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Accessory Power Plug Interference

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Audio and Electronics' started by jbrasher, Mar 8, 2008.

  1. jbrasher

    jbrasher Junior Member

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    This question is for the more electrically informed I have a Zaurus SL-5600 (I know it's obsolete) that does what I like for now. I listen to Podcasts in my '08 #7 Silver Prius all the time. I got a universal power plug so I could charge it while I drive/listen but there's too much interference coming from something (imagine that) for me to listen and charge at the same time. I remember years ago we'd put something on the spark plug cables to dampen this type of thing but I'm at a lose now days. Any help would be appreciated. John PS Yes I'll get an Ipod eventually (or something) and a DICE (or something) once I think the bugs have been worked out of them.
     
  2. Bill Merchant

    Bill Merchant absit invidia

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    Hi John, welcome to PriusChat! Maybe what you're hearing is ground hum. Do a search here for ground hum or hum eliminator and I think you'll find some threads discussing the problem and solutions to fix it.
     
  3. jbrasher

    jbrasher Junior Member

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    Thanks Bill,

    The term may be a 'ground loop isolator'.

    I'll go to Radio Shack and pick one up.
    I tell you how it works,

    John
     
  4. jbrasher

    jbrasher Junior Member

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    Radio Shack was an online only purchase and the pictures showed more cnnectors than I thought necessaey so I bounght the Crutchfield version which looked a lot cleaner.

    It is and works, I'm happy.

    John
     
  5. Oddest_raindrop

    Oddest_raindrop New Member

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    the other thing to try is to see what it is like on a low battery. Sometimes with charged batteries the chargers at not putting out a clean dc. This dc is then not filtered well and sent through everything and ends up in the audio. With more of a load on the charger some of this noise disapears. I found different chargers can produce noise, especially the cheaper ones.
     
  6. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    The Prius produces a fair amount of electrical interference. You have that 500 V inverter popping away, and assorted high power electrical accessories, so it's not surprising that some noise gets into the 12 V system.

    Tom