A couple of years ago I got an "emergency" call about a very loud noise in the house of a client/friend. It was scaring the cats quite a lot. So I went to the house and certainly the noise was very loud, much louder than normal conversation. It seemed to be loudest near the furnace, so I switched the furnace off. No change. So I went to the breaker panel and switched the circuits off one at a time. No change, so I switched off the main No change! So the sound was not caused by anything electrical. Walked back to the furnace, felt it vibrating at the noise frequency, about 300 Hz, my estimate. Felt around, where was the vibration strongest? On the hot air plenum near the humidifier. Much stronger. Closed off the water valve to the humidifier, half way off the noise stopped. Opened the valve, the noise started again. Did that twice to verify it.
So I left the humidifier water valve mostly closed, 2 years and no recurrence. Who would suspect "water hammer" in a 1/4 inch tube to a humidifier??

My point being that perhaps the noise is not electrical, but coupled into the house from some other, non-electrical cause.
Depending on where the TS lives, it could be a water main flow noise or even a gas main flow noise. That would explain it being everywhere and not trackable.
One other possibility is that it is a mechanical vibration from the inverters associated with that nearby solar power array.
That could explain why it is a challenge to isolate.

 

I was writing quite the missive about your problem. But the solution is simple.
Put rf blocking ferrite cores on your power supply lines.
It most likely is an rf source that is local to you. It could be a bad solar array. A new radio station nearby. Or even a chain link fence around a new construction site.
Not an actual power line problem. But, maybe, your equipment isn't shielded properly. No offense, but is this equipment the cheapest that you could afford?

The FCC won't help you. Even if you are listening to a local radio station on your toaster. And yes this does happen.

Contact me for some quick and easy fixes. Maybe even a reasonable explanation.

 

I was writing quite the missive about your problem. But the solution is simple.
Put rf blocking ferrite cores on your power supply lines.
It most likely is an rf source that is local to you. It could be a bad solar array. A new radio station nearby. Or even a chain link fence around a new construction site.
Not an actual power line problem. But, maybe, your equipment isn't shielded properly. No offense, but is this equipment the cheapest that you could afford?

The FCC won't help you. Even if you are listening to a local radio station on your toaster. And yes this does happen.

Contact me for some quick and easy fixes. Maybe even a reasonable explanation.

Also, by power supply lines, I only meant the power cords to the individual equipment.

 

If a specific frequency other than the mains frequency, 60Hz, is constant, then a tuned directional listening device will be useful in locating the source of the sound. This is based on the thinking that not all electrical devices are capable of serving as transducers at audio frequencies, and many not at any frequencies.
If the source is outside the immediate area then reducing the level of the sound may be more challenging.

One additional thought is the possibility that it is an internally generated sound. I constantly hear a tone, about 7 Khz, 24/7/365, about 80dB. So it is loud. This has been as long as I can recall, back to my childhood. It has not driven me crazy yet, although it certainly is an inconvenience.

 

Today, the videos are producing 240Hz (4th harmonic of 60Hz) and 300Hz (5th harmonic), maybe caused by the neighbor's solar AC with a modified sinewave. Also, the new videos produce a buzz but before the sounds were smoother tones.

 

I once had a problem with electrical noise on the power lines in a research lab.

I was running some sensitive pulse measurement experiment when I found that the noise level increased every day from 9 am to 4:30 pm.

I built a small coil and connected it to a portable handheld oscilloscope. I did a quick survey of the building and located the source of the noise to the lab on the floor below my lab. As it turn out, the grad student in that lab came in every morning at 9am and turned on his computer. I ask him to replace the PSU on his computer. He did and the problem went away.

 

As I recall, the basic power line specifications in the U.S. are:

Voltage: 240 Volt line to neutral, =/- 6%. This translates to 113 volts to 127 volts RMS for the normal 120 volt outlet. Voltages are stated in RMS and measured with True-RMS meters.

Frequency: 60 Hz, =/- 0.5 %. This translates to 59.7 Hz to 60.3 Hz.

Harmonic distortion should be less than 8%.

