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Re: [RFI] Covering Solar Panels To Assess RFI

To: rfi@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [RFI] Covering Solar Panels To Assess RFI
From: Steve Dyer W1SRD via RFI <rfi@contesting.com>
Reply-to: Steve Dyer W1SRD <w1srd@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 2020 22:57:03 -0700
List-post: <mailto:rfi@contesting.com>
If this is a Solar Edge system, are they using "optimizers"? They are DC to DC, but still create switching noise. I'd look there first. Unless your neighbor switched to a known quiet inverter it was a wasted exercise. SMA Sunnyboy or Fronius are known to be quiet central inverters. I have a Sunnyboy 7.7 with Hanwha Q Cell panels and it is silent. A panel with no built in electronics is not going to make any noise.
73,
Steve
W1SRD
All:

The the inverter on my neighbors solar panel installation was recently replaced to reduce the RFI caused by the system. The swap only made a slight change in the interference.

This left the solar panels as the possible source of RFI so my neighbor and I conducted a test we've done previously which involves covering each panel with tarps to see what affect it would have on the noise.

We found that the RFI completely disappeared while the tarps were blocking the Sun from reaching the panels. The noise returned when we removed the tarps.

I reported this to SolarEdge and they now believe that the panels are the cause of the interference. They mentioned 2 other installations that had this same problem with panels that were manufactured in China by Hanwha and Trina.

The takeaway is that solar panel systems need to be checked from top to bottom when checking the system for interference. I'm hoping SolarEdge will keep this in mind when they address their next RFI case.

We also reported our test results to the company who leases the panels to my neighbor. No response yet.

Tony-K2MO



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