Florescent Lights?

swampcrawler

swampcrawler

New member
Have on several occasions, heard that we shouldn't have "florescent lights" above our re-loading benches. The info never went on to say why. So, my question is "why"?
Thanks,
Gary
 
Originally Posted By: CatShooterI have them over mine - and I use digital scales.

That is myth #278



++++1
I also use them over my digital scale with no problems!!!!
 
Any electric appliance is subject to cast an electromagnetic field about it. I would assume the myth based upon speculation in that regard. And, I'd write it off too, but I've seen it at play before.

I bought a new 19" TV a few years ago, carried it home, set it up in the bedroom, set my digital alarm clock on top of it, plugged everything in and turned it on, and no picture on the top 2/3 of the screen. Didn't matter what I did to it. Was about ready to box it back up and carry it back to the store, when I ran across a small warning in the owner's manual that stated DO NOT place any LED devices (amongst other things listed), within X feet of the TV, because they emit an electromagnetic field.

I thought... No way, I had that alarm clock on top of the previous TV for years, and never had a problem. Picked up the alarm clock and sure enough, the TV worked like a charm.

Put that same alarm clock on top of my stereo in the living room, had ZERO affect on CDs, Tapes, or Radio signal. Put it on top of the DVD Player, didn't affect it all, even snuck it in on top of the TV in the living room, and it had ZERO affect on that one. Put it in front of everything to see if it would affect remote signals, and ZERO problems. All of which lead me to believe that the bargain 19 inch TV I bought, lacked protection against electromagnetic fields that the other equipment had.

If you're concerned, check calibration on your scale in several different spots under the light over your bench, if it doesn't affect it, which like the guys above, I'm gonna guess it won't; I wouldn't worry about it.

For the record, I have 3-24" flourescent fixtures above my bench, and I haven't seen any issues when I checked calibration on my scale.


BUT... I do have that LED alarm clock over my other work bench, and it might honestly be interesting to see what my scale does in the immediate vicinity of that clock.
 
Originally Posted By: jamesdBut can I use them if I'm loading 223 loads in a 5.56?
Sorry, I could not help myself!

No... definitely NOT!!!

But you CAN use them if you are loading 308 loads in a 7.62x51.
 
Originally Posted By: CatShooterOriginally Posted By: jamesdBut can I use them if I'm loading 223 loads in a 5.56?
Sorry, I could not help myself!

No... definitely NOT!!!

But you CAN use them if you are loading 308 loads in a 7.62x51.



You have those switched around. How many times must we tell you? Yes and then No.
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Sooooooooo, you're saying that I can use 6mm Rem load data when I am loading my .244 Rem brass under said lights? Life on the wild side.
 
Originally Posted By: trimble s6Sooooooooo, you're saying that I can use 6mm Rem load data when I am loading my .244 Rem brass under said lights? Life on the wild side.

Yes, but only if it has a left hand twist.
 
OK... took the 5 minutes to test my Frankford Arsenal Digital Scale in the presence of the aforementioned digital alarm clock, capable of wiping out the picture on a 19" color TV, and...


She didn't even flutter! Not even a little.
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Thought maybe the measurement was a little coarse on grains, so I switched over to ounces where it goes to 4 - 5 decimal places... it didn't wiggle!
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Tested it on all 4 sides, above the scale at varying heights, turned the scale off and on next to the clock... NOTHING!
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Thought it might be interesting to see, so I drug out the Lee beam type scale, dialed her in to perfectly balanced at 0 grains, moved the clock in, and... (we need a drumroll smiley!)
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NOTHING THERE EITHER. Nothing on any side, or above it either.
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I'd say you're pretty safe knowin what that clock did to the TV!! Except for your babies being born nekkid, and the left hand twisted bullets out of right hand twisted guns and what not.
 
I found that my digital clock next to my digital scale made no difference. But when I added running my Margarita blender at the same time, my charges were all inconsistent!
 
I would not go as far as saying it is a myth, but will say it is highly, highly unlikely that this type of light would bother it. There are other things in a home that I would worry about that could (under the right conditions)put interference on the electrical in put side or from devices that put out a large or small radio signal (under the right conditions).

If you are not educated in the electrical field or a Ham Radio Operator you will pass this off as bunk.

I am not going to even try to explain as I would have to write a small book about it.


I have a Ham radio operator that lives down the street who is a Morris code freak. When my old TV was on Ch. 22 on cable I could copy what ever he was transmitting when he was on the air as it came across on my TV over in the audio system. CB,er's call it bleeding on them.

DAB - WB7SRR General class
 
Same with my beer bottles, but intermittent. Usually fine for the first couple, but after I set down the third bottle, my scales begin to act up.
 
Not an electrical theory expert at all, but considering the number of issues with this for some folks in the past, could it be that it isn't the bulbs per se causing the issues, but perhaps the ballasts or even the fact that the lights bulbs and ballasts have undoubtedly changed in construction/operation over the years to something causing less interference? Just askin'.
 
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