Results 1 to 14 of 14

Thread: Using MP3 Player off Cigarette Lighter Noise - VT

  1. #1
    dfp
    dfp is offline
    Ride
    VT "SPack" Series 2

    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Tassie
    Posts
    6

    Default Using MP3 Player off Cigarette Lighter Noise - VT

    I have a VT commodore, and was wanting to use an MP3 player (Iriver) direct to the head unit line in, which is on the front of the standard unit in the car. It works well if the Iriver is playing off battery but i've tried to power it from the cigarette lighter port, and you can hear engine noise badly in the sound whilst its power off the car. Any ideas around this, like some sort of noise filter for power coming from the cigarette lighter port?

  2. #2
    semi is offline GOD
    Ride
    VR exec wagon

    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    WA
    Posts
    902

    Default

    try changing the earths and possibly even the power line of the cig. lighter. Often engine noise is caused by poor earths.

  3. #3
    Phreddy's Avatar
    Phreddy is offline Bye SV6 - still love you
    Ride
    VS-II Statey-8

    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    W-Sydney NSW
    Posts
    1,425

    Default

    I've heard a lot of complaints along the same lines.....

    It seems the power from that socket is inherently noisy - probably doesn't matter too much if you're charging your mobile phone or running a spotlight, but not so great for audio methinks....


    EDIT: If you're serious about it, I guess you could get one of those power line noise filters (they sell 'em at Dick Smith, Jaycar, etc...) and bury that inside the center console, break the wiring to the socket, and throw the filter in-line. Should work...
    New look ASR Website online now!!

    www.asr-audio.com.au

    .

    Interior lighting and audio specialties
    for VT/VX & VY/VZ Commodore / Monaro

    ********************************
    NOW VE DASH LIGHTING CONVERSIONS!!
    PLUS TECH2 DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES
    ********************************


    JBL Car Audio dealer


  4. #4
    SweetWagon's Avatar
    SweetWagon is offline booosted
    Ride
    VS Berlina Wagon Supercharged & VU SS Ute

    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Springwood NSW
    Posts
    1,909

    Default

    My brother's vt done this too. It sounded like a supercharger whine! my best bet would be one of those filters also, i dont think earthing has much to do with it.

  5. #5
    dfp
    dfp is offline
    Ride
    VT "SPack" Series 2

    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Tassie
    Posts
    6

    Default

    Cheers

    Also seen this product at Jaycar:
    https://secure4.vivid-design.com.au/...=&SUBCATID=563
    Not sure if this will do anything to help

    Also the suppressor below would so if this wired behind the Cigarette Lighter?:
    https://secure4.vivid-design.com.au/...=&SUBCATID=563

  6. #6
    Ride
    VY SS

    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    SE Victoria
    Posts
    1,934

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by vn6pwr
    My brother's vt done this too. It sounded like a supercharger whine! my best bet would be one of those filters also, i dont think earthing has much to do with it.
    yup thats called alternator whine! also grounding can have everything to do with it! it could be a ground loop between the amp/s and h/u.

  7. #7
    SweetWagon's Avatar
    SweetWagon is offline booosted
    Ride
    VS Berlina Wagon Supercharged & VU SS Ute

    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Springwood NSW
    Posts
    1,909

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by garfa
    yup thats called alternator whine! also grounding can have everything to do with it! it could be a ground loop between the amp/s and h/u.
    Im aware that it was alternator whine, could have fooled me for a supercharger though I'm not going to argue about the ground loop as i have no idea, in my understanding wouldnt it be caused, in this case via interference from the power from the ciggy lighter and low-level signals in the mp3 player? like how amplifier power cables interfere with low-level RCA's if placed next to each other? I dont know how the alternator whine filter's work but it should do the job.

  8. #8
    semi is offline GOD
    Ride
    VR exec wagon

    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    WA
    Posts
    902

    Default

    I doubt it. The power that is running through the cigarette lighter would be pretty uniform, as in a (relatively) constant current. Interference is only caused by changing currents

  9. #9
    SweetWagon's Avatar
    SweetWagon is offline booosted
    Ride
    VS Berlina Wagon Supercharged & VU SS Ute

    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Springwood NSW
    Posts
    1,909

    Default

    how is properties of the power, say taken directly from the battery different from the ciggy lighter??

  10. #10
    Ride
    VY SS

    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    SE Victoria
    Posts
    1,934

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by vn6pwr
    how is properties of the power, say taken directly from the battery different from the ciggy lighter??
    a ground loop is just a difference in potentional between 2 points. eg there is resistance between 2 gorund points. so the only way to illeminate this is to have all share a common ground (the same point). since its not exactly not very practical ot have this happen, usually we just need to find the best place for a ground. the way i would do this is to set my multi meter to resistance and then have a long neg lead and have that on the battery's neg terminal and then just scratch off the paint at various places and test their resistance.
    this is becaeuse even if your ground point is great, the panel its grounded to can have crap spot welds or what ever and lead to higher resistance (the ground loop's noise gets louder as the potentional between (resistance) grounds increases.)
    so pretty much yes there can be a great deal between one point of power and another.

  11. #11
    SweetWagon's Avatar
    SweetWagon is offline booosted
    Ride
    VS Berlina Wagon Supercharged & VU SS Ute

    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Springwood NSW
    Posts
    1,909

  12. #12
    Ride
    VY SS

    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    SE Victoria
    Posts
    1,934

  13. #13
    SweetWagon's Avatar
    SweetWagon is offline booosted
    Ride
    VS Berlina Wagon Supercharged & VU SS Ute

    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Springwood NSW
    Posts
    1,909

  14. #14
    dfp
    dfp is offline
    Ride
    VT "SPack" Series 2

    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Tassie
    Posts
    6

    Default

    Just to confirm the ground loop isolator unit I looked at from Jaycar that goes in between the line output and input of the stereo has done the trick. $20 and no more engine noises in audio,

Similar Threads

  1. Cigarette lighter in VT
    By Travelling Phil in forum Electrical Wiring / Questions
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 25-07-2011, 09:41 AM
  2. cigarette lighter fus
    By vg91ute in forum Electrical Wiring / Questions
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 02-01-2008, 08:12 PM
  3. VZ Cigarette Lighter Location
    By andrewxtreme in forum Electrical Wiring / Questions
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 30-10-2006, 10:42 PM
  4. Cigarette Lighter
    By vs_commodore_guy in forum VR - VS Holden Commodore (1993 - 1997)
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 11-07-2006, 03:54 PM
  5. cigarette lighter not working
    By ucwepn in forum VL Holden Commodore (1986 - 1988)
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 11-08-2005, 08:43 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71