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Alternator noise [message #25490] Wed, 19 November 2008 19:09 Go to next message
Peter Swartz is currently offline  Peter Swartz
Messages: 56
Registered: May 2009
Baron
I'm interested in a filter for the power source to my car stereo and amps, to hopefully remove the alternator noise in the background of my system. Is there such a filter for this purpose?
Thanks, Peter

Re: Alternator noise [message #25491 is a reply to message #25490] Thu, 20 November 2008 11:14 Go to previous messageGo to next message
bump_ride is currently offline  bump_ride
Messages: 2
Registered: May 2009
Esquire
Series coil followed by a parallel capacitor.

Re: Alternator noise [message #25492 is a reply to message #25491] Thu, 20 November 2008 13:17 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Peter Swartz is currently offline  Peter Swartz
Messages: 56
Registered: May 2009
Baron
Thanks for your reply, would you please provide me with some values for the coil and cap so I could wire this up. Should I place on coil/cap set on the Head unit red wire and a set on the power amps power source?
Thanks, Pete

Re: Alternator noise [message #25493 is a reply to message #25492] Mon, 24 November 2008 15:44 Go to previous message
bump_ride is currently offline  bump_ride
Messages: 2
Registered: May 2009
Esquire
Here's how you wire it up:

Connect the switched battery plus (like through the accessory switch) to one side of a coil and connect the amp power input to the other. All power flows through this coil. Then hook the capacitor across the amp input (after the coil, not on the battery side). The big caps are polarized, so be sure to observe proper polarity.

First rule: Use the biggest coils and caps you can afford. The bigger the better. You can use a single coil/cap for power to both lines but if you separate them you'll have more coil and cap, see rule 1.

Second rule: Big electrolytic caps need smaller bypass caps. The big beefy ones have too much internal inductance so the high freq spikes aren't shunted to ground as well. They store a lot of power and smooth out fluxuations from power surges like when you need a big thumping bass note. That's their job. Add to them a smaller (like 1uF) poly cap across them to dump the whine to ground.

Third rule: Don't forget about your ground connection. A good ground is the most important thing. Each component (head unit, amp, CD changer, etc.) should be connected to ground at a single point. Don't put one ground wire to the firewall, and another to the trunk. That's what most people do and it is what causes most noise. If you wire it up that way, all the noise filtering in the world won't help. A single point ground connection is the most important thing.

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