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Radio static when using cigarette lighter power socket

supercub1999

Registered User
No static when nothing plugged into it but as soon as I plug the tablet in to charge it I get so much static in my headset the radio is useless.

Previous owner wired it directly to the battery instead of through the buss, could that cause the noise?
 
Some chargers generate noise. I assume the static is coming from the radio. More info would help.
 
Well there is no static in the radio headset when nothing is plugged into the socket, once I plug the tablet in it's like the squelch was opened.
 
I had the same problem with a USB charger plugged into a lighter socket. What brand is it? I used Anker brand and no noise. Powerwerx mades good stuff also. No noise. I put the panel mount ones in my Cub. You can replace the socket with a panel mount.
https://powerwerx.com/panel-mounts
 
It may not hurt to check the ground connection to the thing.
I recently had a loose connection in my nav light wiring that when switched on was the same as tripping the squelch off.

Cleaned the connections and all is well now.
 
Easy way to troubleshoot would be to swap out different chargers. Or use an extension cord to allow you to move the tablet farther away from your panel. My money is on the charger being the cause.

Web
 
Am using a convince store brand power socket. Works good. Just yesterday learned that if the braided cord touches any tube (in a pa-18 ) it would make noise.
No touching equals no noise.

Kem
 
Different but related issue.
I just bought an Icom A14 handheld radio.
Works great sitting in the (unplugged) charging dock with the controllable squelch set on 1 or 2.
But when I plug in the charger, the squelch needs to be reset to 6 or so to shut it up.

BTW I've wanted a handheld for a long time, finally broke down and bought one.
The A14 seems like a good one- compact & simple to use.
Although it has a bunch of features I don't really want and probably won't ever even learn to use.
$204 from pilotmall.com and free shipping.
 
Different but related issue.
I just bought an Icom A14 handheld radio.
Works great sitting in the (unplugged) charging dock with the controllable squelch set on 1 or 2.
But when I plug in the charger, the squelch needs to be reset to 6 or so to shut it up.

BTW I've wanted a handheld for a long time, finally broke down and bought one.
The A14 seems like a good one- compact & simple to use.
Although it has a bunch of features I don't really want and probably won't ever even learn to use.
$204 from pilotmall.com and free shipping.

I'm betting on the charger. When I move my Icom around my hangar, whenever I put it close to an active charger, I get the squelch noise.
 
I have had the same issue, I was able to rule out the charge cord itself (USB) if you put a ferrite choke on the charge cord or get on that is for aviation use the problem is solved. If you move the charge cord away from the radio it will likely go away. That is what worked for me.....

http://www.kf7p.com/KF7P/Ferrite_chokes.html
 
I got out and tryed another usb plug charger and not much change. I did try the different ports, its a cheap one I got off amazon for 10 bucks, there are 3 usb ports and it reads charge amps when charging, apparently one port is higher amp and the other two are low amp chargers, the noise is only heard when plugged into the high amp port, it was reading 1.6 amp charge and noise in the radio, well I tried charging the tablet with both other ports, read .3 amps on both and the samsumg let me know it was low power charging but it was happy and charged with it.. unlike my ipad it will flat out not charge and leave you SOL. It was getting dark so I had the brightness down, it may not have charged in mid day with the brightness up high. But anyway no noise when using low amp usb ports, problem fixed. This is the charger, https://www.amazon.com/Intelligent-Charger-Actpe-Cigarette-Motorola/dp/B01FFG51NY

Might order this ankor for 10$ https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B016LOGVRE and see if works better, but I believe it had to do with the higher amperage charge since the noise went away on the low ouput ports.
 
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Thanks Eddie, but read this and sounds like the same problem I have, so I ordered the charger he linked. Im not going to spend anymore on this, the noise goes away on my current charger if I use the low output usb port, and it does charge but slow, works for me, just thought I would give this other charger a try because its only 11 dollars. The stuff you linked looks good to but would require hard wiring and more $. I do appreciate your help though.


