Alternator whine through radio - how the eck do you fix it!!
Discussion
dave_s13 said:
No such thing as a daft question is there?
How do you do that then?
Take the head unit out, on the back there should be 2 sets of looms clipping in op one master block, one will be the speakers (this will have 4 sets of colored wires) the other will be the power block. Should be a live, an ignition live, earth and probably a few loose ones for phone mute, power Ariel and the such like.How do you do that then?
If you are lucky they will have little tags on that tell you which is which. You might find that if its aftermarket its been installed with crappy crimp connectors or similar which might be the problem if its just a poor connection, otherwise just check the wires are all OK as a start and connected properly.
dave_s13 said:
big_boz said:
I would be checking the earth on the head unit first.
No such thing as a daft question is there?How do you do that then?
dave_s13 said:
Currently the aerial plug that terminates into the back of the radio has wire attached to the ground and this is then attached to a solid looking bit of the cars structure....no difference.
TonyRPH said:
dave_s13 said:
big_boz said:
I would be checking the earth on the head unit first.
No such thing as a daft question is there?How do you do that then?
dave_s13 said:
Currently the aerial plug that terminates into the back of the radio has wire attached to the ground and this is then attached to a solid looking bit of the cars structure....no difference.
Some in car units have a bolt sticking out of the metal work. This should be attached very securely to a thick wire or a bit of braid to a clean earth connection to the cars chassis.
Although you've got an earth lead now, you need to work on the assumption the earth is carrying many tens of amps to have a good effect on interference issues.
Avoid loops in earths, as they can cause pickup or hum (in the case of domestic hifi etc).
Although you've got an earth lead now, you need to work on the assumption the earth is carrying many tens of amps to have a good effect on interference issues.
Avoid loops in earths, as they can cause pickup or hum (in the case of domestic hifi etc).
big_boz said:
TonyRPH said:
dave_s13 said:
big_boz said:
I would be checking the earth on the head unit first.
No such thing as a daft question is there?How do you do that then?
dave_s13 said:
Currently the aerial plug that terminates into the back of the radio has wire attached to the ground and this is then attached to a solid looking bit of the cars structure....no difference.
All the wiring seems to be in good condition, all connected up using the standard connector blocks and a Parrot ISO adapter thing, nothing's been cut. Bear in mind the whine was present pre-Parrot.
I've ony had the car a few months, my dad bought it new and when asked did say he noticed it but never bothered him (older, deafer). Hence can't really tell how long it's been present.
It does seem signifcant to me that the whine is not audible when playing a CD. Got to be something to do with the antenna doesn't it???
dave_s13 said:
big_boz said:
TonyRPH said:
dave_s13 said:
big_boz said:
I would be checking the earth on the head unit first.
No such thing as a daft question is there?How do you do that then?
dave_s13 said:
Currently the aerial plug that terminates into the back of the radio has wire attached to the ground and this is then attached to a solid looking bit of the cars structure....no difference.
All the wiring seems to be in good condition, all connected up using the standard connector blocks and a Parrot ISO adapter thing, nothing's been cut. Bear in mind the whine was present pre-Parrot.
I've ony had the car a few months, my dad bought it new and when asked did say he noticed it but never bothered him (older, deafer). Hence can't really tell how long it's been present.
It does seem signifcant to me that the whine is not audible when playing a CD. Got to be something to do with the antenna doesn't it???
Is the whine audible when the car is live, but the engine isn't running (like, position 1 of the ignition?)
C
CraigyMc said:
How did the portable radio test go?
Is the whine audible when the car is live, but the engine isn't running (like, position 1 of the ignition?)
C
Sorry, not done it yet.Is the whine audible when the car is live, but the engine isn't running (like, position 1 of the ignition?)
C
The portable radio I have at work is mains only, it takes a battery but only does the clock, assumed it powered the thing. I'm going to take it home and try there.
Will report back.
Cheers.
lestershaw said:
if you have an i phone connection on your head unit, then just stream the radio stations from an app such as "tune in radio" which is what i do?
DAVE S13 SAID: It's a workaround, I'll give you that....a rubbish one though :-)
i think for me its more than just a rubbish workaround. on the way to and from work i listen to LBC all the way. i am fairly sure the signal to the phone and then the bluetooth to the radio is as good as fm, not sure about DAB. But with the phone app i can pause the radio stream, say if i pop into the shop and dont want to miss the news or the travel. its a little more trickier to dive about various stations i you dont like whats on there, but thats more than countered by the fact you arent restricted to the few channels your radio can pick up, you have the choice of listening to lots and lots more channels and if you have a parrot head you can use your phone as handsfree as well. most people want to listen to music from their iphone/mp3 at some stage so whats the difference, especially if you have unlimited data on your phone, £15 a month + free minutes and texts from the 3 NETWORK
for me IMHO i think using the radio is the workaround, albeit a rubbish one :-)
Lester
if you have an i phone connection on your head unit, then just stream the radio stations from an app such as "tune in radio" which is what i do?
DAVE S13 SAID: It's a workaround, I'll give you that....a rubbish one though :-)
i think for me its more than just a rubbish workaround. on the way to and from work i listen to LBC all the way. i am fairly sure the signal to the phone and then the bluetooth to the radio is as good as fm, not sure about DAB. But with the phone app i can pause the radio stream, say if i pop into the shop and dont want to miss the news or the travel. its a little more trickier to dive about various stations i you dont like whats on there, but thats more than countered by the fact you arent restricted to the few channels your radio can pick up, you have the choice of listening to lots and lots more channels and if you have a parrot head you can use your phone as handsfree as well. most people want to listen to music from their iphone/mp3 at some stage so whats the difference, especially if you have unlimited data on your phone, £15 a month + free minutes and texts from the 3 NETWORK
for me IMHO i think using the radio is the workaround, albeit a rubbish one :-)
Lester
Edited by lestershaw on Wednesday 15th May 09:31
lestershaw said:
lestershaw said:
if you have an i phone connection on your head unit, then just stream the radio stations from an app such as "tune in radio" which is what i do?
