Hi everyone! I've had some trouble getting an answer to this question but I thought I'd give you guys a crack at it. This board seems way more knowledgeable than the average!

I'm about to install an Alpine CDA9847 in my new (to me) '02 Accord coupe. I'll be connecting my SkyFi radio via the Aux input. This is the same thing that I did with my last car but there is a pretty serious problem with it. If I'm careless and plug the SkyFi into its cradle while the system is powered up, it will produce a voltage spike and the speakers will "pop" really badly. I managed to trash at least one of the tweeters on my Alpine components by doing this only two or three times.

Is there any sure-fire way to prevent this from happenening on the new system? Obviously, the simple answer is "dont do that you fool." But I want to make it idiot proof. Any signal conditioning devices that I can install? Other clever tricks?

Thanks in advance for taking the time to help me.

 

Normally "pops" like that are caused by poor grounding someplace, if it is only there when you plug the SkyFi into it's cradle, I would think its the SkyFi's ground, maybe try grounding it someplace else, maybe to the Alpine's chassis itself, or you can try a RCA, [if you are using RCAs at some point for the signal from the SkyFi to the Alpin HU] ground loop isolator, or drop the SkyFi into it's cradle before you turn on the ign. 94

 

fcm, thanks for the suggestions. I emailed Crutchfield before I bought my HU and even that guy was just like "that will happen no matter what, here's a list of stuff you need to buy and don't forget to give them my name when you place your order." The alpine aux-input does split out to a set of RCA jacks so the ground loop isolator might be worth a shot.

I'm only going to have stock speakers for a while so at least I can't trash anything while I'm trying to set it up properly. I think one of them is already blown, anyway. Head unit should arrive at my door step tomorrow afternoon so I'll be able to get to it soon enough.

 

IF you leave the rca connections accessible, most car audio shops will probably let you try the ground loop isolator to see if it works, before you have to pay for it 94

 

Just thought I would post back with the results. I got everything installed this afternoon without doing anything fancy and guess what? No popping! You must be right, and there must have been something wrong with my install to the Volvo because there is absolutely no problem on this Accord.

On another note, I used to knock Crutchfield for their high prices but I'm definitely glad I bought from them this time. The install looks great and it was by leaps and bounds the easiest of the three head units I've installed. It's so much nicer when I can solder the wires on my table rather than splice them while sitting in the car! And the sound is amazing...I'm so glad I didn't wait.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by exbrick &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Just thought I would post back with the results. I got everything installed this afternoon without doing anything fancy and guess what? No popping! You must be right, and there must have been something wrong with my install to the Volvo because there is absolutely no problem on this Accord. </TD></TR></TABLE> Well thanks for letting us know, I hate give or see advice given to some one and then never know if the problem was solved, it's different if some one askes "where do I run the RCAs", you tell them, and they do it or not, but when there is a problem, its always go to know if something worked, so if someone else has the same problem, we know what works.
Now on another note, if I had known it came out of another make of car, I probably would have just told you, "don't worry be happy" 94