I tried using a cheap car charger to power my stratux and Nexus tablet but got noise on the radio. After looking at some ham radio operator recommendations I bought this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E1UWA4O/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've been using it for a year or more, no problem.
 
Thanks Eddie, but read this and sounds like the same problem I have, so I ordered the charger he linked. Im not going to spend anymore on this, the noise goes away on my current charger if I use the low output usb port, and it does charge but slow, works for me, just thought I would give this other charger a try because its only 11 dollars. The stuff you linked looks good to but would require hard wiring and more $. I do appreciate your help though.
Your current power port is not "hardwired?"
 
Eddie is correct. All you do is remove the spade terminals from you lighter socket and push them on the new shielded USB unit. Cheap USB chargers also are not intelligent and will shorten the life of your iPad.
 
The Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) you are getting is from the charger and is more prominent with the cheaper units whether plug in or socket replacement units. The RFI will likely be correlated with the amount of power being produced. Better units should have RF suppression internally. The cable to your device is acting like an antenna. Using a ferrite core, basically a donut shaped iron ring, on the cable (and maybe on the wires to the plug) will often resolve it. Just wrap the cable through the hole in the ferrite ring several times (you can experiment to see how many turns are needed).
 
FWIW I have USB charging connector hard-wired to a circuit breaker.
No static issues when charging my tablet, which I leave plugged in as I use it for GPS'ing.
 
I finally got back out yesterday and flew a couple hours, tried the new charger linked below and it solved the problem, no more noise, it was coming from the cheap charger I had.

I tried using a cheap car charger to power my stratux and Nexus tablet but got noise on the radio. After looking at some ham radio operator recommendations I bought this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E1UWA4O

I've been using it for a year or more, no problem.
 
Interesting discussion. I used this Anker USB charger plugged into the DC socket for my iPad mini while on my Alaska trip... other ones worked for a little while then stopped charging. Unfortunately this one also stopped charging the iPad in the plane towards the end of the trip. I don't know if it is the continuous vibration in the cockpit or what. I think I am going to have to examine the DC socket too - it seems to work with some adapters but not others.

The drawback of only having a direct USB charger is that certain critical electronics (like your Iridium sat phone) need the DC socket directly. So you have to have a least one of those for emergency purposes.

I had the same problem with a USB charger plugged into a lighter socket. What brand is it? I used Anker brand and no noise. Powerwerx mades good stuff also. No noise. I put the panel mount ones in my Cub. You can replace the socket with a panel mount.
https://powerwerx.com/panel-mounts
 
The drawback of only having a direct USB charger is that certain critical electronics (like your Iridium sat phone) need the DC socket directly. So you have to have a least one of those for emergency purposes.
Ask and ye shall receive. Put a power port in the other hole.
Powerwerx.com

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Interesting discussion. I used this Anker USB charger plugged into the DC socket for my iPad mini while on my Alaska trip... other ones worked for a little while then stopped charging. Unfortunately this one also stopped charging the iPad in the plane towards the end of the trip. I don't know if it is the continuous vibration in the cockpit or what. I think I am going to have to examine the DC socket too - it seems to work with some adapters but not others.

The drawback of only having a direct USB charger is that certain critical electronics (like your Iridium sat phone) need the DC socket directly. So you have to have a least one of those for emergency purposes.

Last owner had these
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NCOKZQ
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0041CDPQO

hooked directly up to the battery and it was routed up to the side pocket next to pilot seat, hot all the time, works but I am going to have a real dc socket wired up through the buss. The new charger I linked in my previous post above fixed the noise issue I had.
 
7 amp fuse

20170830_191305.jpg
 
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I finally got back out yesterday and flew a couple hours, tried the new charger linked below and it solved the problem, no more noise, it was coming from the cheap charger I had.

Same here. I used it yesterday and NO more noise...! Thanks for the tip..!

Kem
 
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