Powerline Noise.

24-01-2021 7:07pm #1

Since 2017 I'm trying to get the ESB to come out and fix this issue I'm having with a 10 Kva line that runs over my property and at times it causes havoc. One lad from the ESB called out and I took him to the pole causing the noise and he said he's suggest to his supervisor to replace the hardware on the pole, since then nothing. I contacted them before Christmas and they acknowledged my email and nothing. Of course the day he came out it was lashing rain and there was no noise no matter how I shook the pole, typical.

Now I may have a few sources but it's different Winter/Summer and only when it's dry. When it's wet there is no noise.

Sometimes in the Summer I get a really bad noise that wipes out 14+ Mhz. Sometimes the noise is intermittent and sounds like the wind in blowing wires causing the arching so one day I went out into the field beside me and I took the portable radio and shook the pole I suspected and sure enough it drove the radio mad. That was that I thought but since the lad called out from the ESB I have heard nothing.

Now up and down I have this other issue related to the same pole I don't know but it's more continuous and only around dark and after it's puzzling the hell out of me, last night I went out in the pitch dark and cold walking around the field and all along the 10 Kva line the noise is bad so it's coming form this without a doubt.

Unfortunately for me of course the poles are running through fields and I'm not even sure it's worth while driving around to see if the noise gets better or worse, it could be an arching pole 1 or 2 miles up or down.

Has anyone had to deal with this before and do they know why it would be different Summer/Winter and only when it's dry ? did they have much resistance from the ESB ?

The last thing I want to do is contact COMREG because I feel they have no power anyway to do anything and at best they might contact the ESB and I feel they will come out look around back in the van and tell COMREG I'm a nutcase ?

The radio spectrum is protected by international law and I have a license to transmit, the ESB don't and they're causing some massive emissions interfering with the radio spectrum.

I've seen videos on youtube where the power company come out and have all the tools necessary to find such sources of noise and when reported they have 60 days to fix the problem of face the FCC which do have power.

Or Is the ESB the protected Semi State company that answers to no one ? and they will continue to ignore me ?

I'd appreciate any help and if you know someone in the ESB that can tell me that the ESB will not try locate the problem and there's no possibility of getting this fixed if I don't know the exact pole causing the issue.

orm0nd · 29-01-2021 7:43am

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Since 2017 I'm trying to get the ESB to come out and fix this issue I'm having with a 10 Kva line that runs over my property and at times it causes havoc. One lad from the ESB called out and I took him to the pole causing the noise and he said he's suggest to his supervisor to replace the hardware on the pole, since then nothing. I contacted them before Christmas and they acknowledged my email and nothing. Of course the day he came out it was lashing rain and there was no noise no matter how I shook the pole, typical.

Now I may have a few sources but it's different Winter/Summer and only when it's dry. When it's wet there is no noise.

Sometimes in the Summer I get a really bad noise that wipes out 14+ Mhz. Sometimes the noise is intermittent and sounds like the wind in blowing wires causing the arching so one day I went out into the field beside me and I took the portable radio and shook the pole I suspected and sure enough it drove the radio mad. That was that I thought but since the lad called out from the ESB I have heard nothing.

Now up and down I have this other issue related to the same pole I don't know but it's more continuous and only around dark and after it's puzzling the hell out of me, last night I went out in the pitch dark and cold walking around the field and all along the 10 Kva line the noise is bad so it's coming form this without a doubt.

Unfortunately for me of course the poles are running through fields and I'm not even sure it's worth while driving around to see if the noise gets better or worse, it could be an arching pole 1 or 2 miles up or down.

Has anyone had to deal with this before and do they know why it would be different Summer/Winter and only when it's dry ? did they have much resistance from the ESB ?

The last thing I want to do is contact COMREG because I feel they have no power anyway to do anything and at best they might contact the ESB and I feel they will come out look around back in the van and tell COMREG I'm a nutcase ?

The radio spectrum is protected by international law and I have a license to transmit, the ESB don't and they're causing some massive emissions interfering with the radio spectrum.

I've seen videos on youtube where the power company come out and have all the tools necessary to find such sources of noise and when reported they have 60 days to fix the problem of face the FCC which do have power.

Or Is the ESB the protected Semi State company that answers to no one ? and they will continue to ignore me ?

I'd appreciate any help and if you know someone in the ESB that can tell me that the ESB will not try locate the problem and there's no possibility of getting this fixed if I don't know the exact pole causing the issue.

It looks like a faulty joint or an insulator arcing.

29-01-2021 12:13pm

orm0nd wrote: »

It looks like a faulty joint or an insulator arcing.

Yes but the confusing bit is it comes on and off around Dark making me think some filthy LED Floodlight is casing this. I found a really bad one 1.5 miles up the road but whether this can find it's way through the transformer on the pole and back on the 10 Kv line is beyond me but I do know this noise is radiating from the 10 Kv line because it runs over my garden and when I take the portable radio out it gets worse and worse until I get right under it where it peaks, it's horrible sounding.

Buy why it happens only after dark ? I did have other issues but this is definitely down to a pole in the field beside me but this usually happens in warmer dry weather. I think it's a separate issue.

