BajaNomad

Solar systems and RF noise

SFandH - 2-28-2015 at 10:01 AM

Just got back from 4 months living on baja beaches in my RV. This is the first trip with my small solar system, which worked great except for one thing. Both the panel and the inverter generate RF noise that makes listening to AM radio impossible, the only free radio available where I go.

Is there any way to eliminate the RF noise?

[Edited on 2-28-2015 by SFandH]

larryC - 2-28-2015 at 10:24 AM

Maybe try grounding the inverter and panel to earth. Just a guess cause I have no personal experience with your problem. Does the AM radio have rf noise when used up here north of the border?
Larry

willardguy - 2-28-2015 at 10:29 AM

yup, you need a ground loop isolater.

monoloco - 2-28-2015 at 10:40 AM

MSW inverters will cause interference.

SFandH - 2-28-2015 at 10:52 AM

Thanks for the suggestions about grounding the system, sounds like it might work. The panel is on top of the trailer with 2 wires going to the charge controller, which is mounted inside the trailer. Two wires go from the charge controller to the battery. The battery is outside in a battery box resting on the trailer frame in front. The 1000 watt inverter is connected to the battery with short fat cables and sits on top of the battery box in its own, vented box.

So, how do I achieve a grounded system?

There is no RF noise at night with the inverter turned off.

[Edited on 2-28-2015 by SFandH]

woody with a view - 2-28-2015 at 11:51 AM

Coming from somebody is not very electrically inclined I would guess that you need to drive a metal stake preferably clad in copper 4 feet into the ground put a clamp on one end with the wire to the ground clamp of your battery

TMW - 2-28-2015 at 12:06 PM

I don't think a ground rod will help since the RF interferrence is being induced from the inverter to the battery. With the noise being on the battery cables it shouldn't make any difference if you have a ground rod or not. These ferrite beads should eleminate the noise on the battery DC cables.

Check this out. You can get ferrite beads on ebay also.

http://www.solar-electric.com/installation-parts-and-equipme...

[Edited on 2-28-2015 by TMW]

SFandH - 2-28-2015 at 12:13 PM

Quote: Originally posted by TMW  
I don't think a ground rod will help since the RF interferrence is being induced from the inverter to the battery. With the noise being on the battery cables it shouldn't make any difference if you have a ground rod or not. These ferrite beads should eleminate the noise on the battery DC cables.

Check this out. You can get ferrite beads on ebay also.

http://www.solar-electric.com/installation-parts-and-equipme...

[Edited on 2-28-2015 by TMW]


BINGO! Thanks

Hook - 3-1-2015 at 08:47 AM

Glad this topic came up. I have experienced AM interference in my truck camper ever since I installed a solar panel and a charge controller. The controller does have a setting for increased RF suppression, but it slows down the charging process, or so it says. Mine is an older PWM controller.

I love AM DXing when I am on the road in August and Sept. Great country stations, MLB games. Of course, there are plenty of conservative talk shows, too, but they are easily avoided. :biggrin:

Barry A. - 3-1-2015 at 09:09 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Hook  
Glad this topic came up. I have experienced AM interference in my truck camper ever since I installed a solar panel and a charge controller. The controller does have a setting for increased RF suppression, but it slows down the charging process, or so it says. Mine is an older PWM controller.

I love AM DXing when I am on the road in August and Sept. Great country stations, MLB games. Of course, there are plenty of conservative talk shows, too, but they are easily avoided. :biggrin:


"conservative talk shows"-------weren't AM radios invented to listen to these essential shows? Why else would ANYBODY have one??? :biggrin:

Barry

woody with a view - 3-1-2015 at 09:27 AM

DXing?

55steve - 3-1-2015 at 09:31 AM

I get RF interference on the base station VHF in our trailer if the Honda EU3000 is running - it was so bad that I now run the radio on a separate battery that I charge occasionally.

Barry A. - 3-1-2015 at 09:38 AM

Quote: Originally posted by woody with a view  
DXing?


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DXing

SFandH - 3-1-2015 at 10:14 AM

Quote: Originally posted by woody with a view  
DXing?


