Farting and popping noises...and it's not me!

[demonboy]

Farting and popping noises...and it\'s not me!

Recently we've been getting some rather nasty electronic farting and popping noises coming through our stereo when we listen to the radio via wifi, and I'd like some advice on how I can work out where they are coming from. There are a number of things that happened at the same time and some measures I've taken to work out where it's coming from:

- I put on a new plug for our shore-power cable. I soldered the ends and the connections are good, so I'm sure it's not that. Would too much solder on the ends be a likely cause?

- The shore power cable actually had the blue wire going to the live terminal, but since this was how the previous plug has been installed I just did the same because I've not had a problem with it before. I'm sure getting live and neutral the wrong way round would do more than make a few nasty noises on the stereo!

- We've only recently been streaming radio via the wifi router and I've been sitting at the laptop all day every day (!) for the last week, so perhaps it's always been there and I've never noticed it before.

- I've unplugged all appliances, extensions and mains cables from the sockets in the boat, so it's not dodgy wiring on the appliances because the noises persist.

- I've tried another power outlet on the pontoon but it's the same, so it could be the electricity supply. However no other mains-powered appliances are affected. We have a side lamp that would flicker on and off, I'm sure, and it doesn't.

- I can't believe it's dodgy earthing on the stereo unit because that's been installed well and checked recently by myself. Also we still get the popping noises when listening to audio via the laptop speakers.

Any advice on how to start looking into this problem? Which finger do I use for sticking in the mains power socket?

 

[thalassa]

Re: Farting and popping noises...and it\'s not me!

Mobile phone near the radio /laptop?

 

[matelot]

Re: Farting and popping noises...and it\'s not me!

will the wtereo work off the boats 12v dc? if it will then sswitch everything off inc the shore connection, all the lights etc. everything. if it still pops and farts then the source is outside the boat and you will be lucky to find it. if it doesnt then switch on your normal facilities item, by item until it does start

 

[lw395]

Re: Farting and popping noises...and it\'s not me!

To see whether you have errors on your wifi stream or noise in your audio side, play an MP3, audio CD or other known good audio file on the system. If this still has noise on it, the problem is somewhere downstream of the soundcard/laptop audio.
FFS sort your live and neutral out, but its probably not causing this.
If the problem is interference to the Wifi stream, if the signal strength is weak get a better aerial, otherwise look for interferers and either supress them or move the aerial away from them.
You could try using a mains lead with built in filtering, it may soak up some of the high frequency rubbish on the mains if that's the problem.

 

[KREW2]

Re: Farting and popping noises...and it\'s not me!

When did you move to Goose, and where is it?

 

[Searush]

Re: Farting and popping noises...and it\'s not me!

[ QUOTE ]
When did you move to Goose, and where is it?

[/ QUOTE ]

That'll be Goose Green in the Falklands then? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[demonboy]

Re: Farting and popping noises...and it\'s not me!

I've given up trying to locate it (the source of the noises) but thank you for your help. I did try a number of measures, including unplugging stuff and doing other stuff. The noises are almost at the same time every day and right now there are no noises (apart from the voices in my head). I've decided it's a shore-based thing.