Help with alternator whine

[domonas]

So I've searched for an answer, but all answers seem to involve an amp of some sort. Unfortunately for me, after installing a head unit with no amp, I get the dreaded alternator whine. The head unit is

http://www.amazon.com/Dual-XDMA6415-200-Watt-Receiver-Bluetooth/dp/B00012O6QQ/ref=cm_cr-mr-title

and I used this speaker connector

http://www.amazon.com/Scosche-HA08B-Speaker-Connector-1998-Up/dp/B0007KK2G0/ref=cm_cr-mr-title

Crimped and electric tape the connections. Any advice for someone that gets alternator whine WITHOUT an amp, and just a new head unit?

 

[kn0x47]

So is your alternator actually wining or do you hear it through your speakers? If its from the speakers then its a grounding issue. Change where your head unit is grounded. If that doesn't help then its an internal grounding problem and you just need to get the head unit exchanged

 

[schmiddr2]

Exactly.

Just cut the black wire, splice it if need be, then attach it to a ground location in the dash. Should be a few places where other electronics are grounded, just use one of those.

 

[domonas]

So is your alternator actually wining or do you hear it through your speakers? If its from the speakers then its a grounding issue. Change where your head unit is grounded. If that doesn't help then its an internal grounding problem and you just need to get the head unit exchanged

I hear it through the speakers. When I turn the car on and bluetooth connects, the whining starts. As I accelerate, the whining gets higher pitched, and as it shifts to next gear you can hear the shift through the speakers.

The head unit ground wire is connected to the adapter and plugged into the factory connection. I'll cut that wire and find a ground elsewhere. Any advice that you can give to where to ground it to?

 

[domonas]

Exactly.

Just cut the black wire, splice it if need be, then attach it to a ground location in the dash. Should be a few places where other electronics are grounded, just use one of those.

Any advice to a location in the dash that's a good ground location? Thanks for the advice!

 

[xci.ed6]

any whining when using other sources (FM/CD/etc)?

 

[domonas]

any whining when using other sources (FM/CD/etc)?

Every source.

 

[schmiddr2]

I don't know exactly where an OEM ground location is but just look under the dash/behind radio for a bolt with multiple black wires with ring terminals on it.

 

[lashlee]

The OEM ground is in the lower part of the bracing where the front of the console is. Personally I think the noise is from the radio. I've installed a few of the cheaper units that have noise. That's part of the problem with cheap units. We had one that we installed for a customer that had noise. We ended up hooking up a unit that we sold that was a reputable brand and the noise went away.

 

[xci.ed6]

Do you have a voltmeter?

Set it to A/C volts and measure the voltage at the battery, then again at the alternator (from +post to case). If your alternator is failing it will generate excessive ripple (more than .1V at the battery or .5V at the alternator) that may be audible.

If that checks out the HU probably has insufficient power filtering, install a capacitor between the + & - wires behind the radio (mind the polarity, stripe side is negative). A larger cap from radio shack might work.