my wrestle with alternator noise.

**Cliff** · 03-04-2003, 10:47 AM

I am about to give up. I have read extensively the tips and notes all over this forum. This is my last attempt at getting help. The amount of alternator noise that goes through my speakers is actually imbaressing. I'll show off my system, but get "But what's that high pitched whine that gets louder when you step on the gas?".

Things I have tryed.

-Grounding. I have grounded the computer case, the powersupply (in several spots), the amp from which I draw power from (in several spots). Helps, but very little.

-I bought a dc/dc PSU just for this reason. I thought it would take ALL the alternator noise away when I got rid of my inverter. When I replaced it with the PSU, the noise stayed EXACTLY the same.

-Ground Loop Islolator. I've tryed placing as the last thing before the rca's reach my head unit. It cuts it down, but only a little. The high pitched whine can still be heard threw the softer songs. I've even tryed putting two in parrellel! The thing also gobbles up lower frequencies in the music. Something that does hardly any difference and takes lower frequences out is not worth my time.

-Grounding the RCA cables before they go into the head unit. Trying this actually made the noise get LOUDER!

-Shielded Cable. I went to radioshack and spent $50 on their best gold plated RCA cable they have. Made no difference. (that made me angry!)

-Switching sides. I orignally had my power and audio running along the same side, and I seperated the two, power on the left, audio on the right. This helped, but apparently not enough.

-Lowering the volume on the carputer and raising it on my HU. while this works, it also cuts all frequencies in half, even when blasting. sounds like am radio.

As you can see, im about to go completely insane with this. I can't listen to my music for more than an hour at a time, the ringing gives me a headache. Movies? forget it, its so loud during movies its not even worth it. Please tell me there's hope. There has to be. please!

**Loftus** · 03-04-2003, 11:16 AM

i'll take a crack at this..........
1) is your computer in the trunk with the pwrsupply? i ask this because when you run your RCA cables from the back of the car to the front headunit under the carpet, some people just put all the wires in a loom with the pwr wire. This causes some interferance with the RCA cables. Make sure you run your pwr wire on one side of the car and the speaker wires on the other side.

2) I take it that without the computer setup connected you don't have the wine and the stereo was working okay?

3) Have you checked ALL your RCA connections? the reason i ask is because i made my own and with one of them i soldered the connector on sloppy and it was causing a wine only when the car was running.

Hope this might help.

**Cliff** · 03-04-2003, 11:26 AM

Originally posted by Loftus
i'll take a crack at this..........
1) is your computer in the trunk with the pwrsupply? i ask this because when you run your RCA cables from the back of the car to the front headunit under the carpet, some people just put all the wires in a loom with the pwr wire. This causes some interferance with the RCA cables. Make sure you run your pwr wire on one side of the car and the speaker wires on the other side.

2) I take it that without the computer setup connected you don't have the wine and the stereo was working okay?

3) Have you checked ALL your RCA connections? the reason i ask is because i made my own and with one of them i soldered the connector on sloppy and it was causing a wine only when the car was running.

Hope this might help.

Yes it is in the trunk with the powersupply, but have seperated the power on one side and RCA on the other side of the car.

The stereo when playing CDs and Radio alone have no wine.

I have double checked ALL RCA connections to be connected fully numerous times.

**jstrain** · 03-04-2003, 11:38 AM

is everything grounded to the same spot? i am under the impression that this can make a difference.

**Cliff** · 03-04-2003, 12:23 PM

Originally posted by jstrain
is everything grounded to the same spot? i am under the impression that this can make a difference.

Actually I have experimented with this, and found that I had BETTER results from grounding to different spots, as much sense as that might not make. I'll give that another try though.

**albysure** · 03-04-2003, 12:35 PM

in your audio cables---try making up a short cable with only the positive wires--no ground--after the computer and before your amp. this might work! i used to do this a lot when i was an installer.

**Cliff** · 03-04-2003, 11:14 PM

Originally posted by albysure
in your audio cables---try making up a short cable with only the positive wires--no ground--after the computer and before your amp. this might work! i used to do this a lot when i was an installer.

im not sure what you mean, can you explain this further?

**stinkynathan** · 03-04-2003, 11:48 PM

if you throw in a regular head unit do you still get the same problem??? this would let you know whether it is your computer or something else causing the problem. i would also try running a better cable from your battery to chassis and alternator to battery. while it may not help this specific problem, it is always a good thing to do when you add a stereo to a car..

only things i can think of, as it seems you have tried everything that i would have

later,
nathan

**Filip** · 03-05-2003, 12:25 AM

stinkynathan,

The stereo when playing CDs and Radio alone have no wine.

Cliff,
So you're sure it's the alternator then? Have you tried using the carputer in with the ignition in accessory mode (so the engine isn't on)? Would a cap help to smooth out the power? But I guess that's not a problem, especially if the Opus didn't help. Are you using the right wire sizes so you're not getting a voltage drop? Sorry... you've tried everything that I would have done.

**ShinkunoNamida** · 03-05-2003, 12:39 AM

he's using jeff's supply, not an Opus

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