HF and electronics?

[bobw1]

Hi Folks, I have just bought a Tig inverter (Sip P178) in the hope I can learn to use it. I have read that HF start on welding machines can interfere with electronics but can't seem to find out more about what happens and how far this effect can travel. Thinking about all the electronics in cars in the future and more immediately household goods like microwaves and washing machines. Is there anything I can do to protect them beyond unplugging them?

Any advice appreciated
Bob

 

[bill_gj]

Most modern devices containing electronics (especially anything with microprocessors in them) from good manufacturers have to undergo testing to international standards to look for susceptibility to electromagnetic radiation. Anything from welding arcs to radar sweeps).

That doesn't stop some manufacturers from marketing stuff that only just passes the tests.
Vehicle manufacturers have to do a lot of work on the many processors in modern cars to ensure they don't just stop in thunderstorms or near airports, and so on.
When electronic engine controls first appeared in the USA in the 70s, there were many stories about CB and mobile radio causing problems, but all that is largely a thing of the past now.

If you want to find out more, Google terms like 'EMC testing' and 'RFI testing'.

 

[bobw1]

Thanks Bill, that's helped put my mind at rest. Can't afford a new microwave after what I've spent this week. Just got to wait for the gas now. Wish he'd hurry up.

Bob

 

[PTvor]

I've never heard of interference damaging electronics, it sometimes stops them from working properly, noise on radio reception, causing things with microprocessors to need to be reset, interfering with pace makers and so on. You can have mains borne interference sounding through on hi-fi sets. Very often you can hear when the fridge turns on and off through the speakers. I don't know about these days, but at one time there were restrictions about what you could use on airliners because of worries about interfering with navigation systems etc.

There and again, it's not just welders which cause interference, so as Bill says, things have to be designed to cope with a certain level of interference.

I certainly wouldn't go unplugging things.

One of my neighbours used to have complaints about his buzz box causing interference on the old style 625 line tellies. I've never had any complaints about interference from using a buzz box or inverters.

 

[norlander]

I was about to ask the same question as I read through a couple of tig unit user manuals in PDF and they made a big deal out of HF interference (they were american). I was wondering about HF start and having a smartphone in your pocket but my main concern was any problems with my motorcycles security unit-its a Harley-Davidson and on a couple of occasions at the french toll barriers it refused to start until pushed away a bit.
Am I right in thinking that HF start on DC is only to start the arc but on AC HF emissions would be constant throughout the weld??.
I found this

if you stick with it she explains she built a Faraday cage round her machine as it was causing problems with her modem.Things could be on different frequency in the US to ours though??

 

[wristpin]

Years ago I had a Merc E230 and leaving the M3 onto the A303 going west past Popham air field the alarm would activate (but not the immobiliser thankfully!) but never did it on the return journey!

 

[bobw1]

Well my gas has turned up, flow gauge might arrive today with any luck. Just need to get some more electrodes as only one came with the machine and some filler rods. I deliberately haven't ordered any filler yet as I want to get some practice without it first. I tried some stick welding and it seems to work a treat. A lot less worried about the HF now, I just remember seeing a youtube video of it dancing all over this guys bench. The Faraday cage idea is interesting though. Hopefully I'm getting a shed in the spring and a barbed wire Faraday cage seems just the thing.

Got to go and bodge up some kind of bench now.....
Bob

 

[MattF]

Wouldn't honestly give it a second thought, if I were you. There's so much stuff creating 'interference' these days that a welder won't add much to the mix. Mobile phones, switch mode power supplies, low energy light bulbs etc. The list goes on. The average household is full of rather noisy equipment.

 

[justmental]

was welding a few bits on my friends drag bike he asked about the electrics on it but they was un pluged when i got there
turned the tig on pressed the foot pedal to check and set gas flow.
then that was it of went the house alarm. lol