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Slight alternator whine

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Old Jul 25, 2011 | 12:10 PM
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Default Slight alternator whine

Its weird it doesnt sound like its coming from the speakers. Sounds like a minor alternator whine. What do I do. Its all put back together so i dont want to take it apart. Some guys have said on the forum to put ground loop isolators on the rca plugs where they plug into the amp. Does that fix it? If the stereo is at any louder than taking volume you cant here it and with the windows down even less but doesnt seem right.
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Old Jul 25, 2011 | 12:26 PM
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Installing the GLI's at the amp may fix it, but you won't know until you try. I had great success eliminating whine / squeal from my system by grounding the RCA's to the head unit and by using an antenna isolator.

You can install the GLI's and see if that helps. You could also open up the console and determine whether the whine is still there with the car running and with the RCA's unplugged (if whine with RCA's unplugged then more likely a ground issue, try better or different ground location) and whether the whine is there with the antenna unplugged (if no whine with antenna unplugged then an antenna isolator would help).
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Old Jul 25, 2011 | 12:48 PM
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As Kedar stated, but you'll have to pull it all out to fix, the HU RCA's (the PAC/ADD-GM24 outs) are what need to be gounded. Be sure to look at Kedar's install <CLICK HERE>, that should answer everything ...
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Old Jul 25, 2011 | 04:53 PM
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Originally Posted by Roodman
Some guys have said on the forum to put ground loop isolators on the rca plugs where they plug into the amp. Does that fix it?
IF the problem is actually a minor ground loop problem, then yes, that will fix it. You can get two GLI's from here for $25 shipped, if the noise is bothering you that's well worth not having to take the dash apart if it fixes the problem.
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Old Jul 25, 2011 | 05:36 PM
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Default Grounding

could I ground the rca's to where the amp is grounded instead of the back of the H/U?
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Old Jul 25, 2011 | 05:53 PM
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Originally Posted by Roodman
could I ground the rca's to where the amp is grounded instead of the back of the H/U?
its not the same. what radio, amp, kind of rca's, where is radio, and where is amp grounded
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Old Jul 25, 2011 | 07:15 PM
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Arc audio 805i
Kenwood KIV BT901
Whatever ones that Dennis sold me
Radio is using a gm harness
Amp is grounded to the side of the car where Kedar did his
Focal 165KR components
There is a possibility that the rca maybe touching the power wire
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Old Jul 25, 2011 | 08:18 PM
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run rca down center of car IMO is the best way to do it and how i always do.
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Old Jul 25, 2011 | 08:24 PM
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installing an isolator at the amp is probably the easiest solution. opening up the console and trying the tests i described above is the better solution. your ideal is avoiding having to use a ground loop isolator.

i tried three different isolators and two of them noticeably degraded the quality. the PAC SNI1 Noise Isolator was the best, but because i was able to eliminate all of my noise without it, i did not use it. i have two sitting around and can sell them to you at cost if they work on your car. i will PM you info about meeting up.
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Old Jul 25, 2011 | 09:48 PM
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adding an isolator at the amp works like .1% of the time
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Old Jul 25, 2011 | 10:57 PM
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Originally Posted by pentavolvo
adding an isolator at the amp works like .1% of the time
I had a pretty major whine after I connected up a separate amp for the components in the door, along with a RF 360.2. Temporarily I hooked up a Monster Cable XLN-400 noise suppressor. It completely eliminated the whine.

Next time I took apart the console I disconnected the HU from the factory ground, and grounded it with the amps, and that solved the actual issue.
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