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clicking noise in headset

Azjulian

Well Known Member
I've done some searches on this topic, but havent really found anything that helps.

2017 RV12ULS, Garmin G3x and Garmin radio.

If I turn on my strobes i get a clicking sound in the headset (both of them), if I remove the audio fuse the clicking sound disappears, ie its not something as simple as a straight ground loop problem. This has been an issue since day one, I just make an attempt to trouble shoot every condition inspection (which I am in the middle of now).

Anyone have any thoughts on how to troubleshoot further ?

Julian
 
If I turn on my strobes i get a clicking sound in the headset (both of them), if I remove the audio fuse the clicking sound disappears, ie its not something as simple as a straight ground loop problem.

Julian

‘Ground loop problems’ refer to different paths to ground introducing slightly different voltages into something. These voltages are low enough that they are seldom heard without amplification. e.g., pulling the audio fuse proves nothing. You may have ground loop noise getting into your audio amplifier. Check the usual suspects: Strobe not grounded at wingtip, but rather brought back to common ground point; mike and headset jacks isolated from airframe, ground wires brought back to audio panel; etc.
 
I had exactly this problem on my 12 and it was caused by the music input socket creating a ground loop. The L & R channels common is connected to the body of the socket and that connects to the airframe through the mounting thread. I just removed and stowed the socket as I don’t need the music input. Now absolutely no noise from strobes, fuel pump etc,
 
Ditto on the music input. Try the settings on the intercom - I spoke with the guys at PS at Sun n Fun last year and that was the first thing he said.

If you fiddle with the music setting on the intercom it should go away - or ditch the jack in the bulkhead.
 
I never listen to music through the aux input, just through my Bluetooth.... so I wasn’t familiar with those settings in the menu, when I either mute or turn down the music “volume” the noise disappears totally - good enough for me !

Thank you all !!
 
The PS intercom gadge said it was because the socket isn't isolated from the structure and it creates a ground loop.
 
My socket is isolated from the frame. It is a plastic housed socket with 3 connections, left, right, and common. All 3 wires connect back at the radio connecting to nothing else on the way. I still have the strobe noise even with no aux input turned on. If I turn the aux volume to zero the noise stops.
 
My socket is isolated from the frame. It is a plastic housed socket with 3 connections, left, right, and common. All 3 wires connect back at the radio connecting to nothing else on the way. I still have the strobe noise even with no aux input turned on. If I turn the aux volume to zero the noise stops.

I'm curious ... have you tried plugging an external audio device into the aux audio connector and left the device turned off and/or turned on with the device's volume all the way down? I'm wondering if in your situation having a termination on the aux audio connector would contribute to less noise than having the wires floating so to speak.

Also, have you tried removing the aux audio connector from the mounting hole just to see if having it hanging in the air reduces the noise? If the latter makes the noise go away, perhaps you could install isolation washers.
 
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Hi John - I will give adding an audio device a try at the weekend and report back on what the result is.

Julian
 
I'm curious ... have you tried plugging an external audio device into the aux audio connector and left the device turned off and/or turned on with the device's volume all the way down? I'm wondering if in your situation having a termination on the aux audio connector would contribute to less noise than having the wires floating so to speak.

Also, have you tried removing the aux audio connector from the mounting hole just to see if having it hanging in the air reduces the noise? If the latter makes the noise go away, perhaps you could install isolation washers.

I have an IPod connected to the jack, With it powered off or on makes no difference. Unplugging it makes no difference. Un-mounting the jack is difficult so I didn't try it but it is plastic jack and has no metal on its exterior.
 
This may not be any help, but I found it interesting. I hear a faint strobe clicking noise in my headset also. I have an iPod plugged into the Music Input on the front of the Dynon intercom. The iPod is powered by a USB charger plugged into the ship's electrical system.

Today I experimented a little and found this: When I unplugged the iPod from the intercom, the strobe clicking noise stopped. I then plugged the iPod back into the intercom and the strobe clicking noise came back. Then with the iPod plugged into the intercom, I unplugged the iPod from the USB charger, so the iPod was running off its own internal battery, and there was no strobe clicking noise.

So in my case, it appears to be the USB charger. And many USB chargers have been the culprit in cases of RF noise.
I have the same issue but only if my SAMSUNG tablet battery is very low and the USB charger is running at high power. Once the battery charges up to about 80% the noise goes away and everything works fine. YMMV

:cool:
 
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The chargers you have are dropping the voltage from 12-14 V down to around 5.1 V to charge your Li Ion batteries in your devices. Highly probable that they are using Pulse Width Modulation to drop the voltage in the transformers.

This method is inherently noisy on audio equipment. I sometimes run solar panels putting out 21 to 22 V to get down to 14.8V for the battery that powers my ham radio, and the charge controller's PWM noise is darn near impossible to filter out of the design.

So what you are experiencing is pretty common with radio COM equipment.
 
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