Stereo in shop on fritz since putting in new lights - Lateral-g Forums

**GregWeld** · #1 10-27-2009, 06:55 PM

Scherp -- I did have to chuckle a minute when you mentioned you'd gotten a new radio for the shop...

There's a LONG story behind my "shed radio" -- but the gist of it is - this stuff was "BUILT IN" the house when we bought it... the problem is -- it's STEREO and all the new TV's etc are Surround sound... so it really wasn't being used. In fact it was sitting on the floor in a closet. So I talked to the local stereo shop about what I could do with this "stuff" -- and the guy told me that I could use it for surround sound - but that would 'limit' what I could do etc - since the AMP isn't made to do this -- it's really made to send STEREO into several different rooms (areas)... but since it was multi channel - I could use various channels for the different speakers in a surround sound "system"... so out to the SHED it went!! It was "free" since it came with the house....

PS - hope you get your "buzz" fixed with that RFI filter!!

bulldog19 · #2 10-28-2009, 03:32 AM

Mike one other thing we have found with this problem is that there are different grades of ballasts. Basically a commercial grade and residential grade. The residential grade has an RFI filter built in where the commercial grade does not. This is more prevalent with the new electronic ballasts that use the skinny style tubes. Installing a new circuit for the radio unfortunately will not solve your problem.

**scherp69** · #3 10-28-2009, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bulldog19

Mike one other thing we have found with this problem is that there are different grades of ballasts. Basically a commercial grade and residential grade. The residential grade has an RFI filter built in where the commercial grade does not. This is more prevalent with the new electronic ballasts that use the skinny style tubes. Installing a new circuit for the radio unfortunately will not solve your problem.

Hmmmm...and those are the exact ones I have. I believe they are a T8 bulb or something like that. So would a filter work then or would I be better off taking a loss and getting new lights? I might go price new ones out and see, but if a filter would work, would be much cheaper.

bulldog19 · #4 10-28-2009, 08:04 AM

I have sold the filter and it has worked for some and cleared up the static and in other cases it did not work at all. A new ballast for your exisitng fixture is about $20.00 that has the filter built in and that is a 2-tube unit. Let me know if I can help any further.
Thanks
Bulldog

**scherp69** · #5 10-28-2009, 02:08 PM

Thanks for the info John, I'll head to Home Depot and see if they have the other ballasts.

bulldog19 · #6 10-28-2009, 03:01 PM

NO NOT HOME DEPOT!!!! Please support your local Electrical Distributor.
Support the small guy in times like this we need support now more than ever.
I can selll them to you if you like.
Let me know.
Thanks
John

**scherp69** · #7 10-29-2009, 04:52 PM

I finally found a place that sold RFI filters...and don't worry John, it wasn't Home Depot. It was a small local place. They had one that he said was high quality. It cost me $80 and has a light on it that tells you if you have a bad plug. So I tried it and............still static. I then ran an extension cord from the house to try a different circuit, it's better, but still quite a bit of static. I turned the lights off with the stereo plugged into the extension cord and it cleared right up. I've decided that I'm going to do the rest of my build using a flashlight

Unless any of you can think of anything else to try, I'll likely end up running a coax cable out the shop and hooking up an old amp in there. The one good thing is I will have way more radio stations but not sure if I'll be able to use the ghetto. I might be able to run an audio in and use the speakers on the ghetto and the cd player, but the tuner from the amp.

Any other thoughts???

AALynch · #8 10-30-2009, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GregWeld

Scherp -- I did have to chuckle a minute when you mentioned you'd gotten a new radio for the shop...

There's a LONG story behind my "shed radio" -- but the gist of it is - this stuff was "BUILT IN" the house when we bought it... the problem is -- it's STEREO and all the new TV's etc are Surround sound... so it really wasn't being used. In fact it was sitting on the floor in a closet. So I talked to the local stereo shop about what I could do with this "stuff" -- and the guy told me that I could use it for surround sound - but that would 'limit' what I could do etc - since the AMP isn't made to do this -- it's really made to send STEREO into several different rooms (areas)... but since it was multi channel - I could use various channels for the different speakers in a surround sound "system"... so out to the SHED it went!! It was "free" since it came with the house....

PS - hope you get your "buzz" fixed with that RFI filter!!

Ya know, if ya want to get rid of those "free", ancient pieces of equipment, I'll gladly paypal ya $10 or $20 for em

**GregWeld** · #9 10-30-2009, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AALynch

Ya know, if ya want to get rid of those "free", ancient pieces of equipment, I'll gladly paypal ya $10 or $20 for em

Nice try!

I have an C26 out in the shed - sitting in a pile at the bottom of the stairs... I've had that since 1971.... It's worth about $20... Want that??

Speedzone1 · #10 02-21-2010, 08:18 PM

That old McIntosh Stereo equipment is the ****! Wish I had it. Ive got a vintage 1973 Marantz in my shop.