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Author Topic: RFI suppressed dimmer switches with a toggle-type form factor  (Read 225 times)

WB0TUA

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RFI suppressed dimmer switches with a toggle-type form factor
« on: January 16, 2021, 08:21:57 AM »

Hi Everyone, I'm finally starting to tackle the RFI issues at my house and, as expected, the dimmer switches throughout the house are generating a lot of RFI.  I have been not been able to find any RFI suppressed dimmers searching the web in the same form factor as the ones I have.  I'm trying to avoid buying all new faceplates one I replace the switches.  The one's I have are the simple toggle up/toggle down type with a little dimmer slide on the side.   If not, and I have to go with the wider style ones, can someone tell me some models that have worked well for them?  I tried to attach a photo to this post but not having any luck.

Thanks and 73,

Derek
WB0TUA
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K5LXP

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Re: RFI suppressed dimmer switches with a toggle-type form factor
« Reply #1 on: January 16, 2021, 08:34:14 AM »

Switch plates are very inexpensive.  I wouldn't limit myself based on those.

Mark K5LXP
Albuquerque, NM
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K9RJ

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Re: RFI suppressed dimmer switches with a toggle-type form factor
« Reply #2 on: January 16, 2021, 08:36:37 AM »

I have used Lutron dimmer switches and not noticed any  RFI. Still looking for kitchen "puck" lights for under the upper cabinets that do not produce RFI.
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K5LXP

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Re: RFI suppressed dimmer switches with a toggle-type form factor
« Reply #3 on: January 16, 2021, 09:30:58 AM »

At my last house I used halogen puck lights and the AC power supply for those made a mess on HF.  When I remodeled my current kitchen I used 120V G8 xenon bulb puck lights, no electronics involved.  Depending on the wattage they can get hot but I've been very pleased with the result. 

Mark K5LXP
Albuquerque, NM
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N2QLT

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Re: RFI suppressed dimmer switches with a toggle-type form factor
« Reply #4 on: January 16, 2021, 09:36:32 AM »

Go to Ebay and Amazon and search for RFI filtered dimmer. They come in all styles. Pick one, install it, and see if it works. If it does, you can buy more. If it doesn't, you are out about ten bucks for each experiment. Levitons worked for me, but your results may vary.
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AL7B

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Re: RFI suppressed dimmer switches with a toggle-type form factor
« Reply #5 on: March 23, 2021, 08:40:35 PM »

Just completed some RFI cleanup caused by LED dimmers and under cabinet LED lighting.  The dimming power supplies had zero RFI suppression.  On Amazon found little 6 and 10 amp wire in filters.  Installed the EMI filters at the AC line input to the Lutron dimmers.  This cured the buzzing noise to the AM broadcast band but still had noise on HF.  The under cabinet lighting is fed from a West Mountain Radio 4005 fuse distribution, four legs.  Installing Power Pole connectors on a third wiring EMI filter on the DC distribution totally killed RFI from the new kitchen lighting. 

The EMI filters were small enough that by breaking off the little mounting tabs was able to stuff into the electrical box.

Very happy with the end product.  Searched EMI Filters on Amazon to find. 

Dick
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W9IQ

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Re: RFI suppressed dimmer switches with a toggle-type form factor
« Reply #6 on: March 24, 2021, 02:33:52 AM »

Thanks, Dick for the nice report. It is great to hear that you got it tamed.

There are a lot of different EMI filters offered through Amazon. Is there any chance you could post a link to the one that you used? That would be very helpful for future recommendations. Thanks.

- Glenn W9IQ
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- Glenn W9IQ

God runs electromagnetics on Monday, Wednesday and Friday by the wave theory and the devil runs it on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday by the Quantum theory.

AL7B

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Re: RFI suppressed dimmer switches with a toggle-type form factor
« Reply #7 on: March 24, 2021, 11:32:12 AM »

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08D3MP48W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

In this product line Amazon lists 6A (green label) and 10A versions.  I bought each and they are both the same physical size.  Before removing the tabs the filter was just hung outside the box for testing.

While installing the filter in the DC power experimented with the ground connection on the line side.  Floating the noise was reduced by half and and totally gone when grounded.  Pretty predictable but the ham in me was at work. <G>

Wire color codes are probably European with Line=brown; Neutral=blue and Protective Earth=green/yellow.

I was up a lot last night enjoying my lack of RFI.  The kitchen lighting was off but I have to wonder if the dimmer might be generating noise even when off.  Noise was at S2 (30 meters) on the TS-890 which I feel is about as good as can be expected in my suburban setting.  Running WSPR and now able to provide reports of -31dB.  The 30 meter noise was S7.

Someplace I located the spec sheets for these filters.  Attenuation ramps up at about 100kHz, quickly rising to 70dB and pretty flat to 30MHz.

Good luck with the project!!

73, Dick
Anchorage, AK
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AL7B

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Re: RFI suppressed dimmer switches with a toggle-type form factor
« Reply #8 on: April 14, 2021, 09:56:08 AM »

After posting my recent reply I took a quick search on Amazon for EMI filters.  I had forgotten all of the digging I had to do to find the filters I ended up using.  Glenn W9IQ is right, there are a ton of them on Amazon.

Thanks for the suggestion Glenn!!

Filters are still working great.

Dick
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