When I start car volt meter doesn't immediately jump up and show charging. When I gun the motor a little to 1500-2000 rpms, it shows charging (just below the red area)

The problem :confused: is:

As soon as it shows charging, a very high pitch whine comes thru the speakers (even with radio OFF). The whine changes with rpm.

The car has been out of service for about 15 months and didn't have this problem before, although I have put the orginal radio back in.

Thoughts and comments will be appreciated

Thanks,

Ken (molchaser)

 

probably needs new brushes ,, which means bearings too, do you have a rebuider near you? or have you check out-put with volt meter your self?

 

Whoa... with the radio OFF! Was going to recommend some filters but that now sounds like a band-aid for a bigger problem with the alternator.

 

Not sure on this one, but maybe 2 problems? Alternator plus ignition noise shielding, bad wires, etc) through the speakers? Weird that it happens with the radio off though? Oh well, at least it's a bump to the top. :confused: :cheers:

 

1-replace the alternator
2-make sure the pulley alignment is ok with the new one.

3-run a ground wire from your air cleaner to the frame for the ignition noise.


[Modified by AlwaysWave, 8:07 PM 11/30/2003]

 

Thanks for all the input,

The brushes makes some sense to me since it doesn't seem to charge right away,

I have the ignition shield on and it is has a ground strap to the block but I am confident it is related to alternator since the problem "turns on" when the alternator starts showing its charging.

The speaker deal is spooky, not only does it come through with the radio off, It actually will fade front to back with the fade control **** !!!!

I'll have the alternator checked out, that may fix it, but will definitely rulw out one thing if it doesn't.

Ken (molchaser)

 

i would check the alternator first but if it checks out OK then try using this. http://www.ecklers.com/product.asp?p...8PNSG8N19D8CD5
It's the only thing that ever stopped the whine coming from my alternator, and I've had a couple. I already have everything grounded every which way but Sunday and still had the whine until I installed this. You connect the red wire to the hot post on the alternator (or to the junction box under the drivers fender by the windshield washer bottle) and the black wire to the frame. Good luck.

 

OK, from following the conversation here a bit, here are some suggestions and comments....

first off, that Ecklers thing is a capacitor....fat value 1000 mf or more at about 16-20 volts....good idea, but a Radio Shack or some other vendor will have the same thing, just not as neat and clean for your install....
second off, Radio Shack and most other vendors have a 'filter' kit consisting of a choke...(coil of wire around a small transformer frame, with just 2 wires coming out).....what goes into the power wire of the preamp, from what you are saying above....it will not carry main amplifier power, the unit will become unstable and make strange noises all over the place, especially if the volume is up.....sometimes you need fatter caps across the power feed to the main amp and also before and after that 'choke' in the preamp power line....
;you need watch the preamp and power amp go to the same spot on the car for grounding, preventing ground loops, so watch that wiring...

this sill not kill that static you hear from ignition noise, like in an AM radio...home of the buzz....

you need to keep leads thick and fairly short....run no other loads other than the stereo gear off any power feed, ground.....the main amp should be wired across the battery, with the controll wire that turns it on and off, run as normal from the head unit....

if the whine persists, you should unplug the main amp from any input feeds....check if the whine is still there if it is.....and you got a fat cap across the main power feed allready, and you have a good ground to the frame of the car....you got a problelm....cheap amp...all the cheaper units do not have a good power supply design...you need spend at least 100 bux to get something 1/2 wasy decent....
OH, of course the speakers need have a good 2 wire connection EACH directly to the amp....not using the frame/chassis/car metal as a conductor for one side....

GENE

 

A thought I just had: The alternator produces alternating current, then converts to DC through a rectifier then regulates voltage through the regulator, all part of the alternator. What if the rectifier failed and was sending A/C voltage to the radio, it might get past the on/off switch and cause the whine?

 

If your ammeter is a one wire, it does not charge until it is revved up a bit to excite it.

Otherwise I agree with the recommendations on bench checking testing.

 

I think you mean " If your Alternator is a one wire"

Personally I think he has a blown regulator, or a bad diode. Bad diodes will show up as low voltage and noisy output ( whine) There are like 6 diodes I think and are replaceable.

Get the alt checked they should be able to find the prob.

I really doubt you need the filter or anything if it worked before.

Of course if you loose a ground weird things happen too...:crazy: