Arts >> Music >> Digital Music

How to Create a 60Hz Digital Filter

Electrical power is typically supplied in the form of alternating current, which changes direction 60 times per second. This is commonly referred to as 60 Hz VAC. Digital electronics that are connected to a 60 Hz VAC power supply should use a filter to prevent any of the power supply's current from leaking into the digital signal. This can be accomplished by constructing a simple band-stop filter. This filter blocks the 60 Hz signals from entering into the digital signal path.

Instructions

    • 1

      Select a capacitor value for your circuit. Many capacitors have nominal values in the microfarad range. The resonant frequency of a band-stop filter depends on two variables: the capacitance of the capacitor and the inductance of the inductor. Since you only have one known value (the frequency), you must select one variable. A 10-microfarad capacitor is a decent choice for a 60 Hz band-stop filter.

    • 2

      Calculate the inductance for the inductor component of the band-stop filter. The resonant frequency equation for such a filter is:

      Frequency = 1 / 2 * pi * square root (L*C)

    • 3

      Enter in the known values into the above equation: frequency and capacitance. Use them to solve for the unknown value: inductance (L).

      60 Hz = 1 / 2 * pi * square root (L*10*10^-6)

    • 4

      Rearrange the equation so that the unknown value L is on one side of the equal sign, and all the known values are on the other side. You can do this by multiplying both sides of the equation by “2 * pi * square root (L*10*10^-6),” which yields the following result:

      2 * pi * square root (L*10*10^-6) * 60 Hz = 1

    • 5

      Isolate the square root on one side of the equation by dividing both sides by “2 * pi * 60 Hz,” which results in the following:

      square root (L*10*10^-6) = 1/ (2 * pi * 60 Hz)

    • 6

      Square both sides of the equation to get rid of the square root. The equation now looks like this:

      L*10*10^-6 = (1/ (2 * pi * 60 Hz))^2

    • 7

      Solve for L by dividing both sides of the equation by “10*10^-6,” which results in a value of:

      L = 703 mH

    • 8

      Order the parts needed for this circuit: one 10-microfarad capacitor and one 703 mH inductor. You may need to order one 700 mH inductor and one 3 mH inductor, if a 703 mH inductor is unavailable.

Digital Music

Related Categories