Electrical Engineering - Re: Fluorescent lights interfere with Infra-Red devices even when

Author

Re: Fluorescent lights interfere with Infra-Red devices even when

CL (dnoyeB) Gilbert

2005-08-24, 11:21 am

Percival P. Cassidy wrote:
> Here's one for the electrical/electronics gurus.
>
> Our new Wayne-Dalton iDrive garage door opener operates its associated
> light fitting via an IR beam: the opener proper installs right above the
> door, while the light fitting can be mounted to any convenient outlet
> within "view" of the opener.
>
> The light operated correctly when it was first installed, but then would
> sometimes switch on but not be able to be switched off except by killing
> the power to that circuit -- and even then the light would sometimes
> switch on and stay on as soon as power was restored.
>
> I called Wayne-Dalton Customer Service. The rep. asked whether we had
> fluorescent lights in the garage. I replied that we did but that the
> problem existed even when the fluorescents (CF) were turned off. The
> rep. then said, "We have found that fluorescent lights can interfere
> with infra-red sensors even when the lights are turned off." I told her
> I couldn't see how that could be, but there was no point in arguing,
> because she was only reciting her official spiel.
>
> They are going to send a new light unit and a new motor-control board
> (mine is an older revision, it appears), but . . .
>
> Please tell me that there's no way a switched-off fluorescent can
> interfere with IR circuits.
>
> Perce

For my senior project I designed a car that could drive around
obstacles. It had infrared sensors. It also had a electronic compass
mounted to its roof for directional help. It worked beautifully. That
is until I presented it in class where they had flourescent lighting...

The thing banged around aimlessly, lol. And the motors were scrambling
the compass which I didnt notice since the sensors were working. It was
all good in theory, but in practice was another thing.

Any idiot, self included, should test their design at the intended
target location. I had no experience so it was excuseable. That garage
door opener using IR is inexcuseable. I guess thats why it was in the
grab bin.

P.S. My car worked better with the classroom lights off.

--
Respectfully,

CL Gilbert

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door() into
the sheepfold{}, but climbeth up some other *way, the same is a thief
and a robber."

GnuPG Key Fingerprint:
82A6 8893 C2A1 F64E A9AD 19AE 55B2 4CD7 80D2 0A2D

For a free Java interface to Freechess.org see
http://www.rigidsoftware.com/Chess/chess.html

Percival P. Cassidy

2005-08-24, 12:21 pm

On 08/24/05 09:45 am CL (dnoyeB) Gilbert tossed the following
ingredients into the ever-growing pot of cybersoup:

> For my senior project I designed a car that could drive around
> obstacles. It had infrared sensors. It also had a electronic compass
> mounted to its roof for directional help. It worked beautifully. That
> is until I presented it in class where they had flourescent lighting...
>
> The thing banged around aimlessly, lol. And the motors were scrambling
> the compass which I didnt notice since the sensors were working. It was
> all good in theory, but in practice was another thing.
>
> Any idiot, self included, should test their design at the intended
> target location. I had no experience so it was excuseable. That garage
> door opener using IR is inexcuseable. I guess thats why it was in the
> grab bin.

No, it wasn't in the grab bin: it was on the shelf with all the others
at full price (less the "10% off everything -- the same as our
employees" discount). The later-revision ones at Lowes still have IR
control for the light; perhaps it's an improved version -- and they're
supposed to be sending me a new light unit and motor-control board.

Anyway the problem with the original one is more a range thing: the only
reliable switching occurs with the light unit (plugged into an extension
cord for testing purposes, as an earlier customer support rep. had
suggested) just 3 or 4 feet from the opener -- whether the fluorescent
lights were on or off. Beyond that distance there were positions in
which it would turn on but not off again and positions in which it would
turn off but not on again.

Even if the thing is susceptible to interference from fluoro. lights
that are switched on, if one is opening the garage door when arriving
home, the fluoro. lights probably aren't going to be on to interfere
with the IR control, so the garage-door light should still go on -- but
if one then switches on the fluoro. lights before the garage-door light
goes off there could be interference.

When one is leaving the house and closing the garge door, one is
presumably not leaving the garage lights on to interfere with the IR
switching.

Note that I am assuming that the claim that even switched-off fluoro.
lights can intefere with IR switching is a bunch of baloney.

Perce

LinkBot