Alternator whine with tape only
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 929
Likes: 5
From: Marietta GA
Alternator whine with tape only
I just installed a couple of amps in my '68. It sounds great except that I get alternator whine when I am playing a tape but not when I am listening to the radio. Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks for any replies. I have a Kenwood headunit with Kenwood and US Acoustics amps.
[Modified by BB68Vett, 1:44 PM 11/8/2002]
[Modified by BB68Vett, 1:44 PM 11/8/2002]
Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 29,017
Likes: 0
From: Clemson University SC
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Cruise-In III Veteran
Re: Alternator whine with tape only (BB68Vett)
Thats just the tape head picking up the interference...I'm not sure you can do anything about it. :(
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 4,537
Likes: 84
From: St. Joseph MO
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Cruise-In IV Veteran
Re: Alternator whine with tape only (BB68Vett)
I just installed a couple of amps in my '68. It sounds great except that I get alternator whine when I am playing a tape but not when I am listening to the radio. Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks for any replies. I have a Kenwood headunit with Kenwood and US Acoustics amps.
[Modified by BB68Vett, 1:44 PM 11/8/2002]
[Modified by BB68Vett, 1:44 PM 11/8/2002]
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 929
Likes: 5
From: Marietta GA
Re: Alternator whine with tape only (JoeyG)
Thanks for the replies. I wil try cleaning the tape heads. If that doesn't work I guess I wil just have to turn it up until I can't hear it.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 452
Likes: 158
From: Newark, DE
Re: Alternator whine with tape only (BB68Vett)
I can almost guarantee you its not alternator whine. Most likely the motor that spins the tape is causing the noise. The motor is coupling noise into the audio circuits through a common ground resistance. Make sure you have a really good ground connection for the head unit. Ground it to bare metal on the firewall. You may have to file some paint off to do it. That should fix the problem.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 29,017
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From: Clemson University SC
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Re: Alternator whine with tape only (GTLocke13)
I can almost guarantee you its not alternator whine. Most likely the motor that spins the tape is causing the noise. The motor is coupling noise into the audio circuits through a common ground resistance. Make sure you have a really good ground connection for the head unit. Ground it to bare metal on the firewall. You may have to file some paint off to do it. That should fix the problem.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 452
Likes: 158
From: Newark, DE
Re: Alternator whine with tape only (TheWacoKid)
You haven't been through five years (yes, five) of EE courses. :D
Actually, on second thought, I don't know that. You might have. I don't think that guy's looked at this thread since I posted that though.
[Modified by GTLocke13, 10:08 PM 11/14/2002]
Actually, on second thought, I don't know that. You might have. I don't think that guy's looked at this thread since I posted that though.
[Modified by GTLocke13, 10:08 PM 11/14/2002]
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 4,537
Likes: 84
From: St. Joseph MO
Cruise-In III Veteran
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Re: Alternator whine with tape only (GTLocke13)
The motor is coupling noise into the audio circuits through a common ground resistance. .
Don't you hate the know it alls in the back of the class room.
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Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 29,017
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From: Clemson University SC
Cruise-In II Veteran
Cruise-In III Veteran
Re: Alternator whine with tape only (GTLocke13)
You haven't been through five years (yes, five) of EE courses. :D
Actually, on second thought, I don't know that. You might have. I don't think that guy's looked at this thread since I posted that though.
[Modified by GTLocke13, 10:08 PM 11/14/2002]
Actually, on second thought, I don't know that. You might have. I don't think that guy's looked at this thread since I posted that though.
[Modified by GTLocke13, 10:08 PM 11/14/2002]
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 929
Likes: 5
From: Marietta GA
Re: Alternator whine with tape only (GTLocke13)
GTLocke13, it's not true. I have looked back at the thread since you posted I just didn't reply because you really didn't ask me a question. I will check out the ground issue this weekend, but I recently had the HU out of the car when installing the amps and as I can recall I have the HU grounded to an aluminum bar running on the underside of the dashboard. It isn't painted or anything. I may just try a different spot and see if that works.
As always, I really appreciate the help I get here on the Forum and I appreciate your advice on this issue. A few months ago, I was "walked through" how to wire two amps in my Vette by Forum members and couldn't have done it without the Forum (or I would have done it wrong!).
Thanks again for the insight, hopefully it is just a bad ground. :)
As always, I really appreciate the help I get here on the Forum and I appreciate your advice on this issue. A few months ago, I was "walked through" how to wire two amps in my Vette by Forum members and couldn't have done it without the Forum (or I would have done it wrong!).
Thanks again for the insight, hopefully it is just a bad ground. :)
Racer
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 452
Likes: 158
From: Newark, DE
Re: Alternator whine with tape only (BB68Vett)
If moving the grounding point doesn't fix it, check the resistance of the ground wire. You may have damaged it taking the head unit out. Also, check the resistance from the head unit's case to the car's frame. This should read zero. If it doens't, its definitely a grounding problem. Unless you get an open circuit, which means the radio doesn't have a grounded case.
There's actually another possiblilty. Make sure the outer conductor of your RCA jacks isn't touching anything. This conductor isn't at ground, so it could be shorting to something.
There's actually another possiblilty. Make sure the outer conductor of your RCA jacks isn't touching anything. This conductor isn't at ground, so it could be shorting to something.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 929
Likes: 5
From: Marietta GA
Re: Alternator whine with tape only (GTLocke13)
I don't think I disturbed the ground when I removed the headunit because I disconnected it at the connector near the HU. What should the resistance of the ground wire read? What perplexes me is that it is only happening with the tape and not with the radio. I would think that if the RCA plug was grounding or touching something it would affect both the radio and the tape. It's easy enough to move the ground so I'll try that and see what happens. Thanks for the advice. I'll post when I figure it out.
Do you think the tape head could be picking up the on the positive battery cable that runs through the transmission tunnel?
Do you think the tape head could be picking up the on the positive battery cable that runs through the transmission tunnel?
