I.C.E. Advice please.

[grahamw48]

I bought a new amp' for my Wedge, as a channel had gone on the old one.

- Didn't alter any of the wiring, and just connected it up.

There is a whine ...alternator I'm assuming, through the speakers hooked up to the amp'...engine running of course.

Now I've run the power and earth wire (from battery) down the other side of the car, as before it was close to the other wires from the head unit and speakers.

Still whining !

Since I'm useless with such things, could someone please advise as to how I can get sound without the wretched interference ?

When I wer a lad we used to put something called a 'choke' in the line somewhere.

[jmorgan]

I would ask if it goes up with revs?

Pump is also on the go constantly I think?

[grahamw48]

Yes it goes up and down with the revs. That's why I was suspecting the alternator.

[adam quantrill]

I'm surprised you can hear it at all with the engine running! Eh? What?

Let alone a little whining. When I bought my last wedge the front of thte stereo went straight in the filing cabinet where it stayed to this day.

[Waynester]

adam quantrill said:

= I'm surprised you can hear it at all with the engine running! Eh? What?=

Let alone a little whining. When I bought my last wedge the front of thte stereo went straight in the filing cabinet where it stayed to this day.

Stereo.. in my wedge just fills in the hole in the dash. My speakers are out back

[gsx600]

Just refitted the I C E to the WSV 2 Alternators, freebie AIWA cassette unit - and no whine Even fixed the clock as well

[jmorgan]

grahamw48 said:

Yes it goes up and down with the revs. That's why I was suspecting the alternator.

Just clarifying assuming someone was going to ask but are all the connections to the alternator sound and earths good? Maybe an idea to try another earth for the amp? Alternator OK? Been a while since I messed with this fault as well.

PS think you can get ferrite chokes but not sure if that is the issue.

[Poledriver]

Try running the power feed from the battery direct, this could be picking up noisy power from alternator. Failing this use a capacitor (condensor) across the power feed close to the amp, this should filter out any non-DC signal.

Edited by Poledriver on Tuesday 22 July 10:08

[grahamw48]

adam quantrill said:

= I'm surprised you can hear it at all with the engine running! Eh? What?=

Let alone a little whining. When I bought my last wedge the front of thte stereo went straight in the filing cabinet where it stayed to this day.

That's why I've got twin 10 inch Clarions in the rear bulkhead.

- Very rarely use the sound system, for obvious reasons, and usually leave the head unit at home anyway so it doesn't get nicked, BUT sometimes I just feel like a bit of Nirvana at a million decibels to add to the mood.
I can pretend that it's my 14 year old son who is listening to it, not this ageing hippy.

Thanks for the other replies...I'll try the choke thingy.

Power for the amp (and earth) already comes direct from the battery.

Any other suggestions still welcome, apart from changing my taste in music.

[jmorgan]

Well, as per my comment, go through the earths and clean up any dodgy ones. Check how tight lucars are, slack joint in them can cause issues.

[grahamw48]

On my way out to do it now...

[tempus]

Try fitting an alternator suppresor,one end bolts to the alt. and the other to the power output terminal,it is often the sign of one of the diodes going in the rectifier,hth Tempus.

[rev-erend]

I think you can still buy inline suppressors to cut out alternator noise.

Separate amp type :
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CAR-AUDIO-NOISE-KILLER-ISOLA...

Inline DC suppressor
http://www.maplin.co.uk/family_free_delivery/Extra...

[Poledriver]

Try everything else before fitting in-line suppresors. These contain a capacitor and choke filter. As the choke is in series with the supply lead and will have some resistance it will drop the voltage in proportion to the current drawn, i.e. the more current drawn (louder) the higher the voltage drop. This will result in a lower output and higher distortion!

[rev-erend]

Fit a suppressor to the alternator !

[grahamw48]

Just got back from Halfrauds, where I was going to purchase a supressor device.

I fell into conversation with a very helpful member of staff (and fellow PHer),

who advised just removing earth wire from battery and finding alternative good earthing point. Going to try that in a min.

Since the engine was removed recently for a clutch change, I'm also going to see if any wires were left off the alternator (suppressor ?).

Slightly off at a tangent here...whilst lying upside down in the driver's footwell (as you do )...noticed a cute little chromed plunger thing dangling down from under the dash on the end of a red wire. I pressed it and the car did not self-destruct, nor did the ejector seat operate. Hmmm - immobiliser ?

Come on you electronics boffins.

I am NOT going to touch it again.

If my next twiddling fails to work...alternator suppressor (thanks Rev')

[jmorgan]

Dangly thing not a brake light switch? Assuming it would reach to the pedal?

PS, trace the wire?

Edited by jmorgan on Tuesday 22 July 15:16

[gsx600]

Don't EVER press the shiny plunger attached to the red wire.

Well that's what the training manual 'How to defuse the atomic bomb' said

not sure how it relates to Wedges , but probably sound advice

[grahamw48]

jmorgan said:

Dangly thing not a brake light switch? Assuming it would reach to the pedal?

PS, trace the wire?

Edited by jmorgan on Tuesday 22 July 15:16

I'd wondered that...but brake lights do work...maybe an old one ?

Anyway, my fumbling around (running a new earth to chassis at back of car) seems to have got rid of the whine !

An electrician would have a seizure at my efforts though, and trouble is I need volume at 30+ on tickover.
Might try a heftier earth wire as sound quality isn't up to my expectations.

Still, we have vibes man.

Edited by grahamw48 on Tuesday 22 July 16:46

[rev-erend]

I think an thin earth wire runs to the chassis near the alternator .. might not have been re-attached.. also check the injector earth is attached to the back of the block - passenger side.