From the oscilloscope videos, it seems these specifications are being met, but are on the high side for the RMS voltage (based on a simple peak-peak calculation). The jitter on the 1st video is likely scope triggering due to the periodic noise burst near the center of the screen. The one thing I see that is suspicious on both videos is that the peaks of the sine wave are “clipped”. Since the waveform is clipped on both videos, the source of acoustic noise is likely caused by the noise burst in the daytime waveform and not the clipping. My first thought is that there is SCR or Triac commutation noise on the line.

Seeing the other videos, it is clear that you (or a close neighbor) have a solar installation, and this is the likely cause of the noise (supported by the fact that it only happens during the daytime). It is possible that the inverter used to convert the solar cell DC voltage into 60 Hz AC voltage is the cause of the clipped waveform and is rich in frequency harmonics. The commutation noise also has a very broad frequency spectrum and most 60 Hz transformers (inside products) do not like those kinds of waveforms, and express that dislike through acoustic vibrations of the core laminations and possibly even the windings.

I would contact the solar installation company to lodge your complaint.

 

Are you on good terms with your neighbor? Have them turn their array off for a short bit to see if the sound goes away while it's off.

 

If it is the solar array, I would think it would vary a lot with the amount of sun, not just day and night.

The more info we get, the more I like Ian’s suggestion that it’s external acoustic noise.

 

Hi all,

First, for you ADHD go-gettum problem solvers who like staring at funny graphs that aren't doing what they should be doing, the TL;DR: There's a funny electronic buzzing sound in all of my sensitive/expensive electronics and it's even gotten louder; please help me understand this reading on the oscilloscope, which I took on my 120v AC outlet. You will find it attached, please and thank you.

The "you got me I'm curious, I'll spend 15 minutes reading your 3 energy drink, 4 cold brew coffee inspired 11:00pm worknight post:"

The back story:
Loud (beyond normal) electronic buzzing sounds started to occur in all of my electronics that had any kind of main login board. These include, but are not limited to, LED lightbulbs, my oven, the refrigerator, both of my computer PSU's, TV's, Modem+Router, the list goes on. Please be aware that this sound is house-wide. Not just one circuit. Since I noticed this, I have been chasing electricians, I&C techs, the power company, my neighbors, and lately even the FCC/CC in circles trying to make heads or tales of the dratted electronic buzzing sound that has plagued my ears and, more importantly, my electronics.

What I've done:

I've been in and out of electrical help forums, student-engineer help-me-read-this-instrument pages, HAM radio operator and complainer pages, and at this point I feel like I've taken my first year of electrical apprenticeship online (kidding). Please send help, I'm an IT guy. We try NOT to touch the magic sparky stuff in the walls.

I've unplugged every item in the house trying to narrow down the source.
No, nothing was left plugged in (except the dryer, oven, and AC) when I finished.
Yes, everything still buzzed one by one as I plugged them each in to a different circuit in the house.

The electrician that I had out said that voltages across the house look fine. He also said that all of the breakers/protectors on the panel look and trip fine. For all purposes, he believes that the wiring and components of my house are not the issue, here. I don't know if I believe him, but he's the electrician, here, I just use the sparky zappy stuff.

Next, I had my power company out. Surprise, surprise, they found that voltages at the panel were fine. They said there's nothing more they can do and that the issue I was describing sounded like a power frequency issue and there's nothing they could do about that. Another dead end. The man left me at my doorstep to die a slow 30-year electrical buzzing induced death.

Next, I appropriated an oscilloscope from somewhere and decided to do my own testing on an outlet, during the daytime. Attached, you will find the day-time (problem existing) video. You will also find the video I took at dusk with the problem NOT being there, to capture a look at what my power usually looks like when not driving my senses nuts with infernal electrical whining.

Attached, you will also find a video of the sound as best I could capture it.

On that note, It's insanity to me that everywhere I turn has NO idea what I'm asking them to fix. No one seems to recognize that this IS an issue and it DOES need to be fixed. Am I the crazy one? I'm starting to think so. If you, dear helpful forum, have any advice on who/what I should turn to next, I'd definitely appreciate that, too.

