Electrical HELP!

[beemerFROG]

I seek the assistance of all of you electrical engineers and self-proclaimed farkle-fanatics!

 

I want to hook up a volume control inline to my Roady XT. I have taken a 3.5mm extension and put a volume control on it. It took forever since there was no hookup diagram with the part (Radio Shack). After some time with alligator clips hunting and pecking, I found the layout that reduces the volume. It sounded fine with my iPod, no interference. When I hook it up to my XM I get a terrible engine noise/ static/ bad sound! I already have a ground loop isolator hooked up so I now figure I connected something wrong. Any help would be great. And if you feel I have gotten the wrong volume control then tell me that too! I don’t mind making this again and again, I just want it right. Thanks so much in advance. (of course I would love to have this for the weekend!)

 

[bobbybob]

It appears that you *are* using shielded cable from the pic? If so, are you making sure the shielding is connected to the bike's ground?

[bobbybob]

Also, are you mounting the vol control inside a small metal box with the audio wires' shielding running inside it and grounded to the box? The more exposed wires you have, the more ignition noise it will pick up--just like an antenna.

[Ken H.]

I don't think you have it wired right. Typically the ground (black) goes to one end of the POT, the input to the far end, and the output to the wiper terminal. And all the grounds need to connect to each other.

 

But all that aside, Radio Shack sells a pre-made in-line volume control for about $6 or so. Did you find/look at/try that one?

[beemerFROG]

I don't think you have it wired right. Typically the ground (black) goes to one end of the POT, the input to the far end, and the output to the wiper terminal. And all the grounds need to connect to each other.

 

But all that aside, Radio Shack sells a pre-made in-line volume control for about $6 or so. Did you find/look at/try that one?

 

I numbered the posts, hope this helps.

 

[FlyingFinn]

What Ken said.

 

I made a little drawing trying to illustrate the connections...

Then again, there's always RadioShack

 

--

Mikko

[FlyingFinn]

Oops, I got that drawing wrong.

You have to swap the "in and out" wires to either Left of Right side. But not on both.

 

The circuit in the drawing would always have Left and Right side at opposite volume setting. One side is at 100% and the other is 0%

That could be interesting...

 

--

Mikko

[beemerFROG]

Thanks for the help. As far as Radio Shack, that's where I bought this an nobody there knew how to hook it up, and they did not have anything pre-made. They may have one that is attached to the cord but I wanted this to be panel mounted. About your diagram...I look at it...rotate it...and try to line it up with my plug...I guess I am slow or tired. (Lets go with the later!) Can you put some #'s on the posts that corespond to the ones in the drawing? Please? From your diagram it looks as though you have the commons connected together and then to the posts..correct?

[FlyingFinn]

Here you go. I put the number there for only one side.

The wiring for the other side is identical.

 

Looking at your photo I'm not 100% sure of the pin numbers for the second potentiometer (4,5,6) but you wire that just like the first one. Clear?

 

It doesn't matter if you connect the commons together "first" and then to the potentiometers. Main thing is that four things are connected to one common point. Two wires that come into the "rat's nest" and two pins of the potentiometer. Clear?

[beemerFROG]

[/b] Thanks a million Mikko![/b]