Home BPL for solar

[K6JEK]

A neighbor is installing a PV system with Enphase micro-inverters -- one inverter per panel instead of one big inverter for the whole thing.  That gets around the least common denominator problem of solar panels -- shade one, drop output on the whole string.

Each inverter sends performance data via the power lines to a system data collector down in the house. This collector then ships the data via the Internet to the Enphase servers which grind on the data, print reports and generate alarms. 

I think the micro inverter idea is the wave of the future for grid connected PV systems so I'm pretty curious about the EMI of the system.  Many but not all conventional inverters are noisy as all get out.  Maybe these are quiet or maybe they are noisy * n.  And we'll see if this mini broad band (or whatever it is) over power line adds its own noise.

When this thing is running, I'll take a few little gizmos over to see just how much EMI pours forth.  I sure hope I'm pleasantly surprised.

[K3ZS]

Also it would be interesting to see how the system operates when you are transmitting high power nearby.

[K6JEK]

Also it would be interesting to see how the system operates when you are transmitting high power nearby.

Yes.  This could be a two way street.  It could interfere with radio and radio might interefere with it.   As I understand it, the only use of the power line communications is data collection, not control.  I might drive the data collector crazy but shouldn't affect the system operation.

I'm planning to listen to the system with the MFJ noise gizmo.  That's a handheld Yagi that listens on VHF AM.  A friend of mine is planning to bring his FlexRadio and a laptop over to look at the spectrum.   I'll post the results.