Radio buzz

Micia34 · 09-05-2011, 03:10 PM

Have a 2006 Keystone Zeppellin II travel trailer. All of a sudden there is a buzz coming from the radio speakers and the radio doesn't work anymore. We have it in a permanent location and go on weekends so I just flipped the breaker off. Any suggestions for what could be causing this and how to fix it? My plan right now is to go down next weekend and take the radio out! I read other posts on here about radio buzz but it seemed like everyone was talking in motor coach terms. Can anyone help a trailer girl out? Thanks!

Ray,IN · 09-07-2011, 07:14 PM

Turn off all breakers except the one controlling the radio, if the noise is gone you eliminated the source. Flip on on at a time until the "buzz" returns to narrow the source. If that breaker controls several things, unplug one at a time, etc.
If the noise remains with the one radio breaker on, it is the source to narrow further.
Can't say this works every time, but what have you got to lose but time.

wa8yxm · 09-08-2011, 08:23 AM

Is this a 12 volt radio? (I am guessing it is, standard dash radio type radio)

Your batteries are either 1: Disconnected or 2: Toast.

There are several differnet converters.. One popular one in days gone past in low end rigs was the Magnetek 6300 series, converter/power distribution center (Check the door of your fuse/breaker box) This unit has very poor regulation (Feroresonant transformer) and no filtering.. It relied on the battery to filter the DC to the radio. It also boils batteries dry fairly quickly.. when dry they no longer filter.. And when they no longer filter you get a very loud buzz and teh radio no longer works.

Now magnatek is no more (parrlex bought them) But they did sell a "Battery Simulator".. Did, past tense.. If you go to a high end auto audio store they have somethign called a "Hardening condensor" or "Hardening Capacitor" (Two names, same device, make that 3 names) It is,, the same thing as the Magnetek Battery Simulator.