When my Element is running I can hear it through my speakers if I'm listening to my XM Roady. As the engine speed changes so does the whine through the speakers.
Does anyone know of a fix?

Hope you get an answer, Joe. I'm having the same problem with my Skifi, and with a tape player I had plugged into my AUX.

[quote:742326a2f2=" "]Hope you get an answer, Joe. I'm having the same problem with my Skifi, and with a tape player I had plugged into my AUX.[/quote:742326a2f2]

Is the whine there if you are running the devices off of battery, or just if the DC adapter is plugged in?

-brendan

If it's a whine that changes pitch with the engine speed, it's engine noise. This is common when adding a component with an improper ground. Trouble shooting this type of noise isn't too difficult, but I do not recommend that you use any noise filters. They are only a temporary fix, and the noise will eventually come back. What else did you add to your system? More info would be helpful in determining the cause of your problem.

In my case, I have the Skifi plugged into the AUX and powered by the DC plug. The sound definitely varies with engine rpm.

I don't get whine from the engine. I just some sort of some interference from the Roady. when I turn Roady off no odd noise. It is not connected to reving the engine. I can be standing still and the noise changes pitch. I still didn't get my SOP back from the body shop to change where I put the antenna or try other things.

wodock

The Roady uses a 6 to 12 volt converter plugged into the 12v power supply.
Once I power up the Roady and start the engine the noise starts.
I routed my antenna lead from the roof down the drivers side A pillar in through the grommet over tot the top of the subwoofer. Could I have placed the lead on top of an energized component that could cause the interference?

I made no other changes to the Element. In regard to jspectoys comment that I could have a ground problem I've since noticed that once the noise starts in continues after I've switched from Aux to FM. It only stops after I've unplugged the power supply.
I changed out the 6v to 12v at BestBuy but it didn't help.
jspectoys, Do you think it's the Honda ground to the power supply?

[quote:0de3111444=" "]I made no other changes to the Element. In regard to jspectoys comment that I could have a ground problem I've since noticed that once the noise starts in continues after I've switched from Aux to FM. It only stops after I've unplugged the power supply.
I changed out the 6v to 12v at BestBuy but it didn't help.[/quote:0de3111444]

When you say you changed out the 6v to 12v at Best Buy...that's an adapter that comes *with* the Roady, right and you had them swap it?

[quote:0de3111444=" "]Do you think it's the Honda ground to the power supply?[/quote:0de3111444]

Could be.
Did you try swapping out the Roady with another? It's pretty clear there's an issue with the power supply grounding back through the audio connections. The possible reasons I can think of are as follows:

The ground on the power socket is marginal.
Both adapters were faulty.
The roady is faulty.
The ground on the headunit is marginal.

-brendan

[quote:1ae4cdcfbc=" "]The Roady uses a 6 to 12 volt converter plugged into the 12v power supply.
Once I power up the Roady and start the engine the noise starts.
I routed my antenna lead from the roof down the drivers side A pillar in through the grommet over tot the top of the subwoofer. Could I have placed the lead on top of an energized component that could cause the interference?[/quote:1ae4cdcfbc]

Does the problem go away if you try to use the Roady without the Antenna? If not, then the antenna isn't a likely contributor.

-brendan

[quote:d640a5203a=" "]If it's a whine that changes pitch with the engine speed, it's engine noise. This is common when adding a component with an improper ground. Trouble shooting this type of noise isn't too difficult, but I do not recommend that you use any noise filters. They are only a temporary fix, and the noise will eventually come back.[/quote:d640a5203a]

[Assumption: stock EX system with XM or Sirius accessory using just 12V jack, aux jack and a non-grounded/non-powered antenna.]

I'm not sure I agree for non-hardwired components, such as items plugged into both the power and aux jack of the dash. The mantra that a "ground-loop-isolator is just a band-aid" usually applies to situations where the non-OEM wiring (that is, the wiring that the owner did, or a shop did) is at fault or at least questionable. Typically the "correct" fixes for that situation include additional or different grounds, re-checking that all power/ground/audio/control connections are sound, replacing spliced/crimped connections with soldered/heat-shrinked connections, rechaining of components in a "more correct" manner, replacement of dodgy wire-looms, etc. I don't believe any of those fixes will apply here. The Honda side of these configurations should have been designed to work with all sorts of equipment. That just leaves the add-ons themselves to deal with.

[In addition I would posit that Honda/Alpine should also have integrated a ground-loop-isolator into the aux input itself, or run power/ground to both in such a way as to to eliminate the problem or at least make it almost entirely absent. I doubt they did this.]

Eliminating the problem should not be the responsibility of the car owner unless the add-on equipment itself is faulty*. I don't see recommending a solution here that would be invasive to the dash. In this case, I'd recommend either a ground loop isolator on the audio outputs or some sort of noise inhibitor on either side of the power adapter (12v or 6v side)...or both. :(

If you can find something like the P1 product on this page...

http://www.installer.com/acc/

...and since it's RCA to RCA, you'll need a RCA sockets->headphone plug adapter block or similar small Y-cable. Yes, it's a bit more volume in the dash. :(

My recommendation: try the ground loop isolator first.

-brendan

* so, if you haven't yet, try swapping out the unit for a different one, if possible. If not, then try a ground loop isolator like this one.

[quote:2208d6fb57=" "]I don't get whine from the engine. I just some sort of some interference from the Roady. when I turn Roady off no odd noise. It is not connected to reving the engine. I can be standing still and the noise changes pitch.[/quote:2208d6fb57]

Well, remember that by "engine noise", we refer to a combination of things (e.g. ignition noise, alternator noise, etc.). Some of those things change in frequency or strength regardless of whether you a moving, pressing the gas, based on what components of the entire electrical and mechanical systems the ECU desides to engage at any particular point in time.

-brendan

My noise changes with engine speed.

Duh, I am a little dense – I understand now that joenuclear gets the noise when he is listening to XM through the car’s stereo – mine sounds fine with no noise. My problem is when I am listening to the AM radio while my Roady is on. That is when I get interference from my Roady – the spacey noises and static. Did or does anyone else have this problem or have any ideas?

wodock

Thanks for all the advice. The output jack wasn't fully seated. :oops:

oops!

I guess *technically* that was a grounding problem...but I hadn't considered user error as a contributing factor! :)

-brendan

What's a "Roady?" I'm giving my daughter an iPod for Christmas and understood it could plug into the AUX and power supply with an adapter I picked up at Radio Shack ... are we going to hear the engine through the stock speakers with this setup?

Fanrog, a "roady" is a receiver for XM satellite radio. An IPod is a MP3 player. Both are able to plug into the AUX jack on the dash using a male-male cable. You should not hear any engine noise as long as all your connections are tight. I do not hear any engine noise with my roady or my mp3 player.

If for some reason you should hear engine noise, which you shouldn't noone I know with an ipod has, a ground loop isolator should fix it.

Thanks BriBoy01, I don't know what an XM satellite radio is, but I take it I don't have one. I have a monster cable connection power plug in Christmas wrapping paper that I hope won't be the notoriously tight fit, I'm sooooooo taking faith and this forum that my daughter's Christmas iPod will be a go on the big day!

Fanrog, For information on XM a good site is www.xmfan.com also XM's official site www.xmradio.com. As far as the connection goes some are tight and some are not. The more I use mine it seems to loosen up.
How old is your daughter? Believe me the IPod is an excellent gift! The best MP3 player on the market hands down, plus the functionality of being an external hard drive and HUGE amounts of storage. Not to mention the COOLNESS factor of an IPOD.