EMI noise from furnace

[dukja]

The clicking noise introduced into my headphone gear by the furnace is driving me crazy. Sometimes, it takes several seconds for the furnace to get started and I will hear the interruption synchronized with the clicking of the starter in the furnace.

I have tried some Philips surge/filter power strip and Belkin PureAV Isolator. While some short clicking may be cured and not audible, the bad long interruption still went through.

So I would like to check anyone may have good economic solution for this issue without buying things like Power Plant from PSA, etc.

Many thanks!!

 

[The-One]

Move away from the furnace.

 

[dukja]

Maybe I wasn't clear (by assuming everybody is in US). Or you were just kidding.

The furnace is part of central air condition system in the house that heats up the air and force it circulating the room. If I don't want to be frozen to death at this weather, I better stayed in the house.

Or I can moved to a nicer house.

To be serious, I do appreciate help to address this EMI issue.

 

[The-One]

LOL

I think it's a US thing. I'm from the UK, and I had assumed you either had an electric furnace plugged in next to your headphone amp or your headphones were melting next to a real fire furnace...

Um, I don't think EMI interference should cause such severe problems? I mean, if you look at the reviews for ERS paper or other power tweaks, they "improve" the sound, rather than getting rid of a fairly obvious and serious issue with the sound.

I'm tempted to think it might be ground interference? That usually causes very audible problems. I had a problem like that on my laptop, I just bought a double insulated PSU so the power never touches ground.

 

[Omega17TheTrue]

What about going off the grid with batteries ?

 

[Anonanimal]

It sounds like the furnace is on the same circuit as the outlet that you're using for your gear. Is there any way you can test an outlet in a different location in your house to see if you still get the interference when the furnace clicks on?

 

[dukja]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Omega17TheTrue /img/forum/go_quote.gif What about going off the grid with batteries ?

I need to power both the DAC and AMP out of 110V AC. What produce were you suggesting? It seems to me the PSA's Power Plant is doing exactly like that, right?

I would love to hear similar solution with cheaper cost.

Thanks!

 

[dukja]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anonanimal /img/forum/go_quote.gif It sounds like the furnace is on the same circuit as the outlet that you're using for your gear. Is there any way you can test an outlet in a different location in your house to see if you still get the interference when the furnace clicks on?

Good idea. I can either plug in my furnace or gear to other outlet. I'll try that.

Any other ideas?

 

[fatcat28037]

I'm a little stymied about your furnace. I assume you're talking about an electric ignition (read spark here) gas or oil furnace. I my experience furnaces are on a separate hard wired circuit independent of all outlets. However it sounds like this isn't the case in your home. Move your equipment to the Kitchen. and see it the problem persists. I suggest the kitchen because kitchens are usually wired to at least one separate 20amp circuit and therefore should be unaffected by the furnace.

 

[dukja]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fatcat28037 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I assume you're talking about an electric ignition (read spark here) gas or oil furnace. I my experience furnaces are on a separate hard wired circuit independent of all outlets. However it sounds like this isn't the case in your home. Move your equipment to the Kitchen. and see it the problem persists. I suggest the kitchen because kitchens are usually wired to at least one separate 20amp circuit and therefore should be unaffected by the furnace.

It is exactly the spark igniter that feed the fluctuation into the power line. And it is plugged into the outlet inside the compartment where the furnace is located. That compartment is close to the center of my home (instead of being in the garage). Maybe the electrician did not install those power line properly.

Actually now I remember I used to have heard this interference in my DVD playing. At that time, I switch to optical IC for the digital audio connection and that issue went away.

Maybe I should try toslink to connect my PC and DAC? If this solve the problem then maybe the noise was not coming from the power line but through RFI via air ??? It is getting interesting...

 

[bcpk]

Sounds like you need to run your furnace by burning ERS paper. Might cure the issue.

 

[Omega17TheTrue]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dukja /img/forum/go_quote.gif I need to power both the DAC and AMP out of 110V AC. What produce were you suggesting? It seems to me the PSA's Power Plant is doing exactly like that, right? I would love to hear similar solution with cheaper cost. Thanks!

I was thinking of products with batteries on-board but i think its a bad idea unless this is the only solution.

Have you try other plugs in your house ? The best solution would be to call a electrician to look at your electric installation but beware some of them can be scammers.

 

[fatcat28037]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dukja /img/forum/go_quote.gif It is exactly the spark igniter that feed the fluctuation into the power line. And it is plugged into the outlet inside the compartment where the furnace is located. That compartment is close to the center of my home (instead of being in the garage). Maybe the electrician did not install those power line properly. Actually now I remember I used to have heard this interference in my DVD playing. At that time, I switch to optical IC for the digital audio connection and that issue went away. Maybe I should try toslink to connect my PC and DAC? If this solve the problem then maybe the noise was not coming from the power line but through RFI via air ??? It is getting interesting...

If there's an empty slot in the breaker box, I'd run a new 20a dedicated line to the furnace. That should cure your problem.

 

[dukja]

Thank you all for the nice suggestion. I was too busy to try anything but will test ideas this weekend.

 

[dukja]

While I was starting from power line and also appreciate many suggestion on separate my gear and furnace in break board, I just found out that if I use usb input to my Stello DA100 (the home setup), then there is no EMI noise when furnace turned up. And my gear was on PureAV isolator.

Why with the noise come in with coax but not with USB input ?

I got the idea to try USB because I remembered my previous experience using toslink for the audio connection between DVD and home theater receiver.

If my soundcard's coax out is suseptable to EMI, then maybe I will need those Musiand or HiFace converter?