iBOLT Vehicle Dock for S III

Stephen Parker2

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Sep 27, 2013
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Okay i'm late to the party her so I apologize if this has been answered. I just got two of these for my cars and both give me static while the power is plugged in, if i unplug the adapter from the cigarette lighter it goes away. I've tried two different power adapter with the same results. I thought it was an Ibolt dock problem but i have a S2B desktop dock and it does the same thing so where is the problem and how can i fix it please.
 

clh42

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Dec 2, 2012
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Okay i'm late to the party her so I apologize if this has been answered. I just got two of these for my cars and both give me static while the power is plugged in, if i unplug the adapter from the cigarette lighter it goes away. I've tried two different power adapter with the same results. I thought it was an Ibolt dock problem but i have a S2B desktop dock and it does the same thing so where is the problem and how can i fix it please.

Yeah, ground loop isolator is the typical thing to at least try. For me, it eliminated some of the noise, but not all of it by any means, so I'm not sure what's going on. But I'd at least try the ground loop isolator.

As far as a specific device, I've seen this one from Amazon recommended several times:
Amazon.com: PAC Ground Loop Isolator for 3.5 MM Applications: Automotive

That one is only $15 but I still didn't want to risk it if it didn't actually work and be out the $15, or have to mess with trying to return it, and return shipping costs would have made it not worthwhile to even return.


So instead I went to my local Radio Shack. It's $20 but if it worked I was okay with the extra $5 and if it didn't work I could easily return it and not be out anything.
Ground Loop Isolator : Isolators | RadioShack.com

The only other catch is that this Radio Shack one is RCA instead of 3.5mm headphone plug. It does come with one adapter to adapt from the RCA to the male 3.5mm plug on one end, but it does not come with the female 3.5mm to RCA adapter for the other end so you need to have or get one of those, which oddly Radio Shack does not seem to sell. Luckily I already had one, but you'd need something like this:
Amazon.com: 2 x RCA Male, 1 x 3.5mm Stereo Female, Y-Cable 6-Inch: Car Electronics
and then you'd also need a double-female RCA coupler (which Radio Shack does sell, $1.18 for a 2-pack: RCA Phono Plug Coupler (2-Pack) : Couplers | RadioShack.com).
I know if you have order this little cable it kind of defeats the purpose of buying locally, but it's only $1.52 and free shipping so at least if it doesn't work and you return the isolator to Radio Shack, you're only out $1.52 for this cable. Also note, if you need it, this cheap cable with free shipping comes from overseas so it could take a few weeks to get it. I'd order the cable, then once you receive it go to Radio Shack and get the isolator and RCA double-female coupler.


So, bottom line...


If you want simple and don't care if you're out the $15 if it doesn't fix your issue, just order the PAC item.

If you want to be out the least amount money if it does not fix your issue, do the Radio Shack thing. It'll cost about $10 more overall if it does fix the issue, but worst you're out if it does not fix it is $1.52.

I'm just personally someone who doesn't mind spending money on something that works, but I hate to be out money on something that doesn't.
 

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