Rocky1
New member
I got bored the other night and Googled the topic, simply because inquiring minds want to know; read a dozen plus threads on it, on various forums across the net. General consensus is, as was suggested here, that it's a myth.
Seems the theory was that the ballast in some 'OLDER' flourescent lights emitted an electro-magnetic field, that could cause problems with electronic scales. However, I found posts by one 'OLDER' electronics expert, and one 'OLDER' ham radio operator in that thread that called B_S_ on said theory. Likewise, found one post in that thread that the gentleman said he'd had flourescent lighting over his reloading bench for 37+ years and had never had a problem.
At any rate, the newer ballast in flourescent light fixtures are different in design, and this is not supposed to be a problem anymore. On that note several recommendations were made...
-- The T-8 ballast/fixture is supposed to be best. This ballast is all solid state circuitry in design, and thus does not emit an electro-magnetic field.
-- Commercial grade fixtures are supposed to have better protection than residential grade fixtures, for a few bucks more.
-- It was also suggested that the hotter the light, measurement of whiteness not temperature, the less trouble you would experience. And, it would be brighter allowing you to see better.
-- Only one post was found suggesting problems with a light of any nature, in all I read, and that gentleman stated that he experienced problems with an energy saving bulb. He changed the bulb for a standard light bulb and had no more problems.
-- One guy stated that every time his wife fired up the microwave his scale wigged out, but he didn't state whether he was reloading on the kitchen counter, or how close his reloading bench was to the microwave.
-- One stated his scale wigged out when he layed his cell phone next to it and received an incoming call.
-- Otherwise... 99% of all respondents stated that they had flourescent lighting over their reloading bench, have had for years, and not one had ever had a problem of any nature with it.
-- Ran across several posts that the guys were contemplating adding LED lighting to flourescent lighting over their reloading bench for several reasons. It's way cheap to operate, produces a different type of light, (if you've never been in an LED lighted room it's hard to explain), it produces a lot of light, and generates virtually no heat.
Seems the theory was that the ballast in some 'OLDER' flourescent lights emitted an electro-magnetic field, that could cause problems with electronic scales. However, I found posts by one 'OLDER' electronics expert, and one 'OLDER' ham radio operator in that thread that called B_S_ on said theory. Likewise, found one post in that thread that the gentleman said he'd had flourescent lighting over his reloading bench for 37+ years and had never had a problem.
At any rate, the newer ballast in flourescent light fixtures are different in design, and this is not supposed to be a problem anymore. On that note several recommendations were made...
-- The T-8 ballast/fixture is supposed to be best. This ballast is all solid state circuitry in design, and thus does not emit an electro-magnetic field.
-- Commercial grade fixtures are supposed to have better protection than residential grade fixtures, for a few bucks more.
-- It was also suggested that the hotter the light, measurement of whiteness not temperature, the less trouble you would experience. And, it would be brighter allowing you to see better.
-- Only one post was found suggesting problems with a light of any nature, in all I read, and that gentleman stated that he experienced problems with an energy saving bulb. He changed the bulb for a standard light bulb and had no more problems.
-- One guy stated that every time his wife fired up the microwave his scale wigged out, but he didn't state whether he was reloading on the kitchen counter, or how close his reloading bench was to the microwave.
-- One stated his scale wigged out when he layed his cell phone next to it and received an incoming call.
-- Otherwise... 99% of all respondents stated that they had flourescent lighting over their reloading bench, have had for years, and not one had ever had a problem of any nature with it.
-- Ran across several posts that the guys were contemplating adding LED lighting to flourescent lighting over their reloading bench for several reasons. It's way cheap to operate, produces a different type of light, (if you've never been in an LED lighted room it's hard to explain), it produces a lot of light, and generates virtually no heat.