Steam mops: are they interfering with your radio?

I would have expected that the appliance manufacturer that would be responsible for EMC compliance and that they would be responsible for using a compliant motor in their product.

It would be interesting to know what would happen if a manufacturer decides to use a different brand of motor in their product, either because the original brand is not available or that an alternative brand is cheaper. Electromagnetic interference is not just dependent on individual components but how they are used together, as we have seen in the Conversations about LED lighting.

wavechange, the appliance manufacturer is responsible for the whole product. However, components used should individually comply with appropriate standards so it would be sensible as a starting point, if the motor is accessible, for Which? to see if it is appropriately marked. I assume this might be a simple single speed switched motor without additional circuitry.

I was going to suggest that Which? ask the supplier for evidence of EMC but presume they would already have done so.

Malcolm – Have you any idea how an manufacturer would handle EMC compliance if the decided to switch to a motor from a different manufacturer? Would they rely on the fact that the new motor is compliant or would they carry out compliance testing of the whole product?

I know that the BBC handles complaints about radio and TV interference on behalf of Ofcom. I am not sure what an individual should do if they buy a product that causes radio interference. Maybe a steam mop or one of the many brands of LED lighting that have caused grief for people, as reported in our other Conversations. In that position, I would obviously want the retailer to replace the non-compliant product. If my steam mop was exchanged and the new one caused the same problem, I would want to take this further. The obvious solution seems to be to contact Trading Standards but many of us have experienced the problem that they don’t seem interested in pursuing problems on behalf of the individual, and focus their efforts on dangerous products and frequently reported problems. If that is the case, the interference problem may not be resolved unless the manufacturer receives numerous reports of the same issue.

grumpypete – Few may listen to AM radio, but it’s the easiest way that the general public can establish the amount of EMI being produced by household electrical products. As you say, it’s not just cheap products that create interference.

With the proliferation of products that can potentially cause interference and wireless devices that are broadcasting signals, perhaps the way forward will be internet radio.

Thanks Sarah. That is encouraging because there are some posts on this and another Conversation about LED bulbs from large manufacturers causing radio interference. The consensus seems to be that the 12 volt bulbs commonly used for downlighters are more of a problem than mains voltage lamps. Perhaps Which? could include these next time a test is planned.

Jill, it sounds like an earth leakage current that trips an ELCB in your fuse box. If it lets you reset the ELCB and then works normally it may be just an excessive current through a capacitor in the machine rather than an actual fault, but I would stop using it and contact the manufacturer.

Jill – Your electricity supply has tripped because there is some sort of fault. There is a small risk of electric shock or a fire if you carry on using a faulty appliance. I suggest you take it back to the shop you bought it from.

You are right to question reception, Terfar. It is difficult to eliminate all interference, particularly at short range, and if the signal is weak, interference has a much greater effect. I have both an FM loft aerial and a DAB external aerial, though the latter has been rendered redundant thanks to improved signal strength.

I am disappointed that Which? appears to be testing LED bulbs for DAB interference when most users are still on FM. However, I don’t see any reason for condemning DAB radio. Apart from listening to music on Radio 3 on FM, I mainly use DAB radio and would recommend a decent DAB car radio to everyone.

An alternative to decent aerials and dealing with products that cause interference is to use internet radio.

Here is a link to a 2014 survey on digital radio, which indicates that DAB represents about 37% of current use: http://www.rajar.co.uk/docs/news/RAJAR_DataRelease_InfographicQ22014.pdf It is quite clear that we need to retain FM radio and to include FM radio when testing for radio interference.

The target is (or was) to postpone the switchover to digital radio until it is used by at lest 50% of the population and that 90% of the population has coverage, similar to FM radio. Since some areas are covered by FM only and some by DAB only, it makes no sense to phase out FM radio anytime soon.

My experience is that DAB has a higher immunity to interference than DAB, but I do not know if this is generally true.

It would be good to have a Conversation about DAB and FM radio since it had been proposed that the switchover would take place between 2015 and 2019.

Philippa – All computers will generate some interference, but my mobile phones show now interference next to my 24″ iMac. The easy way to tell if the computer is causing the problem is to shut it down.

The router might be the source of interference, particularly if it is nearby, so try switching this off too.

The cordless system you mention would seem a likely culprit, except that you had the problem beforehand.

If you cannot trace the problem by switching things off, try switching off your mains supply at the consumer unit.

If you have established that the problem is not in your home, it might be something a neighbour is using if their house is attached to yours. If the interference is outside your home you should report the problem. It’s the BBC that investigates such problems on behalf of Ofcom.

I hope you can trace the problem, and do let us know how you get on.

I understand that manufacture of plasma TVs has declined and those manufacturers still producing them are likely to phase them out before long. Unfortunately, power line data transmission is now widely used in the home despite the problems that were obvious from the start.

With so many sources of electromagnetic radiation in the home, is there really any likelihood of addressing the problem, especially considering the demand for wireless technology?