Over a the last few weeks, I've noticed a deterioration in the quality of FM reception in the Zed. Obviously I tried putting the whippy back on to see if that solved it, but it was no better. Was really starting to annoy me, as although I stream a lot of music from my phone, I do like the radio.
Anyway, quite accidentally, I have discovered, and rectified the problem!
I was moving the DD (XC90) and I noticed that the FM reception was also poor, something that hasn't happened before. I had left it running with the radio on, whilst I was in the back putting the 3rd row seats down, and was putting my puncture repair kit back away under the rear floor, WHEN I unplugged the 12v adaptor from the rear socket, which powers the rear window Snooper camera (have to unplug to lift floor) INSTANTLY the interference stopped....
So went to the Zed and started it up, with FM on and it was hissy and poor, THEN I unplugged the 12v adaptor from the ashtray socket, which is for the dashcam, and BINGO interference gone!
It looks like the cheapo adaptors you get with the cameras emit RFI, and in the Zed, it's close enough to the tuner module to affect it, incidentally the tuner module in the XC90 is in the rear roof just in front of tailgate, so that's why I only started having problems when I added the rear camera in the XC90, and the new camera in the Zed a few weeks ago..
I have the front camera in the XC90, as well as the Samsung wireless charging cradle powered by a hardwired 12v to twin 5v 2a USB similar to this one, and also the same in the van for camera and cradle;
These cause no problems, probably due to better shielding and a proper ground connection. Got them from Ebay, only £2 or £3 each delivered.
So if you are suffering poor FM reception, try unplugging camera & phone chargers from the 12v socket!
Mike
Anyway, quite accidentally, I have discovered, and rectified the problem!
I was moving the DD (XC90) and I noticed that the FM reception was also poor, something that hasn't happened before. I had left it running with the radio on, whilst I was in the back putting the 3rd row seats down, and was putting my puncture repair kit back away under the rear floor, WHEN I unplugged the 12v adaptor from the rear socket, which powers the rear window Snooper camera (have to unplug to lift floor) INSTANTLY the interference stopped....
So went to the Zed and started it up, with FM on and it was hissy and poor, THEN I unplugged the 12v adaptor from the ashtray socket, which is for the dashcam, and BINGO interference gone!
It looks like the cheapo adaptors you get with the cameras emit RFI, and in the Zed, it's close enough to the tuner module to affect it, incidentally the tuner module in the XC90 is in the rear roof just in front of tailgate, so that's why I only started having problems when I added the rear camera in the XC90, and the new camera in the Zed a few weeks ago..
I have the front camera in the XC90, as well as the Samsung wireless charging cradle powered by a hardwired 12v to twin 5v 2a USB similar to this one, and also the same in the van for camera and cradle;
These cause no problems, probably due to better shielding and a proper ground connection. Got them from Ebay, only £2 or £3 each delivered.
So if you are suffering poor FM reception, try unplugging camera & phone chargers from the 12v socket!
Mike