well if left the way they had it. I am going to give it a try when I see my neighbor but I am still skeptical of trying to make something work that was flawed to begin with. I agree With you on Dewalts response. Putting it in my lap and making me pay for it. What I have seen more and more are companies banking on the fact that what are the chances of their product ending up next to a HAM. So they leave off the filter parts save the money and dump in the HF bands. In just the last year the RF level at my QTH has gone from S-4 to S-8.5... Ill keep the thread posted as to if it works. 73s
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RE: DeWalt cordless drill battery charger....
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by WA1RNE on February 9, 2006
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Scott;
Yeah, I had a feeling the rat shack filter might be mediocre, but it's plug'n play versus wiring up a good one made by Corcom or some other vendor, installing it in a box with a plug and receptacle - and taking the chance something goes wrong and getting blamed for it.
Adding the common mode capacitors as you described is exactly the right way to go. I would use any more than 0.22uF film and have a 400 vdc or better voltage rating.
Good luck,
Chris
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RE: DeWalt cordless drill battery charger....
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by KQ7DX on February 10, 2006
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UPDATE:
Dewalt has sent me this email recomending a note book surge protector $2.49. I mentioned in my email to them good quality AC line filters are not cheap. I have seen them as high as $149.00 and as low as $50. How well do you think this filter will work at 14mhz?
Here is their response and the URL to the filter they recomend. This week end I will get one and try it but really a note book surge protector? Who knows if it works I will very suprised... 73s.
Hello Scott, and thanks for using DEWALT's on-line support.
I forward your request again and received this information. Have customer look at Radio Shack model 61-2327. It is not $50, it is $2.48. Radio Shack claims 40 dB of interference attenuation. http://www.radioshack.com Of course, it is not tested with this your transceiver.
Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to serve you. If your question remains unresolved or if you require additional information please update this incident
The filter they recomend:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102616&cp=&kw=61-2327.&parentPage=search
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