RF pollution from solar panels

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Via SouthGateAmateur Radio News

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Solar installations often give problems when it comes to polluting the airwaves with radio interference.

Electrical systems such as solar panel installations must comply with EMC (Electro Magnetic Compatibility) standards. That means for example that there is a limit (limit) is what an electrical system, such as the combination solar panel and inverter including cabling, may emit electromagnetic fields (EMF). However, this emission limit is more often than not exceeded. That turned out already in 2014 a study of the EMC Adminstrative Cooperation Working Group in which 14 European countries took part.

CE marking

When a drive complies with EMC standards include the EU, the manufacturer to affix the CE marking. This is stated that the product complies with European regulations include the EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) Directive. CE stands for Conformité Européenne. A CE marking may be made without an inspection body performs a measurement. It is not a label, but the manufacturer, importer and installer does
responsible for compliance with EMC regulations.

But 33% of the examined drives comply with the European EMC standards

But unfortunately in practice that these units or something goes wrong with the installation of the solar panels. Only 33% of surveyed inverters where solar panels are linked, met in 2014 at the European EMC emission requirements.

not improved situation

The situation has hardly improved, evidenced by the fact that radio amateurs are increasingly subject to interference by solar panel installations. The intensity of the interference section a hard hum, can also be very high. There the reception of the desired radio signals over a large part of the amateur radio frequencies such strong radio signals can be transmitted, which is impossible.

Only amateur radio interference?

Failure is not limited to radio amateurs. Other users of the ether may suffer from it considerably. Ranging from the remote control of your car alarm, weather stations, home automation, wireless speakers, home alarms, garage door openers, etc.

What causes radio interference?

To the DC of the solar panel to convert to usable AC power for the home, an inverter is used. produce the flows in such a drive as a by electromagnetic fields (EMF). This is a normal natural phenomenon. To also have received some radio stations on shortwave, medium wave and FM bands, there are EU agreed to allow these EMFs not above an acceptable level (limit). All this is recorded in harmonized EU standards. By the clever use of filtering, which reduces the interference, or the partially “canning” of the inverter, this disturbance fields to be reduced to an acceptable level. Also, if a transform meets legal limits, may also cause a false way to install unwanted radio interference in the ether.

Possible cause of the (re) failures

To remain competitive can choose a manufacturer filters to prevent breaches of the standards to omit. This saves the costs. Extensive testing and measuring EMC is costly for a manufacturer, producer or importer and is sometimes omitted, despite the CE marking on the inverter! However, CE is but one mark and no mark, as is often thought.

Only 9% of the surveyed inverters meet all requirements

From the said research also shows that poor 9% of the surveyed converters but also meets all requirements (measuring technology but also the associated paper). This is according to the authors a very serious but especially worrisome thing.

prevent Radio Interference

To you or your neighbor invest in solar panels, but avoid this kind of radio interference? Requirement than your installer that he has a European supplier for the drive and he realizes that if there is demonstrable EMC complaints arise supplier cooperate fully in order to reach a solution. This means that the solar installation produces minimize EMF, so that radio amateurs and other users of the ether, encounter no problems. One hundred percent free of interference will not be able to succeed in all cases, even in systems that comply with the standards.

Radio amateurs come to the rescue

Do you think that your solar panel installation may be the cause of unexplained malfunction on equipment in your home? Please get in touch with a local department of the VERON . Radio amateurs there able to help you to see whether your installation does cause interference to radio frequencies.

VERON EMC EMF Commission

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Source: Read the full story in Google English at
http://tinyurl.com/VERON-Solar-Panel-Pollution