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-   -   Touch Lamps Come On By Themselves But Only at Night? (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=39090)

  • Oct 25, 2006, 06:45 PM
    KaraMcIvor
    Touch Lamps Come On By Themselves But Only at Night??
    I have a set of two touch lamps. We had used the lamps at another house without incident. The first night I used the lights in my new house, I left one of the lamps on when I went to bed but when I got up the next morning, both lamps were on. The next night I didn't leave either lamp on but when I woke up, both were on. Last night I didn't leave either on but one was on when I got up.

    Can anyone please explain what might be happening? It is really starting to get spooky. Anyway, we have no pets that might touch or bump the lamps. They only turn themselves on at night. The other strange part is that I can sit in the living room after dark for two or three hours and neither lamp will turn itself on. This never happened at the other house in which we lived for over a year. So, I'm wondering how they could be turning themselves on and why it only happens in the middle of the night. Thanks to anyone who can explain!!

    Oh and I don't know if this has anything to do with it but since I started using the lamps in the new house, I have started getting interference on my baby monitor which was not happening before I used the lamps. The monitors will be fine and then at various times throughout the night, I will hear phone dial tones over the monitor. I even heard a recorded message like voicemail. Thanks.
  • Oct 26, 2006, 05:46 AM
    tkrussell
    Seems, according to the information found at:

    http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/touchlamp.html

    That these lamps are susceptible to RF(radio frequency) waves.
  • Oct 27, 2006, 07:54 PM
    KaraMcIvor
    Thanks for the information. I understand the concept of the radio waves but can anyone explain why it would only happen in the middle of the night? Thanks.
  • Oct 27, 2006, 08:06 PM
    tkrussell
    Trucking CB's , heavy radio traffic, "Skip" radio waves, a kid or CB hobbist in the neighborhood that only transmits at night, a local college underground radio, etc. etc.
  • Oct 27, 2006, 08:39 PM
    KaraMcIvor
    Thanks a bunch!
  • Jul 11, 2011, 08:37 AM
    rodneyt14
    Hello, I just read your report on touch lamps. We have a large 6-7 foot curio cabinet that has a touch
    Device on the upper side and this thing turns itself on quite frequently. I have it set at the strongest
    Setting during the day and turn it completely off during the night only to get up in the morning and it has
    Turned itself on. I don't know what you think of the response on the RF but I just read that and I am now
    Wondering if that could be the culprit. Have you had any other strange occurrences?
  • Jul 11, 2011, 10:36 AM
    hkstroud

    Something to try. Wrap the sensor in aluminum foil. Foil should block radio waves.
  • Jul 11, 2011, 11:32 AM
    rodneyt14
    Comment on hkstroud's post
    Thank you for that tip on using aluminum foil. We will definitely try that. I will put in a comment on about a month
    To let you know if it works!

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