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Re: [RFI] Solar Inverter.

To: rfi@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [RFI] Solar Inverter.
From: Jim Brown <jim@audiosystemsgroup.com>
Reply-to: jim@audiosystemsgroup.com
Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2012 23:32:09 -0700
List-post: <rfi@contesting.com">mailto:rfi@contesting.com>
On 3/19/2012 9:29 PM, Larry Benko wrote:
> Ferrites alone were not
> adequate to eliminate the RF interference.

Hi Larry,

Thanks for documenting and sharing your work on this.  One red flag that 
I see in at least some of the photos is that the Green Wire bypasses the 
common mode choke. It has been my experience that the Green Wire is 
often (usually) part of the common mode circuit, and must pass with the 
other conductors through the choke.

As an example of this issue, a few years ago I fitted very good 
conventional line filters into boxes and connectorized them (very short 
leads) for use with some Honda generators for  Field Day and California 
QSO Party county expeditions that are noisy on 20M-10M.  The filters 
didn't work at all, because the trash was radiated on the Green Wire. I 
lengthened the line (portable 20A cordage) between the generator and the 
filter enough to wind about six turns through two #31 toroids and that 
killed the noise.

Note that W4EF shows exactly that solution on the following page for 
noise on his Honda generator.  Mike is an EE at JPL.

http://www.dellroy.com/W4EF%27s-Ham-Radio-Page/Portable_Operation/EU2000i_Filter.htm
 


BTW -- the REASON that the Green Wire is part of the problem is a "Pin 
One Problem-like" error in the connection of the Green Wire at the noise 
source.  The same sort of error also couples RF trash out of TV sets 
onto coaxial wiring that we THINK is bonded to the chassis but is not.

Notice also that both Mike and I were working on noise in the 14-28 MHz 
range, so we both settled on chokes resonant in that range. He used #43 
because that's what he had, and also because it's the best choice above 
about 20 MHz. I used #31 because that's what I had, and because it's 
almost as good in that range.  We would both use more turns for noise on 
the lower HF bands.

Another BTW -- what a Power System engineer calls common mode is current 
that is equal on phase and neutral.  But from an RFI point of view,  all 
three conductors are part of the antenna, and if the Green wire and 
internal bonding are not proper, we must choke all three conductors (or 
four in a 240V system with a neutral).

73, Jim Brown K9YC
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