[sci.electronics] noisy fluorescents

alison@wsrcc.com (Alison Chaiken) (03/10/91)

larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman) writes:
>Many fluorescent  lighting  systems produce a   really   ugly 120 Hz
>signal with many higher frequency components because it is not a sine
>wave due to ballast characteristics.
>Larry Lippman @ Recognition Research Corp.  "Have you hugged your cat today?"

	Indeed,  during a recent  visit to the University of Minnesota
physics department I heard some real complaints about the noisiness of
fluorescent lighting.  In order to save some bucks, the administration
had decided to install replace old fluorescents with new "energysaver"
fixtures.  The 120 Hz signal from these lights was causing intolerable
problems  in   several  different  apparati.      One  ultracryogenics
experiment was picking up a 120 Hz THERMAL  signal on its thermometry.
The faculty were  pretty much ready to form  a human  chain around the
building to prevent any more  of their fluorescent fixtures from being
"upgraded."

---
Alison Chaiken 				alison@wsrcc.com
(202)767-3603 [daytime] 		uunet!wsrcc!alison
-- 
Alison Chaiken 				alison@wsrcc.com
(202)767-3603 [daytime] 		uunet!wsrcc!alison