Anyways, I think that's enough for this post. Please send help, I am not okay.

Edit: I have found that I cannot attach videos to forum posts.. As such, here is a link to a Google album containing the file: Oscilloscope Readings.
You can check the link before clicking it by hovering over it and looking in the bottom left of your screen. In that album, there is also the night-time reading that is normal (in my opinion) as well as the video/audio of what my buzzing electronics sound like.

Attached to the forum post will be a still of the oscilloscope reading, should you not want to trust the link. Please not that the graph itself is shifting rapidly left and right on my scope (I think this is indication of frequency?) and the jitter of voltage (?) in the line keeps moving up and down the diagonal portion.

My Request:
If nothing else, can someone please help me understand what I'm looking at on this oscilloscope? From my research, the yellow line = voltage. Peak to peak is the frequency. A moving peak = changing frequency. Jitters in the yellow line = voltage modulation?

Any advice is much appreciated.

Me and my aching eardrums thank you in advance,
Justin.

I see on your video of the outside electrical service entrance, that you have a Photovoltaic system. The sound is only during the DAYTIME....sunlight hours. Maybe try turning off your Inverter to see if the sound goes away....

 

Back in post #41 I did mention that the sound may not be electrical, even if it is being generated by some part of the photo array. Both magnetic devices (motors, transformers, inductors) as well as some types of capacitors, can be effective but unintended audio transducers. So the noise could be transported mechanically by conduction through materials.

So, just like others have suggested, I also suggest shutting down the solar power system for a while.Not just a "standby" mode, but a real, total shutdown. That may take a bit of doing, possibly even pulling fuses to disconnect the battery portion.

 

If it makes you feel any better, I don't think you're crazy. I did at first but now I'm pretty sure your neighbor's solar inverter is inducing noise into your devices in some way that is beyond my understanding. What I see in the scope is not a perfect mains waveform, but it's far from anything I would expect to cause all corners of your home to unite in a spontaneous device orchestra...

 

The only to determine whether the buzzing is something in your house is to turn off the main circuit breaker in your house to see if this noise goes away to prove it is something in your house. If you turn off all of the circuits in the main panel and restore the main breaker does the noise come back? you can try turning on one breaker at a time every couple of minutes to allow time for things to cycle. Some central air systems cam wait up to fifteen minutes before turning back on after their power is restored. I have heard of relays in outside air conditioner buzz when they are running as well as the control transformers in the air handlers which are on all the time. This is also true for those mini split air conditioners that are popular now. I agree that the voltage waveform doesn't look too good but a current probe waveform on the second trace tells the better story. There is the possibily that one of your neighbors has a PV system that is not working properly when doing a feed in which may be disturbing you power. If there is a little DC on the line from the PV system, the transformers connected won't like it and buzz so there is that possibility also. Good luck hunting

 

I already suggested switching off the solar power system, switching off the mains feed as well at the same time should remove all sources, except for a UPS.

 

I already suggested switching off the solar power system, switching off the mains feed as well at the same time should remove all sources, except for a UPS.

 

It is wonderful that there are so many educated people looking at graphs and guestimating frequencies by ear or eye.

However; the real question here is "is he the only one"?

Does anyone else have an issue with this noise problem? If it is as pervasive as the respondents seem to believe, why aren't other residents also complaining?

Yes this can be a fun mental and mathematical exercise, but let's try to deal with the problem. As far as I know, only this one resident is having an issue. Most of the possible "problems" that are being suggested seem to be systemic. But, if it is only an issue with the one resident...

Then that must be an issue within the home of the one resident.

It could be something being generated by his own gear. Or his having cheap gear that doesn't have sufficient ac line filtering.

The discussion, so far, seems to be requesting other residents to disrupt their operations just to find out IF and MAYBE it is their property that MAY be causing an issue.

You should do everything reasonable to your own situation and location BEFORE trying to accuse another party of causing the problem.

