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Old 06-03-2011, 06:18 PM   #1
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RFI issue with switching type RV power supply/chargers?

I recently swapped out our OEM transformer type power setup in our older '88 Winnie Super Chief for a new "state of the art" switching type. It offers many benefits - but in spite of it's claimed "FCC non-interference" rating, DOES put out LOTS of random and cycling interference (RFI) that at first seriously interfered with my Ham Radio short wave equipment installed in our MH,

I installed a number of ferrite chokes on every 12 and 120 volt line I could get at - and substantially reduced the interference - perhaps by 90% - but one random and slowly cycling burst is still an anoying problem.

The interference is only in effect when the unit is supplied with 120 VAC, operating on 12 VDC only is no issue. The interference is wide band, covering all the HF frequencies from 3.5 to 30 MHZ.

Main reason I'm posing this thread, is to see if other users of these latest RV switching supplies has notice the same effect, or is it only something only a shortwave/HF user is likely to encounter or notice?

Here's a pointer to a unit like the one I bought and installed - it works great, other than the interference:

WFCO - New world of power ideas - WF-9845 45 Amp Power Converter
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Old 06-04-2011, 12:04 AM   #2
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Sounds like you know something about coulombs but have you double checked all of your grounds. A motorhome at that age is bound to have some grounding issues. Lets us know what you find.
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Old 06-04-2011, 04:17 PM   #3
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Sounds like you know something about coulombs but have you double checked all of your grounds. A motorhome at that age is bound to have some grounding issues. Lets us know what you find.
My grounds are all fine - and this spurious RFI emission from switching power supplies is nothing new - was common in early designs, but supposedly no issue in later stuff. My thread here is mostly to see if any other users of these later switching power supplies has experienced the same thing, or does it only affect or only noticeable in the range of shortwave frequencies I commonly operate on?
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Old 06-04-2011, 07:42 PM   #4
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First thing I'd try is improving the ground, Then you can add a capacitor or two right at the output, You might want to try a bunch of them in parallel, 1uF, 1uuf think like that 9powers of 10)( all the way from 1F to .01PF, (You need not go to both extreams) right at the output.

I have a Progressive Dynamics 9180 with charge wizard.. My TS-2000, which runs on house power seems unaware of the presence of the device.

Though I will admit I sometimes hear other folks converters or inverters (neighbors in the park)
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Old 06-06-2011, 11:59 AM   #5
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Is the RFI coming in over the power leads or through the air? The following comments are if it is through the power leads.

Are the batteries and converter close together? The batteries act as bit capacitors and the close they are to the converter the more effective.

This leads to where do you tap the power for your radio gear? At the batteries, at the converter, or downstream? That is, Is the converter between your radios and the batteries?

If the RFI is via air transmission, try shielding the converter (make sure to ground the shield).
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Old 06-06-2011, 12:43 PM   #6
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I can't think of anything in a converter that would produce interference at those frequencies. You might get a 60 cycle hum or some harmonics but nothing in that range. But assuming it is, I wonder where the case is grounded if the interference is traveling on the ground into your equipment. Also is it possible that your ground is attached to the chassis at more than one point in the RV?
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Old 06-11-2011, 10:32 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wa8yxm View Post
First thing I'd try is improving the ground, Then you can add a capacitor or two right at the output, You might want to try a bunch of them in parallel, 1uF, 1uuf think like that 9powers of 10)( all the way from 1F to .01PF, (You need not go to both extreams) right at the output.

I have a Progressive Dynamics 9180 with charge wizard.. My TS-2000, which runs on house power seems unaware of the presence of the device.

Though I will admit I sometimes hear other folks converters or inverters (neighbors in the park)
I'm running my Icom 706 MKIIG directly off the engine battery - and also have a Cobra CB rig also running off the engine battery - both are affected by the converter hash. The RFI originally was both random cycling, along with steady hash, the steady hash is completely eliminated by the ferrite filters. I have the filters on both the 12 volt and 120 volt leads directly at the converter.

ALL the hash stops completely as soon as shore power is disconnected (or power from the genset).

I has pretty well figured I should try some .01 disc ceramics at those points as well - My dad is in a nursing home. expected to die most any time, so RVing isn't high on the RVing priority right at the moment...
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Old 06-11-2011, 02:16 PM   #8
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Sorry to hear about your dad. Our thoughts are with you.
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Old 06-13-2011, 03:55 PM   #9
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Sorry to hear about your dad. Our thoughts are with you.
Thanks for the wishes - Dad is currently now in a nursing home, and it's pretty much just a waiting game at this point. He's almost 97 years old, so none of this is any unexpected surprise - but upsetting just the same.

I did take time this morning to completely remove, and replace the terminal ends of all the system grounds that terminated at a central point down on the MH frame - all the OEM ends were crimp-on type, which I hate.

Once all were replaced and the mounting point thoroughly cleaned to bare metal with a Dremel tool - plus a liberal amount of electrical dielectric grease on all contact points, the remaining RFI at least SEEMS to be greatly reduced - time will tell!

Thanks to all for motivating me to make additional testing and maintenance.
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