I installed a dual 500k pot in my motorcycle dash as a volume control for a MP3 / amplified speaker setup. Now I hear "tick tick tick tick" through the speakers when the engine is running. I was using an audio cable from Radio Shack w. gold connectors and didn't have any interference until I cut the cable and addded the pot. Any suggestions? Is there something I can cover the pot with to sheild it from electrical interference?
Is this a line level or power environment? Make sure that you have a good ground. Don't connect the isolated ground to the chassis ground of your car or bike. Keep it isolated. Can you provide a drawing of that. I see that it can be 2 things..... Either a spark plug interference or wrong grounding. Sounds like a spark plug problem. Get resistive wires!
Chris
Chris
Motorcycle EMI
Hey there.
Years back, motorcycle audio systems was most of what I did for a living. I need some details here:
What type of amplifier are you using?
What type of player are you using?
What make and model motorcycle are you riding?
How is the MP3 player powered, and how is the amplifier powered?
We need to peek a bit at your volume control wiring too. 500k ohms is pretty high at first glance.
Are you using some type of intercom unit, like the J & M units, or a Chatterbox?
I assume the ticking is ignition related. Most motorcycle high voltage (spark secondary) wiring employs solid-core leads and resistor caps. Capacitor-Discharge (CDI) ignition units do better with resistor plugs as well.
Run the amplifier without the MP3 player connected, and verify first that the noise is upstream of the amplifier. An input impedance that is too high is leaving the door open for ignition noise. Operate the MP3 player on its internal battery and see if the power supply is problematic.
Bob
Hey there.
Years back, motorcycle audio systems was most of what I did for a living. I need some details here:
What type of amplifier are you using?
What type of player are you using?
What make and model motorcycle are you riding?
How is the MP3 player powered, and how is the amplifier powered?
We need to peek a bit at your volume control wiring too. 500k ohms is pretty high at first glance.
Are you using some type of intercom unit, like the J & M units, or a Chatterbox?
I assume the ticking is ignition related. Most motorcycle high voltage (spark secondary) wiring employs solid-core leads and resistor caps. Capacitor-Discharge (CDI) ignition units do better with resistor plugs as well.
Run the amplifier without the MP3 player connected, and verify first that the noise is upstream of the amplifier. An input impedance that is too high is leaving the door open for ignition noise. Operate the MP3 player on its internal battery and see if the power supply is problematic.
Bob
I'd hate to hijack a thread, but maybe one of you can help me abit. I'm trying to add a amp to my motorcycle as well, but I'm having trouble testing it at home.
My previous setup was a Aiwa MP3 car player driving 2 4inch JBL speakers. It was good, but the cd player skipped too much for my taste, and the Aiwa was only putting out about 22w per speaker, so once I hit my normal highway speeds, even at almost full volume, I couldn't really hear them anymore.
I now have a portable mp3 player that I'd rather use instead of the Aiwa, so I purchased a cheap 40w x2 amp. Its a Boss Audio REV155 amp. I've tested it out with the Aiwa unit and it works fine. However, when I attempt to use it with the portable player, the speakers go full excursion. Not only that, but it requires a remote turn on wire to power up. I mesured the output voltage of the Aiwa head units remote wire and found it to be around the same as the input voltage. So I attempted to use a simple jumper wire from the positive post, which turns the amp on. But even with no input, the speakers again go full excursion. I'm at a loss as to what I have to do to get this to work.
One final note, the portable player doesn't have a line level output, just headphone outputs. The REV155 amp has line level, and high level inputs, plus a input sensitivity adjustment. I've tried the input level at full volume and at its lowest, but the speakers still go full excursion.
My previous setup was a Aiwa MP3 car player driving 2 4inch JBL speakers. It was good, but the cd player skipped too much for my taste, and the Aiwa was only putting out about 22w per speaker, so once I hit my normal highway speeds, even at almost full volume, I couldn't really hear them anymore.
I now have a portable mp3 player that I'd rather use instead of the Aiwa, so I purchased a cheap 40w x2 amp. Its a Boss Audio REV155 amp. I've tested it out with the Aiwa unit and it works fine. However, when I attempt to use it with the portable player, the speakers go full excursion. Not only that, but it requires a remote turn on wire to power up. I mesured the output voltage of the Aiwa head units remote wire and found it to be around the same as the input voltage. So I attempted to use a simple jumper wire from the positive post, which turns the amp on. But even with no input, the speakers again go full excursion. I'm at a loss as to what I have to do to get this to work.
One final note, the portable player doesn't have a line level output, just headphone outputs. The REV155 amp has line level, and high level inputs, plus a input sensitivity adjustment. I've tried the input level at full volume and at its lowest, but the speakers still go full excursion.
Get a volt meter and check the DC voltage between the + and- terminals that go to the speakers. If there is DC voltage there, the amplifier chip(s) is short circuit and needs to be changed. The headphone output is the same (nearly) as a line out. Basically it is a variable line output! If you wear a helmet, you won't hear much in the way of music. you'll only annoy other drivers if you get enough power to hear the music at full speed. invest in headphones like other long travel bikers. That might be the solution.
Good luck,
Chris
Good luck,
Chris
Well as I said, the amp works fine with the Aiwa unit. But I'm unsure why it refuses to work with the portable.
And I have thought about using the custom molded ear inserts with the built in "speakers" (I forgot what thier called), but I prefer to be able to hear everything around me. I tend to ride around at night and in areas not heavily populated, and when I'm in town I do turn the volume way down, only on the highway do I turn it up.
I do however, have alot of space in front of my chin in my Schuberth helmet. I thought about those mini "blaster" speakers (check out Aerostitch's catalog), but I doubt the portable would be able to drive them loud enough to overcome the wind noise, even thought the Schuberth is very quiet (better then the Shoei RF800). I doubt they would be very loud either, as thier meant to be used as close to your ears as possible. But that would require removing a little of the foam inserts in the helmet, which would compromise safety.
Besides, my tank bag was made to carry the speakers and a head unit or amp.
And I have thought about using the custom molded ear inserts with the built in "speakers" (I forgot what thier called), but I prefer to be able to hear everything around me. I tend to ride around at night and in areas not heavily populated, and when I'm in town I do turn the volume way down, only on the highway do I turn it up.
I do however, have alot of space in front of my chin in my Schuberth helmet. I thought about those mini "blaster" speakers (check out Aerostitch's catalog), but I doubt the portable would be able to drive them loud enough to overcome the wind noise, even thought the Schuberth is very quiet (better then the Shoei RF800). I doubt they would be very loud either, as thier meant to be used as close to your ears as possible. But that would require removing a little of the foam inserts in the helmet, which would compromise safety.
Besides, my tank bag was made to carry the speakers and a head unit or amp.
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