It's and old radio term for picking up stations a long ways away. A hobby of sorts. When I'm in Baja (Sea of Cortez side) I listen to AM stations from Denver, Dallas, Salt Lake, Albuquerque, and El Paso, depending on reception, which is usually poor or none. Always and only at night so the solar system RFI is not a problem. I like listening to this program:

http://www.coasttocoastam.com/

The problem is during the day listening to Mexican AM stations from Sonora and a re-broadcast of NPR on the AM band (1550) out of the Univ. of Arizona in Tucson.

http://tunein.com/radio/KUAZ-1550-s35846/

[Edited on 3-1-2015 by SFandH]

woody with a view - 3-1-2015 at 10:25 AM

ahhh, got it. i've actually picked up KTYD from UCSB at night along the cirrio coast many years ago. that was cool!

SFandH - 3-1-2015 at 10:31 AM

This company makes good portable AM/FM radios if anyone is interested.

https://www.ccrane.com/

Factory car radios are usually good performers too.

I'm ready for a new AM/FM portable radio, anybody have any suggestions?

monoloco - 3-1-2015 at 10:37 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Barry A.  
Quote: Originally posted by Hook  
Glad this topic came up. I have experienced AM interference in my truck camper ever since I installed a solar panel and a charge controller. The controller does have a setting for increased RF suppression, but it slows down the charging process, or so it says. Mine is an older PWM controller.

I love AM DXing when I am on the road in August and Sept. Great country stations, MLB games. Of course, there are plenty of conservative talk shows, too, but they are easily avoided. :biggrin:


"conservative talk shows"-------weren't AM radios invented to listen to these essential shows? Why else would ANYBODY have one??? :biggrin:

Barry
Coast to Coast with George Nori?

apple - 3-1-2015 at 10:41 AM

What beaches did you stay on?

SFandH - 3-1-2015 at 10:43 AM

Yup, Coast to Coast with George Nori.

Various beaches on Bahia Concepcion.

woody with a view - 3-1-2015 at 10:47 AM

those guys have some unique guests! it'll be interesting to finally learn the truth about aliens. the guvmint has said that we'll have proof in the next 20 years..... i can't wait for it!!!

https://www.google.com/search?q=alien+proof+within+the+next+...

Hook - 3-1-2015 at 11:28 AM

Quote: Originally posted by SFandH  
This company makes good portable AM/FM radios if anyone is interested.

https://www.ccrane.com/

Factory car radios are usually good performers too.

I'm ready for a new AM/FM portable radio, anybody have any suggestions?


See if you can find a used Sony ICF-2010. One of the longest production runs of any general purpose radio in the history of radio. I own one and love it. It will also pull in the aircraft band, as well as a lot of shortwave bands, including SSB broadcasts. This can be very useful when in remote locations in Baja as there are daily weather broadcasts for boaters.

I also own a Sangean ATS-803 that I picked up at a garage sale down here a few years ago. It was sold to me for 50 pesos because it "wasnt working". I figured out that the owner did not realize that there is a secondary power switch that must be turned on to activate the primary power switch. Anyway, it pulls in the same bands as the 2010, including AM and FM, of course.

I have heard good things about the Sony ICF-SW7600GR radio.

Sony radio


Here is a bit of a bible on general coverage receivers. Many are no longer in production, though. CCranes are covered, not that favorably.

http://www.eham.net/reviews/products/8

It's good to hear that some people are still interested in radio, instead of smart phones and Ipods and streaming TV. Most of those require full attention and/or interactivity. I still like the "background to your life" aspect of radio.

It's getting hard to find decent portable radios, these days. Manufacturers are discontinuing them as interest drops, in favor of these other devices that do so much more.

[Edited on 3-1-2015 by Hook]

Rf noise and radio

captkw - 3-1-2015 at 09:03 PM

you might try installing a "choke" at the power source to the radio.....and for radios CCrane is a bit on the over price side for what they offer IMO,,,Grundig and Kenwoods are to very respected radio's and if you find a ICOM with those AM freq's grabit..also a LoooooooNG single wire works well (AM) and also find the RF noise by going around and turning off all electrical units and then turn on one at a time to find the RF noise and sometimes its outside your house that you cant control...from a ham and that's not a sandwich...LOL coast to coast rocks the early hrs !!! K&T

[Edited on 3-2-2015 by captkw]

PaulW - 3-2-2015 at 07:22 AM

I use a Kenwood KLF-2 Noise filter.
In a vehicle we have alternator noise and the unit results in an improvement.
However SiriusXM is a much better solution provided you like the programming and the modest extra cost. No noise noticed before the KLF-2 unit.
Paul