ARRL just did a test of several inverters, both True (or pure) sine wave and MSW (Modified either sine or square wave depending on who you chat with, both fit)
Of the TSW inverters testes, which by the way did not include the Xantrex Prosine 2.0, they found exactly what I expected to find, and what I find with my Xantrex.. The radios they tested with could not tell if the inverter was on or off. Absolutly silent on RF frequencies.
Of the MSW inverters.. ALL of them, I mean ALL of them, bothered 75-160 meters
Some of 'em got up into the VHF/UHF range (2mtr 70cm) I do not think they tested beyond that but I know from past experience that some of 'em go all the way to microwave
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business
Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377
I may have gotten us off track a bit. My complaint is with the charger portion of the Xantrex Freedom unit I have. It is with the inverter turned off and the charger on - which is the normal mode when plugged into shore power - that I get the interference.
I haven't tried pulling the plug and listening to the inverter. I'll bet it's as you say, pretty noisy also.
But thanks for that bit of info. If I had something better, I wouldn't have anything to gripe about.
((EDIT)) Well, I just did that - flipped off the pedistal with the inverter on. Interestingly, I can only hear the inverter just a bit down in the 160 M area, and by 3.5 MHz, it's very quiet - can't tell inverter noise from the normal radio background noise. That was interesting. Oh well... go figure.
* This post was
edited 04/10/09 06:02pm by bingoldsby *
My PD9160A power converter radiates 50kHz harmonics that wipe out AM radio reception. It radiates them both into the air and out the power line, turning the power feed into an antenna. I don't know how strong they are at higher frequencies. A different converter installed in the same place, a Magnetek 7345, was totally silent.
Today's pop quiz would be: Guess what the switching frequency of the power supply is?
Not being knowledgeable on sine wave inverters, I went and Googled them and found a neat link that explains some differences between inverters. A very interesting read, to be sure...
TB
1997 Holiday Rambler Endeavor LE -- Cat 275 turbo
2005 Saturn Vue -- Blue Ox/Brake Buddy
HAM Radio KF9QL
I would gues 50KHZ.. I can not detect my PD9180 on my TS-2000, and I've tried
To the O/P.. you could try putting the converter in a Faraday cage, put bypass capacitors (power line filter) on the power cord right where it passes through the cage (120 volt side) and also on the 12 volt side where it exits the cage
Or you could just try putting bypass caps on both the input and output where the wires enter/leave the housing.. And make very sure it's well grounded
That is the case is well grounded to the chassis and your radio as well)
tcbetka wrote: Not being knowledgeable on sine wave inverters, I went and Googled them and found a neat link that explains some differences between inverters. A very interesting read, to be sure...
TB
While this is "interesting," we're discussing chargers here. It just so happens that my charger is also an inverter, which is not causing any of the problems I am talking about. Thanks.
I did get the remote controller and have it installed. It does an easy thing to fix the problem - turn off the charger, and noise be gone. Great - and it looks nice.
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