30-01-2021 11:43am

Like clockwork again yesterday, I was monitoring my Emerald SDR and 17:08 and bang just like that the noise started. The one with the MegaDipol Antenna, around 7.1 Mhz.

I know some LED floodlights cause horrific RFI and I'm still suspecting the one down the road just the far side of the M9 roughly 1.5 miles down the road so what I'll do maybe tomorrow evening is sit just past the M9 bridge and watch when the light comes on and see what happens, I could be very wrong but I would find it absolutely astonishing how this RFI from LED light could make it's way through the transformer on the pole and on to the 10 Kv line, just astonishing but this LED light causes considerable RFI for more than 50 meters radius or at least what I tested up and down the road probably more when I have the AM radio on in the car probably more like 100 Meters really it's shockingly bad.

Anyway, if I can prove it's that light I can at least tell COMREG and let them get it removed because they have Enforcement power and if it's that it's causing the ESB network to radiate RFI and they do not have a license to transmit......

If anyone is reading this please don't buy LED floodlights they can be incredibly bad for RFI and you are responsible for buying such products especially of you buy over the internet, COMREG have the power to get you to remove this offending device not just because it effects the radio spectrum which is protected by international law but because it can also interfere with both wireless and fixed line internet.

One lad I worked with in my last job worked for Eir as a contractor and they couldn't figure out how the connection kept dropping, I think it was DSL but anyway, I don't remember how he figured it out but to make a longer story shorter it was a laptop power supply in the neighbors house and they didn't believe it and so COMREG were called out, pointed out to the Person in the house that indeed it was the laptop power supply and made them hand it over to the COMREG officer and he pointed out that when you buy replacement power supplies not to buy them on Ebay only buy the genuine replacement.

The same can be said for LED lights, buy Philips and Osram, while they're not perfect by any means they are night and day compared to the junk brands sold in Woodies and IKEA and most other hardware stores.

LED floodlights can be very very bad at emitting RFI and there's really no need to buy them at their high cost you can have a 500w Halogen and it will take years to pay back, if the bulb dies in your LED floodlight you got to buy a new light and because of the cost People are buying cheap dirt on Ebay and unfortunately there are other issues with LED lights today, so many People especially in the country are leaving them on all night as they are cheaper to run causing uncontrollable amounts of light pollution.

I'll keep this thread updated as I discover more, next step is to see watch when this LED light comes on and see if it effects the radio at the same time. They leave it on all the time, ridiculous because lighting is a false sense of security........

Alun · 30-01-2021 11:51am

Definitely get Comreg out. I had an intermittent problem a few years ago with my Eircom ADSL connection, and after a lot of detective work using the diagnostics in my modem and an AM radio I discovered it was RFI coming in via the underground ducted ESB power lines. The came along with all their equipment, and with a stroke of luck, it all started just as they arrived so they were able to pinpoint it to a distant neighbour of mine. They wouldn't/couldn't say exactly what the cause was but it never reoccurred.

You do need to have plenty of evidence already and demonstrate you know what you're talking about otherwise they'll be very reluctant to turn up.

cnocbui · 30-01-2021 11:53am

Move.

30-01-2021 12:07pm

Alun wrote: »

Definitely get Comreg out. I had an intermittent problem a few years ago with my Eircom ADSL connection, and after a lot of detective work using the diagnostics in my modem and an AM radio I discovered it was RFI coming in via the underground ducted ESB power lines. The came along with all their equipment, and with a stroke of luck, it all started just as they arrived so they were able to pinpoint it to a distant neighbour of mine. They wouldn't/couldn't say exactly what the cause was but it never reoccurred.

You do need to have plenty of evidence already and demonstrate you know what you're talking about otherwise they'll be very reluctant to turn up.

Thanks, that's very encouraging I have to say. I think for now all the evidence I can produce is that the noise is without doubt coming from the 10 Kv power line running over my property, this is clearly evident as I get closer with the portable radio.

Tomorrow evening I will see if the noise starts when this LED floodlight up the road comes on and if It does that will be really great.

30-01-2021 12:13pm

cnocbui wrote: »

Move.

Move, why ? I'm not responsible for breaking the law. If someone, knowingly or not buys electronic equipment that is causing such RFI, which is illegal, then they are responsible and it's their legal obligation to fix it.

Having such electronic equipment in the home can cause massive RFI which can interfere with Other forms of communication such as broadband and emergency services and if it was near an airport could effect the ability for air traffic control to communicate with planes over the Atlantic.

A badly arching ESB pole can even knock out broadband and mobile phone reception.

I am a licensed radio Amateur and the radio spectrum I operate on is protected by international Law for a reason.

cnocbui · 30-01-2021 2:19pm

Your original angle was the interference was caused by a 10 KVa powerline running over your property, not some other 3rd party's equipment, which as you say, would be their responsibility.

