CIs and interference from bad ballasts in fluorescent light fixtures

[Mary Beth]

I had an interesting experience with my CIs at work last week.  Above my desk, mounted on a very high ceiling, there was a fluorescent light fixture with a bad ballast.  It is commonly reported that our telecoils pick up interference from bad ballasts as a strong buzzing sound.  However, I was not using my telecoils.  I was in M.  I checked twice to be sure I was in M and not MT.

 

I heard a pulsing sound from that bad ballast even though I was in M.  Acoustically hearing people in the room could not hear it.

 

I reported the light to the main office and described the interference it was causing with my CIs.  Work was splendid and had that all fixed by the next day.  The pulsing sound is now gone.

 

I am sharing this so that parents of children with CIs will pay attention to any malfunctioning fluorescent lighting (especially in the children’s schools).

 

 

[Daniel the Stranger]

Interesting @Mary Beth, I had a similar situation yesterday when I was testing the projector and smartboad in one of the rooms. I heard the same pulsation or buzzing sound when I connected the laptop to the projector/smartboard. I didn't paid attention to it until I saw your post. As the smartboard use infrared or some kind of wireless connection for the pens to work on the board, I thought it was normal? I was also in the normal program.

[Mary Beth]

@stranger

 

That is interesting.  I am around smartboards a lot at work and have never picked up any interference from them.  I also am around ceiling mounted presentation systems that display from the computer, DVD player, etc and have not picked up any interference from those either.

I wonder if something is wrong with the smartboard you were under?

 

Inetresting.

[Daniel the Stranger]

Hi @Mary Beth, what kind of smartboards you have over there? Ours are not actually smartboards per se, it is more like a normal whiteboard board. The smart part is a device on top of the whiteboard.

Here is an example: https://www.videopro.com.au/p-10585-epson-eb695wi-interactive-finger-touch-data-projector.aspx?gclid=Cj0KCQjwl7nYBRCwARIsAL7O7dFnQFZPn1VBLGlSKhXh6Xrxf0QsBkf8pc4F9DwhTohqj1_NCRekW1caAgAHEALw_wcB

You can use a wall as a smartboard. I think the device under the projector is the one causing interference.

[Mary Beth]

I am a Teacher of the Deaf who works in the K-12 school systems here so I travel to several schools.  They all have smart technology in the classrooms now but they are all different brands.  I teach at the university at night and we have smartboards in those rooms as well.  So far I have been very  lucky because I have never encountered any interference with my CIs in any of the rooms.

 

I work with students with CIs from all three FDA approved brands and they have not encountered interference from the smartboards either.

 

I wonder what is causing your interference?

 

The interference I encountered from the fluorescent light fixture was due to a faulty ballast.  When the ballast is working fine, there is no interference.

[Daniel the Stranger]

Hi @Mary Beth, I have no idea really, I have been quite busy at the school to look into it.

I have to say that it happened when I was very close to the projector/whiteboard. One step back and it was OK though. I will have a look at it later when I have time.