[RFI] SolarEdge Finds New Source of Solar System RFI

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The house directly across from me had a 21 panel Solar Edge array mounted on his roof. Judging from the activity there, the roof work is all wired and complete. I spoke with the installer during installation, and provided him a couple of articles from QST. I was somewhat optimistic, until his last trip here. This local company is just a third party installer for the company from CA that sold the system. Solar Green Technologies I believe. It’s a newer Solar Edge, per the installer. He said he’d love to help but he needs to wire it per the specs he was given or he doesn’t get paid.  HD Wave I think he called it. I’m not certain it’s connected to the house circuitry yet, but I’m fairly certain the panels/optimizers are wired and pumping RFI, as this sunny morning, during an ARES net on 3.983, I was getting noise. Looking at it on my rsp1a, it looked like every 36kc was a definite spike and signal, all the way from 2-4 meg....I expect the electrical inspector will be there Monday or so, and then I guess it goes live. Then I’m told I’ll get noise from the inverter as well 😩

Sent from my iPad

> On Jun 1, 2019, at 10:55 PM, <r55stan at gmail.com> <r55stan at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> I would be interested in the technical reasons how a solar panel can make RFI.  Is there some switching circuitry connected to it?  In other words, are there more than just solar cells in the assembly called the panel?  I don't see how a non-switching component (such as a solar cell) can generate any RF.  Radiated RF requires fast rise times, insufficient filtering and something to act as the antenna.
> 
> My first experience with RFI from a SolarEdge system was August 2016.  I had RFI spread throughout the 20 meter band the morning after a neighbor 190 feet from me had panels on the roof.  This was just from just from the optimizers getting power from the panels.  The main inverter was not even connected yet.  About two weeks later when it was finished and turned on, I had a huge signal at 14.199 MHz in addition to the other signals throughout the band.  That house was fixed with the wire twisting and ferrite treatment.
> 
> Another reason "choking the optimizers" may have had little effect in your case is because they may have missed one or more of them.  Even a single unfiltered optimizer will cause strong RFI.  In another SolarEdge system near me, the technicians returned four times until they finally filtered all of the optimizers.  They had missed some of them on the first three visits.
> 
> So far SolarEdge has rewired seven houses around me, with three more scheduled.
> 
> Best wishes on solving your RFI and 73,
> 
> Randy KQ6RS
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: RFI <rfi-bounces at contesting.com> On Behalf Of Tony
> Sent: Saturday, June 1, 2019 2:59 PM
> To: Rfi List <rfi at contesting.com>; Cianciolo, Paul, W1VLF <pcianciolo at arrl.org>; Hare, Ed W1RFI <w1rfi at arrl.org>
> Subject: [RFI] SolarEdge Finds New Source of Solar System RFI
> 
> All:
> 
> I recently spoke with an engineer from SolarEdge who said that they discovered a previously unknown source of RFI which turned out to be the solar panels themselves. They found that the panels were producing noise while physically disconnected from the system at a few installations.
> 
> They are now working with the panel manufacturers Hanwha and Trina to determine why a certain batch of their panels are producing RFI. The goal is to locate installations with the defective panels and replace them.
> 
> Cumulative RFI from multiple panels is apparently enough to cause serious RFI and may be the reason why my neighbors installation still makes noise during  the day while the system is turned off. It could also be the reason why the choking the Optimizers had little effect.
> 
> Tony -K2MO
> 
> 
> 
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