Aurora EL Panels

[Stephen]

Wonder if someone else using one of these can give me some advice?

I have the 220 and it's powered from the wall through the inverter.

When it's running, the inverter makes a whining / screechy noise. It doesn't sound like it's going to blow up, but it's a strange one that's for sure!

Is this expected / normal, or do I have an issue?

Cheers.

[Euan]

It's normal, it mentions it on the instruction sheet it comes with, it did worry me as well when I heard it!

I'm loving mine, I have the best flats I've ever had, and with a variable PSU running it I can change the brightness to suit each filter.

[Stephen]

Ah the infamous instruction sheet, I really must make more of an effort to read them .....

Having never done flats before, I decided to just jump straight in with the panel rather than attempt cloudy / t-shirt / DIY methods.

I'm just lazy like that

Thanks for the advice!

[afm038]

Euan,

Is the variable PSU that you speak about a home customised one or a standard unit available from a supplier ?

Thanks, Andy

[Euan]

It's one similar to this, I got it off eBay for pretty cheap. You can change the voltage even as the panel is running, so you can pick what brightness is best for your exposure time

[afm038]

Euan,

Many thanks for the PSU info.

I'll have a look around for one for my Earlsman panel - I wasn't aware that you could dim the panel using a lower voltage to the inverter without damaging it - I've been using white paper like most other folks!

ATB,

Andy

[Psychobilly]

If the voltage gets too low you might start to see flickering and banding in your flats...

Peter...

[ollypenrice]

I'm worried now. I have two here, mine and Yves' - and neither makes a noise!

Olly

[Erwin Kats]

I'm worried now. I have two here, mine and Yves' - and neither makes a noise!

Olly

Count me in, i got no noises to....

[Stephen]

Now I'm really worried

[Astroscot2]

Mines squeels like a piggy as did the older version I got replaced, the noise dies down after a new mins though....

Has works Ok for the last 1.5 years....

[afm038]

Well for completeness, my Earlsman inverter emits a high pitched hum that does not reduce at all with extended use.

Andy

[Reggie]

the inverter for my A4 earlsman gives off a hum too, from what I can gather, it's poor quality inverters that make the hum worse. Earlsmann don't provide any technical details about their panels or inverters so it's difficult to say.

[Mike Hawtin]

Oh oh, no noise from mine either.

[Euan]

From the Aurora instruction sheet...

The foil and the inverter might generate a strange sound. -That's normal!

[Deneb]

Mine Hums while in use...

[Erwin Kats]

I think its normal, might be high voltage inverter.... Forgot to think about that.

[Reggie]

from doing a small amount of research on the interwibble, it seems that there is some inherent buzz in the panels themselves which I don't think you can avoid (but it should be pretty low level) any noise coming from the inverter is due to the design of the inverter. apparently the panels are rated to switch at a certain speed and the poor quality inverters are switching at a much higher rate, which will reduce the lifespan of the panel.