Simple ferrite cores on the power cords of your equipment MAY solve the issue. If it doesn't , you are only out a few dollars. And then you can approach other people about possible problems that their equipment MAY be causing. But, as in many of court cases, if you don't do your own due diligence, you lose
And, please, follow the KISS method.
Keep
It
Simple
Stupid

 

It is wonderful that there are so many educated people looking at graphs and guestimating frequencies by ear or eye.

Do you have beef with education? Visual frequency observations came from pictures and videos of oscilloscope traces. Audio observations came from software analysis of video sound track. I don't know what "graphs" you're talking about; the oscilloscope traces? I hope that's not what you're referring to. And what are these guesstimates you speak of?

However; the real question here is "is he the only one"?

Well that's not actually the "real question" but

why aren't other residents also complaining?

It seems like you've manufactured an answer to it. Are they not complaining? Did I miss something? Did he say that no neighbors experienced the same noise? As far as I can remember, the only time he mentioned neighbors was in response to several people all having the same hunch (that some nearby solar inverter could be the cause) to which he confirmed that indeed, his neighbor has one, and it makes the same sounds that his devices do (and he uploaded a video of it). And the sound goes away at night and comes back in the morning.

Yes this can be a fun mental and mathematical exercise, but let's try to deal with the problem.

That's exactly what we're doing. It starts with identifying the cause. That's the step we're on right now.

As far as I know, only this one resident is having an issue. Most of the possible "problems" that are being suggested seem to be systemic. But, if it is only an issue with the one resident...

Then that must be an issue within the home of the one resident.

It could be something being generated by his own gear. Or his having cheap gear that doesn't have sufficient ac line filtering.

Your argument hinges on this one unconfirmed hypothetical (highlighted in bold) that is a further stretch than anyone else in this thread has made so far.

The discussion, so far, seems to be requesting other residents to disrupt their operations just to find out IF and MAYBE it is their property that MAY be causing an issue.

You should do everything reasonable to your own situation and location BEFORE trying to accuse another party of causing the problem.

Yes, the root cause analysis starts with ruling out the most likely causes first. Several people suspected a neighbor had a solar inverter and that turned out to be the case. Confirmation bias? Maybe a little. But I don't think anyone has banged a gavel or declared the case closed. It is merely put forth as a potential cause or at worst the most likely cause. There is still room for other possibilities. If the neighbor is willing to turn it off for less than a minute, then it will be conclusively proven or disproven, without any monetary investment on the part of either party. I don't see the problem.

Simple ferrite cores on the power cords of your equipment MAY solve the issue. If it doesn't , you are only out a few dollars. And then you can approach other people about possible problems that their equipment MAY be causing. But, as in many of court cases, if you don't do your own due diligence, you lose
And, please, follow the KISS method.
Keep
It
Simple
Stupid

KISS, yes, I agree. KISS, as in, eliminate the most obvious potential cause FIRST and then go around clamping ferrites onto desk lamp cords like a crazy person.

 

It is wonderful that there are so many educated people looking at graphs and guestimating frequencies by ear or eye.

However; the real question here is "is he the only one"?

Does anyone else have an issue with this noise problem? If it is as pervasive as the respondents seem to believe, why aren't other residents also complaining?

Yes this can be a fun mental and mathematical exercise, but let's try to deal with the problem. As far as I know, only this one resident is having an issue. Most of the possible "problems" that are being suggested seem to be systemic. But, if it is only an issue with the one resident...

Then that must be an issue within the home of the one resident.

It could be something being generated by his own gear. Or his having cheap gear that doesn't have sufficient ac line filtering.

The discussion, so far, seems to be requesting other residents to disrupt their operations just to find out IF and MAYBE it is their property that MAY be causing an issue.

You should do everything reasonable to your own situation and location BEFORE trying to accuse another party of causing the problem.

Simple ferrite cores on the power cords of your equipment MAY solve the issue. If it doesn't , you are only out a few dollars. And then you can approach other people about possible problems that their equipment MAY be causing. But, as in many of court cases, if you don't do your own due diligence, you lose
And, please, follow the KISS method.
Keep
It
Simple
Stupid

If you read the OP post #1, there are NEW sounds emanating from nearly ALL of HIS electronic devices that is very annoying to HIM. He would like to find the cause of the annoying sounds. By definition, the sound has to be caused by something vibrating in his electronic devices. He further took some basic steps to answer that on his own, but found he was quickly out of his element, so he asked the AAC community for help.

