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Radio Noise

whiteturbo Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 77 Shelby NC

2008-07-30          155719

I have a 3520 cab tractor and when the AC is on high or med. the radio picks up noise from the fan running. Any idea what to look for? It did not do this until the past few weeks and i have owned it for about two years.

Thanks
Jack

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Radio Noise

harvey Join Date: Sep 2000 Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY   Pics

2008-07-31          155726

I'll shoot from the hip on this: first I would look at and clean electrical connections to fan and radio. Next I look at the brushes on the fan armature. They do have filters you can install in antenna and power feeds. Filters would not be my first choice. ....

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Radio Noise

jdgreen Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 232 Maryland

2008-08-01          155750

I had a customer complain of this when he listened to AM. We ended up installing an external antenna. the factory under-roof antenna was very close to the blower motor and picked up static from it. Are you listening to AM or FM? ....

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Radio Noise

whiteturbo Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 77 Shelby NC

2008-08-02          155756

FM only and also a CD ....

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Radio Noise

kwschumm Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 5764 NW Oregon   Pics

2008-08-02          155766

If you get static when playing a CD my bet is that there's a loose connection or pinched/chafed wire from the head unit to the speakers (unless the CD player is an add on unit that broadcasts to a radio channel). ....

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Radio Noise

whiteturbo Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 77 Shelby NC

2008-08-02          155768

I don't listen to a cd very much and i am not sure bit i don't think i get any noise when playing the cd. I will check. I checked the strap from the cab to frame and it was OK. I guess i will remove the top of cab and look for a lose wire. With my luck the fan motor is going bad causing the noise. Someone said Antenna and that be something to look at because the weaker stations have more noise. Any more ideas before i remove the top cover?

Thanks ....

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Radio Noise

whiteturbo Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 77 Shelby NC

2008-08-02          155769

I checked it with a CD and it does not make a noise with a cd. What should i look for?
Thanks ....

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Radio Noise

earthwrks Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan   Pics

2008-08-02          155770

You might bed getting static from the alternator as it's charging which is feeding back through the battery and into the radio. (Of course the fan blower is obviuos problem too being so close). You may want to try installing what is called a "choke". It's a simple device that is usally a small horseshoe magnet or a donut shape. All you do is install it as close to the radio as possible on the power IN line, wrap or feed the wire around it. It controls stray signals. I had to install one on my home's phone line as I was getting stray signals from a neighbor's line. It cut the noise down to an acceptable level.

On gas engines there used to be or still is a device that could be installed on ignition wires. Later this was incorporated into the wires (and possibly the spark plugs too); sometimes it was installed at the coil/points/condenser. I believe it was called a noise suppressor.

Kenny Thompson had the same problem up til recently. The wifey's solution was a cheap and easy one: a quick, but heavy back of the hand to his jowl worked every time.
Kenny's a "quick-study" he tells me so it took just the one time to stop the "noise". Now he makes a different yet not as loud and muffled noise especially at dinner time 'cause he still open his mouth. tehehehe

D'OH!
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Radio Noise

kwschumm Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 5764 NW Oregon   Pics

2008-08-02          155771

On gas engines the spark plugs cause this sort of thing, which of course wouldn't be the problem with a diesel engine, but sparks most definitely will cause noise. Sparks would interfere with the radio tuner but not the CD. Arcing in the fan motor could be causing the trouble (motor brushes?)
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Radio Noise

whiteturbo Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 77 Shelby NC

2008-08-02          155778

I haven't looked at the motor yet but i would bet the brushes can't be replaced and the fan is 150.00 at the dealer. ....

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Radio Noise

jkeyser Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 7 Brimley, Michigan

2008-08-03          155791

I have a 3720 with cab, and have noise issue only while listening to the AM channels. It only happens if the blower fan is on with the AC unit on. If I turn the fan off, no noise, with the fan on I can't hear anything but static and noise. ....

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Radio Noise

whiteturbo Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 77 Shelby NC

2008-08-03          155792

Mine is about two years old has has never made a noise until about three weeks ago. I never listen to AM som i could not say anything about that. I am looking for a noise filter to try or maybe another antenna if that does not work. The antenne on the tractor from the factory is just a wire with a plug on the end to go into the radio and it is only about 18" long. Not much of a antenna but it does pick up good. ....

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