[RFI] Considering a solar panel

[Jim Brown]

On 8/14/2019 9:57 AM, Gary Smith wrote:
> As I'll be buying this sight unseen from
> the web, any suggestions of an inexpensive
> controller and panel that is known to be
> essentially RFI clean & reliable?

YES, and some installation advice. First, panels are not noisy, but 
charge controllers are notoriously noisy. The only ones I know of that 
are not are the MPPT controllers made by Genasun. They are only made for 
relatively small systems like the one you are probably thinking of. They 
have several models, designed for different panel voltages, charge 
currents, battery voltages, and battery type. I use them in my home 
station and for portable operation on FD, CQP, and 7QP county expeditions.

The installation part consists of 1) using only twisted pair for the 
entire circuit consisting of battery(ies) and panel(s); 2) carrying both 
conductors through each part of that series circuit, breaking on 
conductor to add the series element; and 3) if antennas are very close 
to this wiring, adding a serious common mode choke, following the 
recommendations in

http://k9yc.com/2018Cookbook.pdf for #12 THHN or NM wire for the bands 
where the antennas are very close.

You will also want a good choke on the output of the generator. There's 
a design for a very good one on page 23 of the Jan 2019 revision of 
k9yc.com/RFI-Ham.pdf

73, Jim K9YC