# light interference with wireless computer?



## urmb (Oct 4, 2005)

My riding buddy let me borrow one of his new cheap wonder lights from China for a downhill section of trail. I put it on my handlebar and finished the decent. Light is nice. Bright and great beam spread. After I reluctantly gave the light back I checked my mileage and I was missing a few miles. Computer (wireless) was working fine. He had already headed home, so the light was out of reach until the next ride. Theory: light interfered with the wireless connection of my Cateye computer. 

I know i need to borrow the light for more testing...a lot more testing. Before I do that, I was wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience or lack of such an experience when using any handlebar mounted light. 


Thanks 
urmb


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## MaximusHQ (Aug 6, 2007)

I've seen similar posts to yours about the interference between wireless computers and LED and HID lights. I use a Garmin Edge which doesn't have this issue. So now you have a reason to upgrade the cateye to a gps.


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## GraXXoR (Sep 29, 2011)

urmb said:


> My riding buddy let me borrow one of his new cheap wonder lights from China for a downhill section of trail. I put it on my handlebar and finished the decent. Light is nice. Bright and great beam spread. After I reluctantly gave the light back I checked my mileage and I was missing a few miles. Computer (wireless) was working fine. He had already headed home, so the light was out of reach until the next ride. Theory: light interfered with the wireless connection of my Cateye computer.
> 
> I know i need to borrow the light for more testing...a lot more testing. Before I do that, I was wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience or lack of such an experience when using any handlebar mounted light.
> 
> ...


I used to mount my cateye wireless at the centre of my bars, but when I bought an MS-816 "Mickey Mouse" light with remote and mounted that near the centre of the bar on the other side of the stem, I found the cateye always showed 0 speed. I remedied it by mounting the cateye as far from the light and remote and as near to the brake lever as possible (on the same side of the bike as the wheel sensor and magnet). The remote button, I mounted towards the opposite brake lever. This cured the problem and it never reoccured.

I'm now using a pair of Gloworm X2s which show no such interference issues. I read somewhere that a ferrite collar or bead on the remote and power cable also fixes the issue.


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## gmcttr (Oct 7, 2006)

My MJ-872 interferes with my Cateye Micro Wireless. My MJ-808's don't.

I have to move the Cateye about 8" from the lighthead and all is well.


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## Action LED Lights (Nov 11, 2011)

The way that most LED lights control the current to and there by the brightness of the LED is to switch the power off and on something like 20,000 time a second. To reduce current the amount of time off is increase and the opposite to increase current. This rapid switching creates a weak electrical signal that will interfere with most wireless computers. Locating the light and its wires as far away as possible will sometimes fix the problem but not always.


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## Gloworm Manufacture (Nov 29, 2011)

GraXXoR said:


> I used to mount my cateye wireless at the centre of my bars, but when I bought an MS-816 "Mickey Mouse" light with remote and mounted that near the centre of the bar on the other side of the stem, I found the cateye always showed 0 speed. I remedied it by mounting the cateye as far from the light and remote and as near to the brake lever as possible (on the same side of the bike as the wheel sensor and magnet). The remote button, I mounted towards the opposite brake lever. This cured the problem and it never reoccured.
> 
> I'm now using a pair of Gloworm X2s which show no such interference issues. I read somewhere that a ferrite collar or bead on the remote and power cable also fixes the issue.


Switching regulator based LED drivers (these types of drivers are more efficient as the circuit will adjust voltage being supplied to the LEDs to ensure the current is constant and the voltage at the LED is correct) will produce some kind of electronic noise due to the circuitry type. Drivers with a switching regulator can have efficiecies of up to 96% (depending on the variables at the time). The amount of noise produced had a direct correlation with the interference experienced by a wireless device.

At Gloworm we spent a significant amount of time and money testing to ensure this phenomonen was reduced. Although the X2 still produces a small EM (electromagnetic) field it is not enough to affect most wireless bike computers.

Some LED lights use a linear regulator LED driver. Any difference between battery voltage and voltage required at the LED will be burnt of as heat (not good)....the efficiency of these types of drivers can be as low as 75%.


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## Joules (Oct 12, 2005)

Could you shield the cable? Wrap it in metallic tape and tie it to the ground of the battery? I suspect magicshine doesn't do this because, well you don't make something that cheap by adding features. 

Or just toss the wireless computer in the trash where it belongs.


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## GraXXoR (Sep 29, 2011)

Joules said:


> Could you shield the cable? Wrap it in metallic tape and tie it to the ground of the battery? I suspect magicshine doesn't do this because, well you don't make something that cheap by adding features.
> 
> Or just toss the wireless computer in the trash where it belongs.


Ferrite collars (sometimes called beads) are for that purpose, (take a look at a 15 pin D-SUB VGA or DVI monitor cable to see an example). Clamp one around the cable nearest the lamp (and / or the remote) and see if that helps.

They are really cheap and can be bought in most electrical parts shops in varying sizes.


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## Rallyator (Nov 11, 2008)

I have a Wilma and a Tesla and both "jam" my Sigma 1606 Wireless computer. I've already tried the magnet but didn't work. Any more ideas?. Thks.


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## tb123 (Dec 20, 2011)

I had a small Cateye light that used to interfere with my Polar S720i when on flash mode. Tried moving further apart, but only thing that worked was to hang the light under the bars. 

I now have a Garmin Edge500 and Gloworm X2, no interference on any mode so far with both in close proximity


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## Action LED Lights (Nov 11, 2011)

A Garmin or other GPS don't have the same problem. It's the signal from a speed pickup at the wheel that is blocked.


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## tb123 (Dec 20, 2011)

Action LED Lights said:


> A Garmin or other GPS don't have the same problem. It's the signal from a speed pickup at the wheel that is blocked.


Yes, I know.

I use the Garmin GSC10 wireless speed / cadence sensor on my rear wheel (on my road bike) so in my case, it would show up as an issue, I believe.

No problems with the HRM either.


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## GraXXoR (Sep 29, 2011)

One of my X2s is practically touching my Cateye wireless. Absolutely no issues.


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## Rogus (Nov 15, 2011)

A MiNewt.600, L&M 500, and a Cygolite 400 all caused interference with my Cateye Adventure. It seems from my research that Cateye wireless computers seems to be more suspectible to this interference than others or it may be because there are more of them out there causing more interference reports than other brands. I also made the switch to a Garmin 500 and have no interference issues.


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## BradBain (Apr 15, 2015)

yup, I just had this happen to me the other night. 

you post is 2012. Obviously this is still an issue. 

NiteRider Lumina 750 and same results on two CatEye wireless computers. 

I guess if I am riding at night, I won't watch my speed or know my mileage. Sucks!!!

B


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## andychrist (Aug 25, 2011)

New Cateye Padrone wireless I purchased reads 0mph most of the time, whether or not I have my lights connected. Total piece of crap. And yeah, I have the magnet and sensor aligned within a hair's breadth.


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