By: MarkJ - 5 December, 2009 (9:00 AM) - Score: 1848 - Fixed Line Broadband
December began this week, which means that many of you will be erecting Christmas trees with the usual array of twinkly lights. However be aware that some of these twinkling little lights emit RF interference that can sometimes cause problems with broadband ADSL ISP connections.
It should be noted that we haven't seen many problems like this in recent years, thanks in part to the growing take-up of lower power LED lights and fibre optic trees. The issue mostly affected older lights.
UK ISP PlusNet said:
"When putting up the tree this year, don’t forget that some Christmas tree lights (especially some flashing ones) can cause intermittent connection faults. So, if you think you’ve got a broadband fault please remember to turn your lights off for a while and see if that cures the problem before calling.
Some tree lights generate RF interference which can affect broadband ADSL. It’s best to keep your Christmas tree lights and wiring well away from your telephone cables.
Some people have suggested that one way of detecting interference is to tune an analogue radio to Medium Wave 612 through to 693, which should buzz when you wave the radio near problematical tree lights. We’ve not tried this though and you may have more than one source (RF band) of interference."
"When putting up the tree this year, don’t forget that some Christmas tree lights (especially some flashing ones) can cause intermittent connection faults. So, if you think you’ve got a broadband fault please remember to turn your lights off for a while and see if that cures the problem before calling.
Some tree lights generate RF interference which can affect broadband ADSL. It’s best to keep your Christmas tree lights and wiring well away from your telephone cables.
Some people have suggested that one way of detecting interference is to tune an analogue radio to Medium Wave 612 through to 693, which should buzz when you wave the radio near problematical tree lights. We’ve not tried this though and you may have more than one source (RF band) of interference."
It should be noted that we haven't seen many problems like this in recent years, thanks in part to the growing take-up of lower power LED lights and fibre optic trees. The issue mostly affected older lights.
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Comments: 2
SPPosted: 7 December, 2009 - 9:25 AM
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Well done plustnet, focus on the real issues! Might be worth fixing all those speed issues people have been experiencing - oh, its not the christmas lights causing it either:)
GollnickPosted: 10 December, 2009 - 6:57 PM
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This is actually easy to explain. Blinking lights very often use a thermal device to achieve the blinking behavior. When cold, the switch is closed. As current flows through it, the device heats up and, when it gets hot enough, like a thermostat, it opens. Eventually, the device cools down again and the switch closes. When a switch opens, especially, but also when it closes, there can be a small spark generated. Sparks are how the first radio transmitters created radio signals and sparks still create radio signals to this day.
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