DAVE S13 SAID: It's a workaround, I'll give you that....a rubbish one though :-)
i think for me its more than just a rubbish workaround. on the way to and from work i listen to LBC all the way. i am fairly sure the signal to the phone and then the bluetooth to the radio is as good as fm, not sure about DAB. But with the phone app i can pause the radio stream, say if i pop into the shop and dont want to miss the news or the travel. its a little more trickier to dive about various stations i you dont like whats on there, but thats more than countered by the fact you arent restricted to the few channels your radio can pick up, you have the choice of listening to lots and lots more channels and if you have a parrot head you can use your phone as handsfree as well. most people want to listen to music from their iphone/mp3 at some stage so whats the difference, especially if you have unlimited data on your phone, £15 a month + free minutes and texts from the 3 NETWORK
for me IMHO i think using the radio is the workaround, albeit a rubbish one :-)
Lester
I don't own an iPhone. It is a rubbish workaround, you shouldn't have to piss about with anything to listen to the radio in your car. if you have an i phone connection on your head unit, then just stream the radio stations from an app such as "tune in radio" which is what i do?
DAVE S13 SAID: It's a workaround, I'll give you that....a rubbish one though :-)
i think for me its more than just a rubbish workaround. on the way to and from work i listen to LBC all the way. i am fairly sure the signal to the phone and then the bluetooth to the radio is as good as fm, not sure about DAB. But with the phone app i can pause the radio stream, say if i pop into the shop and dont want to miss the news or the travel. its a little more trickier to dive about various stations i you dont like whats on there, but thats more than countered by the fact you arent restricted to the few channels your radio can pick up, you have the choice of listening to lots and lots more channels and if you have a parrot head you can use your phone as handsfree as well. most people want to listen to music from their iphone/mp3 at some stage so whats the difference, especially if you have unlimited data on your phone, £15 a month + free minutes and texts from the 3 NETWORK
for me IMHO i think using the radio is the workaround, albeit a rubbish one :-)
Lester
Edited by lestershaw on Wednesday 15th May 09:31
I've not had chance to do anything else with it yet but will test with the radio tonight.
dave_s13 said:
I don't own an iPhone. It is a rubbish workaround, you shouldn't have to piss about with anything to listen to the radio in your car.
I've not had chance to do anything else with it yet but will test with the radio tonight.
Sorry I'm confused it seems like you are pissing around with the radio to get it working, or am I missing something?I've not had chance to do anything else with it yet but will test with the radio tonight.
Right. I've tried an fm radio inside the car and that didn't whine at all.
Also double checked when just playing cd and with alternator under load (lights, screen, heater, hazards) and there is no hint of the whine.
Ideally I need to check with another head unit. Fortunately (or unfortunately) and my other car is a toyota corolla verso so I may be able to pop that out to check if it's the head unit rather than the duff alternator.
Also double checked when just playing cd and with alternator under load (lights, screen, heater, hazards) and there is no hint of the whine.
Ideally I need to check with another head unit. Fortunately (or unfortunately) and my other car is a toyota corolla verso so I may be able to pop that out to check if it's the head unit rather than the duff alternator.
dave_s13 said:
Right. I've tried an fm radio inside the car and that didn't whine at all.
Also double checked when just playing cd and with alternator under load (lights, screen, heater, hazards) and there is no hint of the whine.
Ideally I need to check with another head unit. Fortunately (or unfortunately) and my other car is a toyota corolla verso so I may be able to pop that out to check if it's the head unit rather than the duff alternator.
Good testage. Narrow the options down. Also double checked when just playing cd and with alternator under load (lights, screen, heater, hazards) and there is no hint of the whine.
Ideally I need to check with another head unit. Fortunately (or unfortunately) and my other car is a toyota corolla verso so I may be able to pop that out to check if it's the head unit rather than the duff alternator.
dave_s13 said:
- Worse on radio 4 - how am I supposed to keep up with womans hour!!
I had this one night in my A8 in very heavy rain. Got into the car and the stereo was whining. When I opened the throttle, the pitch increased! Very bizarre! Stopped for petrol on the way home and when I switched the engine back on it was gone.It was quite irritating as I couldn't hear the radio at all!
Baryonyx said:
dave_s13 said:
- Worse on radio 4 - how am I supposed to keep up with womans hour!!
I had this one night in my A8 in very heavy rain. Got into the car and the stereo was whining. When I opened the throttle, the pitch increased! Very bizarre! Stopped for petrol on the way home and when I switched the engine back on it was gone.It was quite irritating as I couldn't hear the radio at all!
dave_s13 said:
Currently the aerial plug that terminates into the back of the radio has wire attached to the ground and this is then attached to a solid looking bit of the cars structure....no difference.
Plug looks a bit like this
My wire is attached to tubular casing bit, not the central prong.
Is this an original ground point, or has the wire been added by someone? It's not normal to have a separate ground on the antenna cable at the head unit end.Plug looks a bit like this
My wire is attached to tubular casing bit, not the central prong.
Mr2Mike said:
Is this an original ground point, or has the wire been added by someone? It's not normal to have a separate ground on the antenna cable at the head unit end.
Added by me, in the hope it might do "something"....it didn't.There's an OE head unit come up on ebay anyway, I'm going to try my luck and see if I can get it cheap.
I can't be arsed taking the other one out of the other car, that one works perfectly, I'll only break it.
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