Hi,
Do any of you know of other solar power systems that produce the characteristic
SolarEdge RFI you hear tuning in USB mode to 14.198, 21.198, 21.398, etc? I
ask because there have been addresses with these signals that SolarEdge says is
not theirs. It is possible that some addresses are missing from SolarEdge's
data base if the owner or installer did not register these systems. I hope
this is the case. Our work will be harder if other solar equipment brands have
started building high RFI equipment and the characteristics are identical to
SolarEdge.
Randy, KQ6RS
-----Original Message-----
From: Tony <dxdx@optonline.net>
Sent: Friday, September 14, 2018 3:55 PM
To: Randy Standke <r55stan@gmail.com>; rfi@contesting.com; qrz@nk7z.net; Tony
Brock-Fisher <barockteer@aol.com>
Subject: Re: [RFI] Solar Panel RFI in Kings Park, NY - Update
All:
It's interesting to see how similar the RFI characteristics are from one Solar
Edge system to the next. Dave Cole's website has a few screenshots including
one of my own that are nearly identical:
See: https://www.nk7z.net/solar-2/ shows
Dave (NK7Z) should be commended for gathering this type of information:
this is clearly one of those rare cases where the similarities in spectral
noise can help identify the source of the problem.
Tony -K2MO
On 9/14/2018 5:48 PM, Randy Standke wrote:
> A new SolarEdge system 190 feet from my house spread very strong RFI
> all over the 20 meter band the day the roof panels went up. These
> signals had a "squiggly" sound and look on a SDR waterfall. This was
> well before the system was completed and operational. It was just
> from the power the optimizers receive from the panels. The system was
> not making power at that time. The "every 200 kHz" signals came on
> strong once the system was making power, and all the "squiggly"
> signals remained strong. Some good examples can be seen on Dave
> Cole's NK7Z at https://www.nk7z.net/solar-2/ My three examples are
> just under the "More Solar Edge Systems." line. As Tony Brock-Fisher
> describes, it takes lots of ferrites and twisted wires to quiet these
> systems down. In addition, if they do rework the system and miss even
> one optimizer you will still have strong RFI. One (of the seven and
> counting) reworked SolarEdge systems in my neighborhood took four
> visits from the installer until they finally got it right.
>
> 73,
>
> Randy KQ6RS
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: RFI <rfi-bounces@contesting.com> On Behalf Of Tony Brock-Fisher
> via RFI
> Sent: Friday, September 14, 2018 2:15 PM
> To: Edward Mccann <edwmccann@yahoo.com>
> Cc: rfi@contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [RFI] Solar Panel RFI in Kings Park, NY - Update
>
> Fair Rite 2631626202 core, mix 31.
>
>
> On 9/14/2018 4:43 PM, Edward Mccann wrote:
>> Tony-
>> What type ferrite toroid did you use in your three-turn choke?
>> AG6CX
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>>> On Sep 14, 2018, at 1:00 PM, Tony Brock-Fisher via RFI
> <rfi@contesting.com> wrote:
>>> From my testing, the optimizers internal switchers continue to run
>>> (at
> 200kHz) anytime the optimizer gets power from the panel - therefore
> during daylight hours. This noise exits the optimizers on both the
> panel leads as well as the DC output leads. This was the reason I
> retrofitted my system with the 3-turn bifilar chokes, in between each
> optimizer and it's panel.
>>> During power generation, the optimizers emit higher levels of noise,
>>> from
> both the panel leads and the output leads, at the 200khZ switching
> frequency and harmonics, up through 10 meters or higher.
>>> If the DC output leads have already been properly retrofitted with
> reduced loop area, twisted pair wiring, and chokes, it may now be
> beneficial to add the 3-turn biifilar chokes to the optimizer input
> leads. I noticed a significant improvement in noise when I completed this
> step on my system.
>>> Disconnecting every panel from every optimizer is very labor intensive.
> While this experiment might provide conclusive information about the
> cause of the noise, it won't buy you anything in actual remediation.
> For the same amount of labor, and a moderate additional materials
> cost, you can add the 3-turn bifilar chokes to the optimizers, with
> the likely result of permanently lower noise when the work is
> completed. This would actually be less labor, as the panels can be
> lifted one at a time, not requiring they be removed from the roof, as
> the chokes are added underneath them. Note that this technique has
> been applied to multiple systems with good results each time.
>>> This is like 'peeling the layers of the onion', and you may need to
> address several 'layers' before you get the noise down to an
> acceptable level (which may never get to 'zero noise').
>>> -Tony, K1KP
>>>
>>>
>>>> On 9/14/2018 3:40 PM, Tony wrote:
>>>> All:
>>>>
>>>> Solar Edge shut down my neighbors solar panel system to test for
>>>> RFI
> this week. The strength of the noise dropped, but it's still
> detectable. I'm told that the inverter and optimizers are inactive
> which my neighbor confirmed.
>>>> The problem with this test is that the power supplies within the
> optimizers remain active since they receive their power from the solar
> panels. The noise is also typical of the type generated by switching
> power supplies.
>>>> The next logical step would be to disconnect the power supplies
>>>> from
> each solar panel to see if the noise goes away. It's something I've
> asked Solar Edge to do for some time now.
>>>> Before I make that request, does anyone have any thoughts on what
>>>> else
> could be generating noise with the system turned off?
>>>> Tony -K2MO
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