Electrical noise is something that every engineer eventually runs into. It can be frustrating, but don't ignore it. The more you understand noise, the easier it becomes to build reliable products.

Many mysterious problems in the field turn out to be noise-related. Random resets, communication failures, incorrect measurements, and equipment that works fine in the lab but fails at the customer's site are often caused by noise.

So what exactly is noise?

Simply put, noise is unwanted electrical energy.

Whenever electricity flows through a wire, it creates invisible electric and magnetic fields around it. This happens naturally and cannot be avoided.

The problem is that this unwanted energy can spread to other parts of the system. When it reaches a nearby circuit, it may interfere with normal operation and cause unexpected behavior.

In other words, noise is electricity showing up where you don't want it.

When this unwanted energy affects electronic equipment, it is often called EMI (Electromagnetic Interference).

←Noise Is My Friend