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Thread: Issue with LED lights at the lathe. Any suggestions?

  1. #1
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    Issue with LED lights at the lathe. Any suggestions?

    I posted this on another forum. But thought I would post it here too in case there are people with ideas that don't frequent the other forum.

    I have an older model LLED3 light from Penn State Industries (PSI) that I bought 3yrs ago via Amazon when PSI was selling on Amazon. It has worked fine. Image below.

    But recently I bought a second one new from Penn State directly from their website (looks the same as photo below). When I set it up and turned it on it would flicker if the old one was on. Even if plugged into two separate outlets that are on separate breakers. I called PSI and got switched over to tech support. He told me he would check a new one before it was sent and mark the box so I would know it was checked. And they would send me an UPS call tag for the one I had just received so I wouldn't have to pay for return shipping.

    Well got the new replacement today.. It does the same thing. It will flicker if the old one is on. Yet the old one does NOT flicker. ALSO< I unplugged the old one and set up both new ones and if one is on the other will flicker if they are within about 5ft of each other even if one separate circuts. Called PSI tech support and he was kind of rude and said "well I checked it before it went out so the problem is on my end. When I explained that it happened with the old one or the other new one plugged in he just sent me over to customer support to get another RMA number for the second one too. The customer support lady issuing RMA's said the return shipping on the second one would not be refunded as the electrical problem was on my end since they had checked the sedon new unit and it worked fine before it was shipped to me. Again I tried to explain that both new ones will flicker if used together within 5ft. even if on two separate circuts. So to me it's something within the low voltage transformers or internal circuitry since they don't do it if only one is on by itself. But she was adamant tht the issue was with my electrical system. And no redund for shipping would be issued.

    I have other LED lights both ceiling and machine tack lights and none of them flicker when other LED lights are on.

    Any electrical gurus out there have any ideas or suggestions? Is there some kind of separate plug in module/filter or something that can be used to mitigate the frequency interference or whatever is causing the issue?

    Thanks
    Ricc
    Attached Images Attached Images

  2. #2
    They do make power strips and small inline plug-in modules that are supposed to filter EMI (dirty electric). I don't know if they work or not. I have had similar experience with some LED lamps myself,
    Is it possible to plug in the light on a different circuit than the lathe?

  3. #3
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    Ed, I have not been able to find a plug in module.

    Also, delay, this 220 V, so it’s on its own circuit. I even got the flicker on the LED lights when they were plugged into separate outlets in the shop that were on different circuit breakers.

  4. #4
    We had recessed sealed LED lights hard wired into our living room ceiling. 4 are on one circuit and 4 on another wne the 4 over my wife's chair and computer are on, everything is fine, but if we turn all 8 lights on on both front and rear of the room, just one of the lights over my wife's chair flickers. The electrician came out and changed it. Still flickers. I took notice the led bulbs that I use in the basement, would flicker sometimes. Don't know why. The other thing that freaks me out, is that the led ceiling light in the bedroom, often glows very dimly for 15 or 20 minutes after being turned off. Checked that with a volt meter myself. even checked for stray ground voltage. If a really intense electrical storm comes over the house, the light sometimes glows then as well.

  5. #5
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    Perry, we haven't had that issue. We have 8 LED can lights in our living room. Also 3 above the fireplace/mantle. They are on separate circuits an no issues. Also, the dining room and kitchen have LEDs on a different circuit than the liv room but it's close and the area is open concept. Yet no flicker issues. My shop ceiling lights are all LED 4ft or spots. and no issues. Just happen with the two PSI LED work lights turned are on together.

  6. #6
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    Have you tried isolating the light? Put the old light in a box while on and see if the new one flickers. Could it be some sort of weird frequency thing.

    maybe you could get PS to replace the old light.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Roger Feeley View Post
    Have you tried isolating the light? Put the old light in a box while on and see if the new one flickers. Could it be some sort of weird frequency thing.

    maybe you could get PS to replace the old light.
    Yes, I did isolate in many ways. The two lights only flickered when within 5ft of each other. Sometimes it was the new light sometimes it was the old light.

    PSI had no interest in replacing the old light since it was purchased more than 3yrs ago which out it out of their 3yr warranty. They weren't interested in trying to isolate whether it was an issue with the manufacturing of the new lights. They just offered a refund on the new one I bought.

