That annoying hum or whine only kids can hear

[bladerunnerpv]

Hi folks
was just pondering routing and siting of PV kit and wondered about likely noisy items.

During the summer I stayed in a property with solar power and one of the kids complained of high pitch noise near some solar kit in a cupboard and wanted the offending door closed all the time with much complaining if it wasn't. Inside the cupboard was an immersun and possibly a water storage system or underfloor heating (it had a single two-digit red LED on it reading 32 most of the time and had a logo "comet" on it) There was no battery storage. The Aurora inverter didn't seem to be a problem noise-wise.

One option for installation in my home is to route cables from the loft down through one child's bedroom (boxed in I would expect) into a garage conversion room where an inverter and batteries could be located on a wall (consumer unit is in downstairs loo on the other side of this wall) or to transit the garage conversion outside to a large shed which is abutting a south facing wall. Shed fascia might be poss. location of a future EV charging point

Any do's and don'ts you would recommend on which kit to not have within child's earshot?

Are 48V or HV batteries any different w.r.t. noise?

Thanks

 

[johnb2713]

My Growatt Hybrid Inverter has no transformers and no fans = nothing to make noise. I'm sure there are many other inverters with similar designs.

 

[mort2376]

I read this and thought you were talking about the whining noises kids make !!!

 

[binky]

The Aurora inverter didn't seem to be a problem noise-wise.

I have the same inverter, they can and do make a slightly high pitched whine that adults probaby would not notice. They also have a setting that makes them more efficient, if used, you can definetly hear the whine.

Not had this issue on more modern gear, but I wouldn't rule the possibility out completely. Inverters are waterproof, so can go outside in a shady spot not in full sun, batteries will need protecting from the weather, and don't like places that are cold in winter.

 

[johnb2713]

Not had this issue on more modern gear, but I wouldn't rule the possibility out completely. Inverters are waterproof, so can go outside in a shady spot not in full sun, batteries will need protecting from the weather, and don't like places that are cold in winter.

Not all inverters, Victron Multiplus II definitely is not waterproof.

 

[binky]

Not all inverters, Victron Multiplus II definitely is not waterproof.

never fitted one of those! Ok I stand corrected

 

[johnb2713]

never fitted one of those! Ok I stand corrected

The last time you mentioned they could go outside I checked because it would have been good for my install, sadly it wasnt. Youre probably right that most are, my Growatt would be OK outside.

 

[binky]

The last time you mentioned they could go outside I checked because it would have been good for my install, sadly it wasnt. Youre probably right that most are, my Growatt would be OK outside.

There used to be indoor and outdoor inverters from most makes, but then they pretty much all went IP65, cuts down production costs and stock. Think it also coincided with the move to TL inverters and removal of unreliable cooling fans, a weak point on earlier units.

 

[Creakyride]

If anyone want to SEE what you can't hear, there are APPs available for mobile phones that show frequencies and amplitude of any sound around you. I use a free Android App called Spectroid.
I normally use it for fine tuning PA speakers but it's great to pinpoint shuttle sound sources too.

 

[Creakyride]