LED lighting and Radio Frequency Interference

Yesterday I was asked the following question: Any thoughts on possible RF emissions/ interference from the integrated electronics in LED bulbs – especially when many are installed?

-Robert Wagner

Robert, It is true that many LED lamps cause RFI that is interfering with different kinds of electronic devices, from TVs and hearing aids to CB radios, but it is an issue reputable lighting manufacturers are very aware of and are working diligently on controlling with sufficient RFI suppression. The bad thing is that there are so many manufacturers out there, who care more about price than quality and skimp on necessary filter components. The LED diodes themselves are not the culprits, but the power conversion circuitry that is used to provide constant current for the LEDs operates at high frequencies, which can cause electromagnetic interference when it is not filtered properly.

Of course the manufacturers who just look at profit margins and creating cheap products leave out the added cost of design and materials for RFI mitigation. The more of those poorly manufactured LEDs you have around, the more you’ll notice it. It is widely criticized that RFI in LED lamps is not sufficiently regulated. So, the only solution I see is to look for high quality LEDs from reputable manufacturers.