BMW R1200RT/R1250RT Forum

I fitted a set of LED spot lights to my RT and as soon as I turn them on the Radio signal to the Stereo gets knocked out entirely turn them off radio is back its the LEDs that are doing it just wondered if anyone has had the same and found a cure for it had the same spots and the same problem on my Triumph Trophy didnt cure it just turned off spots to listed to the radio !!
thanks

Rob

Cheap electronics fire out a lot of RF, and most LED tech come from the far east and is cheap. You need to screen the electronics; you could experiment with introducing a metal plate / foil between the LED power electronics and the antenna (if it is getting in that way) or wrap the whole thing up if it is getting in to the radio some other way

Thanks for the reply Nick
ive no idea how to do that but know that bmw have LED Spots that work just wondered if there was a light that was e marked or had a number  that was known to work without knocking out the radio


Thanks
Rob

Your post is very timely! I just noticed the radio signal is very weak all of a sudden and have spent half an hour tracing the aerial cable to make sure I hadn't dislodged a connector a couple of weeks ago when I fitted.. you guessed it....some cheap Chinese spotlamps!
I didn't link the two events.
The spotlamps were fitted to the bike when I bought it and I removed them but recently decided to wire them up again and make them automatic with the main beam.
I've only just read your post so haven't had the chance to test whether the radio works when I switch off the lamps but it's surely no coincidence.
If it is the lamps then we'll need to investigate whether this is RF interference from the circuitry in the lamps or whether it's radiating from the cables. My lamps have aluminium bodies so earthing the bodies should sort it. If it's the wires then it's more tricky but re-routing them or wrapping some tin foil along part of their length and earthing that should work.

I've a set of Denali lights on my 1250 running with a Cansmart, they came off my 1200 which had a radio and there was no interference at all.

That is exactly what happened with my wireless bicycle computer and a cheap Asian Led Motorcycle light I put on. The computer would work for a while then quit. Had to get a wired computer. Forget trying to shield it. I tried wrapping foil around the wires, the light, the switch, etc

You'll find lots of comments on this by Googling. Before LEDs, the older HID bulbs were affecting the radio.

I've done some testing. It is RF interference being emitted by the lamps as opposed to interference through the wiring.
When I took them off the bike and powered them directly from a 12V battery it did the same. It knocks out a portable battery powered radio too. Therefore, it is nothing to do with the wiring or the bike's radio and antennae.
Unfortunately, as vulcanbike said, wrapping the lamp and wires in grounded tin foil did not stop it!
So I'll either remove the things or just never switch them on.
beemerboy9 is also right, there's tons of stuff and it all basically says don't buy cheap because there's nothing you can do about it!

All I do now is if listening to the radio I turn them off and if listening to the USB or phone audio through Bluetooth leave them on its a bit of a faf but I can live with it until I find a LED that dont knock the radio out


Rob

gadgetgaz wrote: I've done some testing. It is RF interference being emitted by the lamps as opposed to interference through the wiring.
When I took them off the bike and powered them directly from a 12V battery it did the same. It knocks out a portable battery powered radio too. Therefore, it is nothing to do with the wiring or the bike's radio and antennae.
Unfortunately, as vulcanbike said, wrapping the lamp and wires in grounded tin foil did not stop it!
So I'll either remove the things or just never switch them on.
beemerboy9 is also right, there's tons of stuff and it all basically says don't buy cheap because there's nothing you can do about it!

I bought some SW Motech driving lights from Bykebitz (owned by importers Motohaus).


I had bought some of their less expensive lights (Motopro Mk10 LED) and had troubles with both an early bulb failure and variation in the colour of the light output. Their service in dealing with both issues was excellent. [size=78%] [/size]