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Does replacing bad or dirty insulators on the powerline fix the BPL interference problem?

April 26, 2017bad bpl dirty Fix insulators interference Powerline problem replacing

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Does replacing bad or dirty insulators on the powerline fix the BPL interference problem?

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Replacing such components reduces power transmission generated noise, but not the BPL interference. Often new BPL carriers have to clean up their lines and reduce the power transmission generated noise so BPL will work. BPL is a radio signal on the powerline, and basic electronics theory states that any unshielded conductor a ¼ wavelength long will radiate RF energy. Q: BPL seems to be more prevalent in Europe. Is BPL interference just a problem in the United States? Is the interference issue related to North American 60 hertz systems versus 50 hertz systems found in the rest of the world? A: The BPL interference problem is a function of the unshielded powerline, not the frequency of the power signals, 50 or 60 hertz. European systems (50 hz) tend to be better suited for BPL than North American systems (60 hz) from a logistical point of view as utilities in Europe tend to place tens, or a hundred or more customers on one transformer.