RF DEVICES

Boiler

by piglet22 - 2024-07-26 02:37:35

Short answer, unlikely to interfere.

You already have WiFi operating all over the place and presumably a WiFi router using 2.4 or 5 GHz. Add in Bluetooth and ZigBee.

Boiler controls are either simple radio links using lower frequencies in the 400 to 900 MHz range,or they might be "smart" and use the WiFi frequency.

The lower frequencies penetrate further than GHz, so you might unknowingly be receiving your neighbours garage door remote control and if you have a modern vehicle, that will be using low frequency radio in the key fob.

My house has devices of all frequencies and I don't give it a second thought.

The pacemaker is well shielded including leads and if it has Bluetooth, all the the data is encrypted, as it is for all the other devices.

Just be aware that there is an upper limit on the number of WiFi devices you can use with your router.

Edit

I didn't have the RF frequencies to hand.

The licenced frequenes are (MHz) UK and Europe, 315, 433, 868, 915 and 918.

WiFi, Bluetooth, ZigBee use mainly 2.4 GHz and 5 MHz.

As a rule of thumb, the higher the frequency, the more data that can be carried, but range and penetration are less.

Power is also regulated 

RF FREQUENCY

by lizzie - 2024-07-26 05:50:37

Piglet22.     He never asked for my wifi password and it's not connected to an app on my phone - so (I presume) not the smart model. I've had a Pacemakers for 40yrs now and tend to forget most modern technology has RF.  I already have wifi, phones, smart meter, smoke alarms etc and never really thought about them tbh. Thank you for your help and explanation. I'm sure I saw the word Zigbee somewhere but didn't know what it meant tbh. 🤔 

Just looked at booklet and it reads

RF Frequency  - 2405/2480MHz max. RF output power 10dBm

And Google says

The Halo unit is powered by 4 AA batteries and communicates with the Halo Lite Receiver unit on a 868MHz frequency, a local RF protocol

You're welcome

by piglet22 - 2024-07-26 06:22:09

There are protocols for things like WiFi and Zigbee. Both are networked radio systems that operate in a defined way.

Zigbee is popular for home automation as it works in much the same way as WiFi, but doesn't need the complication of a broadband router. Zigbee itself is sub-divided into specific uses like medical and scientific. Zigbee also does not take up space on the WiFi network, though uses the same frequency.

It always amazes me just how much data is whizzing around in apparently empty air.

Just think about all the data there is in a television transmission. Everything that's needed to make up the picture and sound is carried as complex code on a radio signal.

And it gets more crowded with mobile phone traffic and addtional services like smart metering..

A lot of the need for for radio at all could be met by a much wider use of fibre optics.