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- From: mxl@cbnewsg.cb.att.com (marc.a.levy)
- Newsgroups: rec.audio.car
- Subject: Re: How to reduce alternator whine
- Message-ID: <1992Nov23.204551.18224@cbfsb.cb.att.com>
- Date: 23 Nov 92 20:45:51 GMT
- References: <1992Nov23.165447.19566@panix.com>
- Sender: news@cbfsb.cb.att.com
- Organization: AT&T
- Lines: 57
-
- In article <1992Nov23.165447.19566@panix.com> dans@panix.com (Dan Simoes) writes:
- >
- >Could someone please post a description of how to reduce or eliminate
- >alternator whine coming through an amp using capacitors?
- >
- >I asked this once before, but didn't understand the replies.
- >I rewired the amp using RCA shielded, gold-plug wires which run on
- >the side of the car opposite the power wires (amp is trunk-mounted).
- >The amp's power and ground are run directly to the battery, and the
- >trigger wire comes from the head unit.
- >
-
- This is a FAQ, and if it's not, it should be! (I have not seen
- the FAQ in a while)
-
- Anyway, my experience with Engine noise is that you dont NEED
- to install any sort of filter network, or capcitor. Although
- this type of fix will work some of the time, it is almost
- never nessasary.
-
- Most alternator whine problems are due to a ground loop. You
- do not need to ground the amp directly to the battery, infact
- this is a waste of time, and wire, and could actualy hurt the
- quality of your system (Depending on the grade of wire used)
- It is improtant that all components be grounded at the same
- point on the chasis.
-
- I have found many times that engine noise is almost always
- either a installation problem, or defective equipment (Or
- crappy equipment)
-
- I would first isolate all of the components to find out what
- component the noise is getting in. The eaisest way to do this
- is disconnect the audio input leads to the amplifier, and see
- if the noise goes away, if it does, the problem is most likley
- the head unit, so you may want to dissconnect the antenna
- lead, and see if it goes away (The head unit is also grounded
- to the chassis through the antenna cable) The noise will
- almost always go away at this point if you have only a head
- unit and amplifier, but if the amp still makes noise even when
- the audio inputs are not connected, the amp is either not
- installed correctly, or is a hunk of junk.
-
- If it is a hunk of junk, a Radio Shack High Current noise
- filter MAY do the trick, but it is a $15 gamble.
-
- Here is a example: I installed a system in my friends CRX this
- weekend, the system was a CD player, 3 amplifiers, a
- crossover, and 4 speakers+2 subwoofers. After about a hour or
- so working at getting the noise gone, I swapped out the
- crossover. The crossover was defective, and was causing a
- ground loop. We went out, and picked up a new one.. Now, with
- a 560W system, there is no noise whatsoever.
-
- Good luck.
-
- Marc
-