[RFI] Solar Panel RFI Video

[Tony]

Dave:

 > I have sent two emails to Solar Edge so far with no replies

Have you tried contacting Tefford Reed at: Tefford.Reed at solaredge.com or 
Tom Simpson at: Tom.Simpson at solaredge.com? They are the field techs that 
handle RFI cases. I've been in touch with them since February and they 
always respond. If you don't get a response, I'll send a message in your 
behalf.

 > You may have to borrow a calibrated signal generator

I don't have one but I may know someone who does.

 > regulations are written in terms of dBuV/m

I understand the regulations require specific units of measurement. 
However, since I'm working directly with the engineers, I'd rather not 
open up a can of worms and let it be known that their installation can 
generate a certain level of dbuv/m. I've made it clear to that I will 
NOT accept any noise and to that, their engineers assured me that they 
can eliminate it altogether as they've done in the past.

In addition to RFI suppression that's already installed, the may add 
metal conduit to shield the cables coming off the solar panels. Another 
thing they plan to do is check the grounding.

I'll keep you posted.

Thanks Dave.

Tony -K2MO





On 7/14/2018 12:24 PM, David Eckhardt wrote:
> I have sent two emails to Solar Edge so far with no replies (as 
> expected).  I'd like to attach your video to yet another email, but 
> S-units are not regulatory talk.  I need either dBm and/or dBuV.  dBm 
> is good in that I can easily convert it to dBuv in a 50-ohm system.  
> The reason for this is that the regulations are written in terms of 
> dBuV/m which is field strength beasured in rigorous engineering 
> units.  S-Units are nebulous, at best, in the amateur community.  Is 
> there any way you can run a calibration of your S-Meter on the 
> frequencies you are recording the interference?  You may have to 
> borrow a calibrtated good signal generator, if you do not already have 
> one.  The new Icom radios (7300 and 7610) are very consistent with 3 
> dB per S-Unit and a good solid 10 dB increase for every 10 dB above 
> S-9.  S-9 is also set very well at -73 dBm.  I need such numbers to 
> relate the level of interference to the FCC (and EU) regulatory limits.
>
> Something like the following is what I need.  This is the calibration 
> of my 7300 D-Meter.  Recorded data in all three columns are in dBm.  
> Left: no preamp       Middle:  Preamp 1 ON      Right: Preamp 2 ON
> Frequency of measurement is 14.200 MHz.  Icom did a good job, although 
> no the old Collins standard of 6 dB per S-Unit, but they sure hit S-9 
> at -73 dBm well.  My 7610 exhibits the same curve.
>
> It would also be good to know the gain (real, not mfgr 'claimed' gain) 
> of your monoband beam and how far it is from the interfering source.
>
>
> Dave - WØLEV
>
> On Sat, Jul 14, 2018 at 1:17 AM, Tony <dxdx at optonline.net 
> <mailto:dxdx at optonline.net>> wrote:
>
>     All:
>
>     I recorded a short video that shows the type of solar panel RFI
>     I've been experiencing from my neighbors Solar Edge installation.
>     Solar Edge installed RFI suppression a few weeks ago which
>     unfortunately did little to reduce the level of interference. The
>     companies field engineer will be flying out to inspect the work
>     the installers did in the next week or two.
>
>     I thought this might help others to recognize solar panel issues.
>
>     See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiW758EyW_8
>     <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiW758EyW_8>
>
>     Tony -K2MO
>
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> -- 
> *Dave - WØLEV
> *
> */Just Let Darwin Work/*
> */Just Think/*