It makes NO difference if anyone else has a problem with this (he may have sensitive ears, just like I do) for certain sounds. He is looking for help in understanding the cause. The consensus now is that the CAUSE is LIKELY the neighbors solar array. Once the CAUSE is ascertained, only then can possible solutions entertained. If there IS an ABNORMAL PROBLEM in the solar array, that is where a solution would likely need to be applied. If there is NOT an abnormal problem, then the solution(s) would likely fall to geong1.

In the later case, those solutions may include filtering by ferrite cores, plugging the device into the other side of the 240 volt buss, to individual complex filters, to device replacement or even learning to accept the noise. But let him FIRST DETERMINE THE CAUSE of the noise.

The KISS method is generally the best - in this case - just go talk to the neighbor and ask if they would mind shutting down the array for a brief period of time and then start it back up again to see if the noise appears to be linked to the solar array. If the noise stops and starts back up again, the CAUSE is very likely to be the solar array. If it is NOT the cause, the cost to the neighbor to find this out is minimal. If it is the cause, it may indicate a problem with the solar array that would benefit the neighbor to find out early on. If the neighbor is un-cooperative, well, that is a different situation.

 

Hi all, my regular once a weekend check in....

I tend to agree with the KISS method, which is why I started with trying to isolate the issue, then removing all electronics, then calling an electrician, then calling my power company.

In answer to the question, again, I *do* have sensitive ears, but this is different than the usual buzzing that I am quite used to hearing in electronics. It is VERY audible and does have a very negative impact on my lighting. Friends and family who have made fun of me in the past for my sensitive hearing have complained/mentioned the lighting and sounds coming from my electronics when they visit.

As an update to the situation, I spoke with my neighbor with the solar array. Let me preface by saying: 1, they're foreign and do not understand my english well, and 2: they said "it's our air conditioning." That said, they're unwilling to entertain the idea of me either paying for their solar company to come out for a repair check or for me to turn it off for a few minutes to test.

Just to reiterate, I've gone through the entire house and unplugged/tested every single item. I've unplugged the WHOLE house, one outlet at a time and listened to each device that makes a sound to see if they would go away. I've killed all breakers except the main and 1 other and tested each electronic in different sections of the house to see if it is the issue. I've alternated what electronics I test where, as well as what type of electronic it is. Each reproduces the same sound with any kind of combination of devices/breakers on/off/plugged in/open.

At this point, I'm weighing the following 3 options:
1: Whole-house surge protector. I've heard that they can do a certain amount of filtering when it comes to ingress/EMI. I'd rather not do this, as it does cost around $1100 to purchase and install, from the 1 quote I've gotten.
2: I'm willing to entertain the idea of ferrite blockers, but I'm not sure what I'd do about my lighting issues when it comes to the flickering lights.
3: I'm VERY tempted to shut off their solar on my own. Alternatively, I am also very tempted to just call the solar company and complain. Unfortunately, I've heard terrible things about the customer service of the company: sunrun solar.

Basically, at this point, I'm looking for best option moving forward. I'd like to resolve the issue, especially because I'm convinced it's not me. I've already paid about 500 for electricians to say everything is fine on my end, I'd prefer not to make it 1600 for that and a surge protector.

Any ideas? I'll also take ideas on additional tests I can run that I've not already tried.

 

It seems The FCC's priorities are on this order: emergency services, businesses, consumers. So you can file a complaint, and maybe they will investigate.

https://www.fcc.gov/enforcement/areas/interference-resolution

Consumers or members of the public experiencing RF interference may file complaints electronically with the FCC’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau using the Consumer Complaint Center. CGB will route RF complaints within the Field’s jurisdiction to the appropriate Field Office for investigation.

I would start looking for my next home. This feels like something that will not be resolved.