Can a microwave interfere with ir remote control

Efour · 28 Jun 2016 at 22:21

Random!

I bought a new radio for the kitchen and it came with a remote.

When i put it near the Microwave (turned off) the remote doesn't seem to work at all.

If i move it 2 meters away it seems to start to work again.

?? Da ***?

Any ideas , can it do that?

ChroniC · 28 Jun 2016 at 22:23

I would have thought no. Maybe it's the distance? Is it 2 metres closer or two metres to the left or right?

Mynight · 28 Jun 2016 at 22:24

Wouldn't have thought so two different techs.

Must be something else. Distance maybe?

Edit: picture time?

Efour · 28 Jun 2016 at 22:26

haha i will see what i can do... I have no idea this is confusing.

No im standing about 1m away using the remote

I think it might just be a dodgy connection and coincidence

Mynight · 28 Jun 2016 at 22:30

AFAIK the only thing that can interfere with IR is line of sight or another IR source.

Could be a dodgy connection but if you've moved it a couple times then it seems weird that the connection only faults in one place.

Six6siX · 28 Jun 2016 at 22:32

Is there a wall in the way?

Efour · 28 Jun 2016 at 22:35

Six6siX said:
Is there a wall in the way?

doh you got it thx !

Mynight · 28 Jun 2016 at 22:40

Hate to ask but are you sure it's IR?

Efour · 28 Jun 2016 at 22:51

Mynight said:
Hate to ask but are you sure it's IR?

no idea i thought they all are ?

its a cheap ass radio 50 quid.

The remote is hideous so it is the cheapest of the cheap.

what else can it be ? i see a clear plastic LED sticking out

Efour · 28 Jun 2016 at 22:53

Its on par with this little POS. cheap as hell

oK lets assume its an RF one i guess a microwave can annihilate it now

bainbridge · 28 Jun 2016 at 22:56

Is there an ir emitter on the front?

Werewolf · 28 Jun 2016 at 22:56

If it's a cheap radio it won't be a radio remote, IR remotes are much cheaper to make.
It's more likely something like a low energy light bulb or even daylight (if the receiver is cheap enough) blocking the receiver from recognising the signal.

The fact it's happening when the microwave isn't running should be enough to rule that out.

Six6siX · 28 Jun 2016 at 22:58

That says RF remote on the receiver, not IR

Efour · 28 Jun 2016 at 23:03

its not that one
im doing some extensive disassembly for you to look at it

Mynight · 28 Jun 2016 at 23:06

If it's got a LED there's little chance it's RF. Sorry my bad.

Werewolf nailed it I think.

Turn the lights off and try again?

Efour · 28 Jun 2016 at 23:08

Mynight · 28 Jun 2016 at 23:10

Well in my professional opinion that's definitly a PCB.

Not sure what that lump of metal is on the bottom but it definitly looks like an IR one sorry.

Efour · 28 Jun 2016 at 23:11

feel the quality lol

so how can i fix it to work ? its normal light ? very interesting wish i new more about this kind of electronics.

Efour · 28 Jun 2016 at 23:12

Mynight said:
Not sure what that lump of metal is on the bottom but it definitly looks like an IR one sorry.

button battery contacts - it slides in there

Mauller · 28 Jun 2016 at 23:14

The issue is more than likely to do with the intensity of the IR diode and the sensitivity of the IR receiver.

i would put it down and check the distances from it. i would also try placing it in a different room as there could be a source of IR interference in the original room that you have not noticed.