I have had a past acquaintance with a ham. I can assure you he would never have located under a major power line. He had a very large quad element yagi on a rotator at some height and coupling might easily have been an issue, not to mention the sheer inherent danger:

And the standard disclaimer applies -- DO NOT install antennas anywhere near any power line, or anywhere close to the fall distance of the antenna or the power line poles. The danger just isn't worth the risk.

https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/antennas-and-high-voltage-transmission-lines.627006/

I hope you can get your problem resolved, but after 3 years... hence my suggestion.

30-01-2021 3:35pm

cnocbui wrote: »

Your original angle was the interference was caused by a 10 KVa powerline running over your property, not some other 3rd party's equipment, which as you say, would be their responsibility.

I have had a past acquaintance with a ham. I can assure you he would never have located under a major power line. He had a very large quad element yagi on a rotator at some height and coupling might easily have been an issue, not to mention the sheer inherent danger:

https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/antennas-and-high-voltage-transmission-lines.627006/

I hope you can get your problem resolved, but after 3 years... hence my suggestion.

As a Ham radio operator I'm well aware of the dangers of power line.

I said this 10 Kva power line runs over my property but didn't say my antennas are near it, or under it. I don't have a Tower or yagi ( yet ) and use an End fed hald wave.

I think you might be unaware how significant the RFI from these power lies can be and how far it can travel ?

Yes, the noise is distributed via the 10 Kva line but the source appears to be from some form of switch more power supply, from looking at the waterfall there are characteristics similar to that generated by SMP.

The idea that it's a LED light or something on a timer came from the fact it comes on every night around Dusk.

The only thing when driving around that sounds like this is when I drive towards this particular house with a LED the AM radio in the car can hear this noise and it's loudest when this light is on.

All I have to do is sit and watch this light and monitor my Kiwi SDR and if this noise comes on at the same time as the light then I think I'd be on the right track.

More puzzling is how this RFI can get into the 10 Kva line through the transformer on the pole that feeds the house.

31-01-2021 12:13am

I went outside earlier walking through Sheep sh1t in the dark with my MFJ power line finder thing, it's basically got a VHF receiver and a yagi, a lot more directional than using the radio, the idea is that you use the AM radio to get a bearing on the noise and walk around until it's loudest then you go up in frequency as you get closer to the source until you reach UHF but I don't have UHF yagi, I have a Hand Held that would work but not the antenna.

Anyway, I went to the bottom of my garden where the 10 Kva line runs over and the thing made some good noise, I hoped over the gate to the sheep field, there's 2 poles in that field and the MFJ picked up some noise but it wasn't as loud so I went back to the pole in my garden and it definitely seems the loudest and when I go back into the sheep field roughly the same distance apart between the two poles when I point the MFJ towards the pole in my Garden it's loudest so I think I'm on the right track.

The puzzling thing though is why does it become noisy around dusk ? or have I more than 1 issue ?

It's not the same noise at all as the other pole in the sheep field that causes me hardship in the warmer months during the day time and I know it's that pole because when the noise stops and I shake it I can reproduce the noise but it doesn't happen when it's wet.

Tomorrow evening I may go to the next field and see if I can eliminate the other 3 poles.

Antenna · 04-02-2021 8:24pm

Deleted User wrote: »

I went outside earlier walking through Sheep sh1t in the dark with my MFJ power line finder thing, it's basically got a VHF receiver and a yagi, a lot more directional than using the radio, the idea is that you use the AM radio to get a bearing on the noise and walk around until it's loudest then you go up in frequency as you get closer to the source until you reach UHF but I don't have UHF yagi, I have a Hand Held that would work but not the antenna.

Use a TV aerial, provided the noise is present at the frequencies the aerial is designed for , and your receiver works at those frequencies

Storm 10 · 01-03-2021 4:31pm

I had the exact same problem in Galway many years ago, there were power lines crossing a football pitch near where I live and in dry weather it caused havoc on Airband and Marine etc, as you say it was never there in wet weather only when dry and for some reason worse at night, I wrote to the ESB who after a long time did call and listen to the noise on the radio they changed a few insulators and told me it was caused by salt on the insulators and in the dry they would arc causing the noise you could actually see it at night, it never cured fully but was not as bad, thankfully the power lines were eventually run underground due to building new pitches etc and the noise gone on a calm dry night it was ok but as soon as a breeze got going that was noise time.

01-03-2021 4:57pm

Storm 10 wrote: »

I had the exact same problem in Galway many years ago, there were power lines crossing a football pitch near where I live and in dry weather it caused havoc on Airband and Marine etc, as you say it was never there in wet weather only when dry and for some reason worse at night, I wrote to the ESB who after a long time did call and listen to the noise on the radio they changed a few insulators and told me it was caused by salt on the insulators and in the dry they would arc causing the noise you could actually see it at night, it never cured fully but was not as bad, thankfully the power lines were eventually run underground due to building new pitches etc and the noise gone on a calm dry night it was ok but as soon as a breeze got going that was noise time.

Unfortunately for me in the beginning it was only in dry warm weather but this time it's when it's wet and it's been really bad the last few weeks but the last 2 days in the dry it's been pretty quiet, intermittent but nothing like it was and I fear if I call Comreg out they will find nothing in the day and I'll never hear from them again.

Powerline Noise.

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