The Time Has Come .....I've gone solar

[the sound of Tao]

Yes, that’s what I was thinking. That top end larger scale solar setups with higher spec inverters may well be less likely to cause electrical issues for well shielded hifi systems and that examples that have been mentioned about sonic issues with inverters might relate to both the quality of the inverter and also the susceptibility of the audio setup itself.

Generating renewable power is so important for the future and uptake on PV has been growing considerably (but also variably) since the 90’s so it’s important we get some accurate appreciation on the various impacts of this I would think. Really great initiative either way putting in your solar and the final test is if you are still loving your music ongoing which is also about our sustainability and joy (these are also interconnected I’d have thunk).

 

[DaveyF]

I have a friend who has a multi million dollar system, lives about thirty miles north of me....in a slightly isolated area. He put up solar about fifteen years ago, and as such he has a large single inverter. I don’t think they had micro inverters in those days. Many reviewers and a’philes have been to his house and listened to his system. None have ever complained about the SQ, in fact most are unaware that he is even running solar. With the newer micro inverters, there is no noise interference whatsoever, and as I stated above, the SQ actually slightly improves. Once again, if funds allow, and the climate is conducive, a no brainer, imho.

 

[Steve williams]

There is another thing I forgot to mention in my due diligence

There are now 370 watt panels for residential use but I opted against it as the extra 10 watts per panel was just not cost effective as these new 370’s are expensive

 

[KeithR]

Is this one of the schemes that you're still on the grid but sell the power you generate to the electric companies or are you going off the grid using the generated electricity? One thing I can tell you about solar and the associated inverters is that they're horrible for high end.

david

My friend in the San Fernando valley isnt noise free ever since he installed his. Has moved from SET amps to class D as a result. Has tried everything to fix with no luck

 

[BlueFox]

Congratulations. Welcome to the club. Mine was 4 years old in July. I got solar after getting my amps. .

 

[DaveyF]

My friend in the San Fernando valley isnt noise free ever since he installed his. Has moved from SET amps to class D as a result. Has tried everything to fix with no luck

Interesting, is he utilizing dedicated lines etc.,
I do have a friend who had a similar problem, found out that his wiring at the solar ready panel was incorrectly installed...leading to additional noise. Once that was corrected, he was a happy camper.

 

[Steve williams]

Congratulations. Welcome to the club. Mine was 4 years old in July. I got solar after getting my amps. .

Bud

Do you hear any noise since yours was installed.

 

[ddk]

Bud

Do you hear any noise since yours was installed.

The noise isn’t in the form buzz, hum or anything that obvious Steve it’s in the form of coloration.

david

 

[BlueFox]

Bud

Do you hear any noise since yours was installed.

Nope. Dead quiet. Both acoustically and electrically.

 

[adyc]

The noise isn’t in the form buzz, hum or anything that obvious Steve it’s in the form of coloration.

david

So you have first hand experience of DC inverter in your audio system? Or is it all theoretical?

 

[ddk]

So you have first hand experience of DC inverter in your audio system? Or is it all theoretical?

If you read above it’s with my own system. Also another experience with a client’s off the grid cabin that we spent a year trying to fix.
david

 

[c1ferrari]

Congratulations Steve and Cathy
Good move.
Sonny and I desire a PV install, too, but not on our current propery...won't be here long enough to realize a return.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Congratulations, Steve! I am sure it will be gratifying to know that you are no longer paying a monopolistic electric utility!

My neighbor right below us has a large and flat roof. He installed a solar panel system several years ago, and I know he is very happy with it.

After I watched his system get installed I looked into it myself and received some proposals. I did not go forward at the time because I had the feeling that the PV panels were enjoying pretty rapid efficiency improvements, and I was concerned that after only a few years the whole system would seem outdated. As I was active in amateur radio on the shortwave (“high frequency”) bands back then I also was concerned about RFI from traditional inverters. (Audiophile ground issues are easy compared to the havoc that RFI/EMI can wreak on long distance, weak signal, single sideband voice communications!)

Now very likely is a good time to install a solar panel array, harvesting the benefit of rapid PV efficiency increases over the last several years.

Maybe with a battery system in the future you will be able to power the audio system similar to a Stromtank!

 

[c1ferrari]

Congratulations, Steve! I am sure it will be gratifying to know that you are no longer paying a monopolistic electric utility!

We're on SDG&E, too. Monthly, they communicate that Sonny and I are #1!

 

[bazelio]

My friend in the San Fernando valley isnt noise free ever since he installed his. Has moved from SET amps to class D as a result. Has tried everything to fix with no luck

Keith, clearly he just needs one of these. And if one isn't enough, he could daisy chain two or three of them.

 

[KeithR]

Interesting, is he utilizing dedicated lines etc.,
I do have a friend who had a similar problem, found out that his wiring at the solar ready panel was incorrectly installed...leading to additional noise. Once that was corrected, he was a happy camper.

He's done it all. Has had the solar guys out multiple times, the electrician multiple times, etc. Has torn apart his system piece by piece - including his voltage correction box and iso transformer. He has 2 Tesla PowerWalls also installed. Seems to get EMI/RFI from appliances now directly through his main system also that wasn't there before with his SET amps.

It sucks. I'm generally speaking a big solar fan, but his experience gives me pause.

 

[Steve williams]

He's done it all. Has had the solar guys out multiple times, the electrician multiple times, etc. Has torn apart his system piece by piece - including his voltage correction box and iso transformer. He has 2 Tesla PowerWalls also installed. Seems to get EMI/RFI from appliances now directly through his main system also that wasn't there before with his SET amps.

It sucks. I'm generally speaking a big solar fan, but his experience gives me pause.

Mine is going in soon and I will provide feedback

It seems that those with noise in the line are more anecdotal as so far everyone here with solar systems have not had anything adverse

 

[Steve williams]

My next door neighbor has a 25 panel Sun Power system ( mine is 30) I’ve heard his system many times before and after solar and he has no noise in his line

 

[microstrip]

Congratulations, Steve! I am sure it will be gratifying to know that you are no longer paying a monopolistic electric utility!(...)

Unfortunately it is the only solid thing that shows in this thread - pride for generating our own electricity, that possibly creates a positive listening bias.

Using alternative forms of electrical other than mains is very similar to using a power regenerator - something that was almost unanimously condemned in this forum some years ago, mostly because people considered it reduced the real dynamics of systems. What has changed meanwhile? The quality of the inverters?

FIY, solar panels are intrinsically noisy ...

 

[Steve williams]

Unfortunately it is the only solid thing that shows in this thread - pride for generating our own electricity, that possibly creates a positive listening bias.

Using alternative forms of electrical other than mains is very similar to using a power regenerator - something that was almost unanimously condemned in this forum some years ago, mostly because people considered it reduced the real dynamics of systems. What has changed meanwhile? The quality of the inverters?

FIY, solar panels are intrinsically noisy ...

All interesting comments as only a few have reported adverse effects. Nonetheless should it happen in my system it would be easy for me to take my sound system off the PV and have it draw from my mains as my sound system has its own panel box that will tie into one or the other.