Over Voltage? (Or Not)

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eekvonzipper

eekvonzipper

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'65 Barracuda w/ Points Ign and a Round Back Two-Wire Alternator.
Has a Crappy, Newer Transistorized Regulator... (For Now)
Makes about 14-14.5 volts all the time, drops to normal at idle w/ Lights on...
My Problem is an AfterMarket Radio that Only works when the Car is Not running.
It's a Kenwood Bluetooth/Cd Blah blah bla. Wired Correct. Works fine during testing.
When I start the car the stereo sounds like it Stutters, like on and off very fast.
Is it just junk? (Worked fine in My Wifes Lil Focus)
I ran an Isolated wire from the battery to an E-Bike 15v to 12v Step-Down Regulator
and Grounded the Stereo to That Regulator. No Bueno. (Same Result)
Is it making too much voltage? the rest of the car doesn't seem to mind...

Regulator.jpg


radio.jpg
 
What kind of spark plugs are you running?
Is the noise possibly from ignition components?
 
I can't imagine an engineered radio that sensitive. Could be the radio has something failed, like an internal regulator. If you are sure your meter is accurate, that voltage reading is not out of line
 
Get rid of the dc to dc converter. You don’t have enough voltage differential for it to work properly.
 
eekvonzipper said:
'65 Barracuda w/ Points Ign and a Round Back Two-Wire Alternator.
Has a Crappy, Newer Transistorized Regulator... (For Now)
Makes about 14-14.5 volts all the time, drops to normal at idle w/ Lights on...
My Problem is an AfterMarket Radio that Only works when the Car is Not running.
It's a Kenwood Bluetooth/Cd Blah blah bla. Wired Correct. Works fine during testing.
When I start the car the stereo sounds like it Stutters, like on and off very fast.
Is it just junk? (Worked fine in My Wifes Lil Focus)
I ran an Isolated wire from the battery to an E-Bike 15v to 12v Step-Down Regulator
and Grounded the Stereo to That Regulator. No Bueno. (Same Result)
Is it making too much voltage? the rest of the car doesn't seem to mind...

View attachment 1715981069

View attachment 1715981070
Click to expand...
I think Radio suppressor/suppression cap from when I worked at a car stereo installation store.

Resistor plugs help, no resistor plugs contribute to noise, as do solid core wires.
High frequency dampener is something you can buy, but honestly I've only needed on a Mitsubishi one time for the amplifer only.
Lose the dc convertor, use original radio + wires and or go off the back of the fuse block on one of those open spades.
Mostly..if you have a bad diode in the alternator.. or one on the way.. mechanical regulator might make a random tick but thats diff, none the less those things will cause this noise/frequency...aaand or the msd box connected wrong..that'll do it to.
Test the alternator again. 1 or 2 field?
 
MOPAROFFICIAL said:
I think Radio suppressor/suppression cap from when I worked at a car stereo installation store.

Resistor plugs help, no resistor plugs contribute to noise, as do solid core wires.
High frequency dampener is something you can buy, but honestly I've only needed on a Mitsubishi one time for the amplifer only.
Lose the dc convertor, use original radio + wires and or go off the back of the fuse block on one of those open spades.
Mostly..if you have a bad diode in the alternator.. or one on the way.. mechanical regulator might make a random tick but thats diff, none the less those things will cause this noise/frequency...aaand or the msd box connected wrong..that'll do it to.
Test the alternator again. 1 or 2 field?
Click to expand...
One Field, Resistor Plugs, Solid Core.
I might've went Overboard with all the extra Grounds I put in...
I didn't want anything to rely on the Rusty Body for Ground, so I ran grounds from the Firewall to the KickPanel for Heat. Firewall to the Trunk Rear for Lights.
Battery Grounds to the Block, Core Support and the Firewall at the Regulator, and the Intake near the Coil Grounds to the Ground Strap to the Firewall.
Firewall to the Dash on the Inside. Radio is Grounded to the Dash. DC Convertor is Out. Gonna Try Dedicated Wires to the Battery I guess...
 
eekvonzipper said:
One Field, Resistor Plugs, Solid Core.
I might've went Overboard with all the extra Grounds I put in...
I didn't want anything to rely on the Rusty Body for Ground, so I ran grounds from the Firewall to the KickPanel for Heat. Firewall to the Trunk Rear for Lights.
Battery Grounds to the Block, Core Support and the Firewall at the Regulator, and the Intake near the Coil Grounds to the Ground Strap to the Firewall.
Firewall to the Dash on the Inside. Radio is Grounded to the Dash. DC Convertor is Out. Gonna Try Dedicated Wires to the Battery I guess...
Click to expand...
Lose the solid cord wires and tell me if it makes that noise anymore
 
Yes, get rid of the 'converter'. It may be emitting RF signals that interferes with the Kenwood.
 
Well, This worked when nothing else did. I really don't understand.
And to be clear it wasn't a noise I was hearing, it was an amp stutter
it sounds like quickly tapping a mute button.
When it was grounded to the Dash and Hot from the Starter Relay it still didn't work
but with dedicated hot and ground straight to the Battery it Does work?
It Looks like Crap and I Hate it! Thinking about throwing it out the window going down the highway... :BangHead:

20220906_122031.jpg
 
Do you have a big ground strap from the engine to the firewall? Ground problems can do weird things.

If it works the way you have it connected directly, do it. Just make sure you have a fuse close to the battery.
 
Mike69cuda said:
Do you have a big ground strap from the engine to the firewall? Ground problems can do weird things.

If it works the way you have it connected directly, do it. Just make sure you have a fuse close to the battery.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I've got Extra Grounds Everywhere! The Kenwood has its own Mini Fuse in the back of the unit.
 
Now that you have it working you can troubleshoot some more if you want.

First, leave the ground hooked to the battery & move the positive back inside the car where you had it hooked up earlier. Does the stutter come back?

Second, leave the positive hooked up and move the ground back inside the car where you had it hooked up earlier. Does the stutter come back?

This may tell you whether it is a power or a ground problem. You may need a long piece of wire.
 
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