[RFI] Solar Panel RFI With Inverter Off - Tarp Test

[Tony]

> Dear Tony - Thank you for the pointer to your excellent videos.Regarding the optimizers... are they shut-down-able or do they always operate if the solar panels are illuminated? 73, W9IP

Mike:

My neighbors Solar Edge system produces noise with the inverter turned 
off so it appears that the Optimizers generate noise as long as the 
panels are illuminated by the Sun.

Solar Edge said that this was unlikely, so my neighbor and I ran a test 
that evolved placing tarps over the solar panels with the inverter off. 
We found that the noise diminished with most of the panels covered and 
then stopped completely once we had all panels covered.

There was some speculation that the panels themselves could generate 
noise but that seems doubtful since the noise signature of the Optimizer 
appears the same when tested on the bench or when connected to a solar 
panel. I don't recall who it was but someone on this reflector sent me 
an SDR screenshot of a bench-tested Solar Edge Optimizer.

If you fast forward my Solar Panel RFI video to the 2 minute 38 second 
mark, you'll see what the noise looks like with the solar panels 
illuminated by the Sun with the inverter turned off.

Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9awWs4mwC4

Tony -K2MO