Will,
Others here have given lots of good ideas....but by far the simplest / easiest (and possibly cheapest) solution is to return the MPPT controller to the dealer, and buy one that does not do this, such as a Blue Sky 2512ix....
(I'm with Mark here....VHF
radio interference from MPPT controllers is rare...)
Quote:
Originally Posted by S/V Antares
The noise from my 2 x 140w Kyocera panels in series with an MPPT controller make my VHF nearly useless. To talk to anyone more that a few boats away I must turn them (Panels) off.
Any thoughts on where the RF is radiating in this simple system?
Output wires from controller to Batteries?
MPPT controller box?
Input lines from the panels?
I have Ferrite chokes on all the wires and it does not appear to do much.
I have ordered cable sheathing and will ground this . Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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I've dealt with radiated RFI from various sources on others' boats over the years, and while "shielding" always comes up as a solution, it usually isn't....as the main issue is almost always a combination of poor-design / defective equipment, and RFI being radiated by the
wiring connected to this equipment....
99% of the time, these are the causes of the problem, so dealing directly with those causes is what will usually solve the problem....
---- So, using a different MPPT controller would be my first suggestion...
If you absolutely cannot replace your MPPT controller with one that doesn't cause this
interference (which is absolutely the best solution), and the RFI is so bad that it wipes out the VHF
reception, you may spend more time/effort/money on this than you think, and you may not ever get a 100% solution....(fyi, I've been working with RF and RFI for decades)
---- But, if for some reason you must use this exact controller, then
buying ferrites that work well at VHF freqs, such as Mix 43, is a good start...
Fair-Rite 43 Material
Fair-Rite Materials
A quick e-mail / call to Fair-rite Corp. will get you the exact material for your application...
Tell them what your problem is (156mhz RFI) and ASK them for their specific recommendations!!
Buy a bunch of 'em, not just a couple!!
Place them on the wires both + and - coming out of the MPPT controller...put them right there at the MPPT controller, just as the wires leave the controller's case....
---- Make sure your MPPT is in a metal / shielded case....
---- Also, twisting the wires coming from the panels into the MPPT controller will also help...
---- Make sure that your VHF antenna cable is good, with good shielding, and all connections are well-made and clean 'n tight...
I hope this helps...
BTW, please tell us what model MPPT controller you have....as I have two Blue Sky 2512ix controllers mounted right next to both my VHF and HF-SSB radios, and my four Kyocera 130 watt panels are within inches of my backstay (HF-SSB antenna), and have no significant RFI form any of this at all, and it all runs 24/7/365 for 8 years now....with no RFI issues...(just to give you an idea of how low noise level you CAN achieve, I regularly hear Australian Maritime
Weather broadcasts on 12362khz and 12365khz right here at my
dock in
Florida, 9,500 miles and 11,000 miles away....just yesterday, they came in loud 'n clear, and my
solar panels and Blue Sky 2512ix controllers were
charging away...)
Fair winds...
John
s/v Annie Laurie