  8. #8
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    In our home, over the last 8 years I have replaced every incandescent bulb with LEDs except 3, one in a multi-bulb fixture over our dining room table (when it dies, it'll be replaced with a LED) and two in a bedroom overhead fixture (when they die, they'll be replaced with LELDs. The only problem I have had is two of the recessed fixture bulbs in the kitchen died. I replaced them without out any problems.

    If they flicker within 5 feet of each other, it appears they are the cause of the problem. Try one from a different manufacturer and vender.
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ken Fitzgerald View Post
    In our home, over the last 8 years I have replaced every incandescent bulb with LEDs except 3, one in a multi-bulb fixture over our dining room table (when it dies, it'll be replaced with a LED) and two in a bedroom overhead fixture (when they die, they'll be replaced with LELDs. The only problem I have had is two of the recessed fixture bulbs in the kitchen died. I replaced them without out any problems.

    If they flicker within 5 feet of each other, it appears they are the cause of the problem. Try one from a different manufacturer and vender.
    I too have replaced all the lights in the house with LEDs wit no issues. The only manufacturer who makes a light with similar specs (lumens, length of gooseneck, strength of magnet, etc) is Woodturners Wonders. I'm on a disability income and his led light is almost twice as much as the PSI light. I have a couple other brands of smaller LED lights in the shop at the bandsaw and drill press for task lighting. They don't cause any issues within 5ft of the PSI light. It's just the two PSI lights that seemed to cause the issue.

    Maybe some day I can afford to buy the WW led light But for now it's not doable.

  10. #10
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    I suspect that there is RFI (radio frequency Interference) between the two new LED lights. I suspect that if you put an old-fashioned transistor radio or a short wave radio in the vicinity that you would hear a lot of "hash" interference. I am a ham radio operator and my LED shop lights create a small amount of interference on my receiver. Perhaps yours are generating a LOT of interference.

    I'm curious - - if the lights are close to each other and are flickering, what happens if you put your hand over the light that isn't flickering so that the light from one isn't shining at the one that is flickering. LEDs put out light when energized but many people are unaware that the LEDs also act as photodetectors and generate a small voltage when illuminated. For a well designed light, this shouldn't be an issue.

    I'm guessing the PSI isn't going to help you solve your problem. I bought an LED light with a flex stem from Home Despot that seems to work well.

  11. #11
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    [QUOTE-I'm curious - - if the lights are close to each other and are flickering, what happens if you put your hand over the light that isn't flickering so that the light from one isn't shining at the one that is flickering. LEDs put out light when energized but many people are unaware that the LEDs also act as photodetectors and generate a small voltage when illuminated. For a well designed light, this shouldn't be an issue.

    I'm guessing the PSI isn't going to help you solve your problem. I bought an LED light with a flex stem from Home Despot that seems to work well.[/QUOTE]

    Covering one of the light's didn't matter. They could be within 5ft and aimed away from each other at different walls or parts of the shop and still flickered. And no - PSI wasn't interested in helping. They just wanted to me to return the new one so they could refund it. They didn't care about trying to pinpoint a possible manufacturing defect that could be corrected, or offer any other suggestions to help.

  12. #12
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    If you have one sitting around, you might try a power cord ferrite bead for filtering EMI to see if that helps.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dick Strauss View Post
    If you have one sitting around, you might try a power cord ferrite bead for filtering EMI to see if that helps.
    Thanks - have no clue what that is so I don't think I have one sitting around. I did send the new PSI lights back since I couldn't use it with what I had.

    But I will look online for a ferrite bead in case I have the problem with any other LED light I try.

    Thanks

  14. #14
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    Yikes! So if it isn't optical interference, it is RFI. It is surprising that RFI could interfere with anything as simple as an LED light.

    I'd suggest sending it back, getting a refund and then looking for another light. I bought one LED flex light from Home Despot and one from IKEA. I think that the IKEA one had a magnetic base.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Brice Rogers View Post
    Yikes! So if it isn't optical interference, it is RFI. It is surprising that RFI could interfere with anything as simple as an LED light.

    I'd suggest sending it back, getting a refund and then looking for another light. I bought one LED flex light from Home Despot and one from IKEA. I think that the IKEA one had a magnetic base.
    As I mentioned above - I did send them back since PSI didn't want to try and help figure out the issue all they wanted to do was issue a refund and get the new light back.

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