CD player hookup

[mike-uswest]

I recently bought a 2019 Ram 2500 TCD and in the truck there is no CD player. I know I am an old timer. I have a Panasonic Cd player that I can hook into the auxiliary hookup and play through the radio. I also have USB ports that I found have 5.1 volts power. It would be nice to hook the external power port on the Panasonic that they have labeled for 4.5 volts to use for the power to not have to replace batteries. When I hooked a cord to it I got a loud hum and chickened out and pulled the plug. I did still have the batteries in the Panasonic though. What I want to know is can I do this without messing something up? Thanks.

Mike

[Gdetrailer]

mike-uswest wrote:
There is only one 12V hookup in that truck, and it is up by the windshield on the dash. I have to use that for my GPS. That truck has evolved way past my equipment. Thanks.

Mike

I hear you on this..

Never enough outlets for DD alone in the back in our vehicles..

But, that is why they make aftermarket power ports..



Found HERE for $8.. Find a good spot and drill a hole, run some wire and done.

Walmart often carries a few aftermarket power ports to choose from that have a bracket that mounts with a couple of screws.

I do this to all of my vehicles as the newer vehicles "manage" the power ports and turns them all off after 10 minutes when engine is turned off.

Mounted one right under the drivers seat wired directly to the battery so I can plug in and run my fuel transfer pump (I carry a 15 gallon landscaper tank with extra gas) without the need of using the key..

[mike-uswest]

mobeewan wrote:
You might try one of these CD players.

Video

That is pretty much what I was trying to do with my Panasonic. A bit spendy. Thanks.

Mike

[wa8yxm]

dedmiston wrote:
Hey Mike - Instead of using the USB ports for power, can you get a 12v cig lighter adapter for the CD player so you won't need the batteries?

That will still have the ground loop issue.

[mobeewan]

You might try one of these CD players.

Video

[mike-uswest]

There is only one 12V hookup in that truck, and it is up by the windshield on the dash. I have to use that for my GPS. That truck has evolved way past my equipment. Thanks.

Mike

[Gdetrailer]

dedmiston wrote:
Hey Mike - Instead of using the USB ports for power, can you get a 12v cig lighter adapter for the CD player so you won't need the batteries?

I tried that many many yrs ago (1990s), no dice for me..

Mike could most certainly give it a shot, may or may not work but if he has the 12V cig adapter it is worth a shot at no cost.

Dry cells in super cold weather tend to fail quickly and rechargeables are a real drag to remember to recharge often or keep charged spares in the vehicle..

That is why I used the groundloop isolation transformers so I could use the cig lighter plug on a portable CD player..

The isolators are not a hassle, plug in and go, just a small expense upfront and if you are lucky might even find them in Walmart yet.. Otherwise Amazon has plenty to choose from..

[dedmiston]

Hey Mike - Instead of using the USB ports for power, can you get a 12v cig lighter adapter for the CD player so you won't need the batteries?

[mike-uswest]

Thanks, instead of going to much more trouble I think I will stick to the AA solution, or I could go to the trucks radio satellite. More expense though, and you cant pick who you want to listen to.

Mike

[Gdetrailer]

mike-uswest wrote:
I recently bought a 2019 Ram 2500 TCD and in the truck there is no CD player. I know I am an old timer. I have a Panasonic Cd player that I can hook into the auxiliary hookup and play through the radio. I also have USB ports that I found have 5.1 volts power. It would be nice to hook the external power port on the Panasonic that they have labeled for 4.5 volts to use for the power to not have to replace batteries. When I hooked a cord to it I got a loud hum and chickened out and pulled the plug. I did still have the batteries in the Panasonic though. What I want to know is can I do this without messing something up? Thanks.

Mike

Mike, you have the classic symptoms of a "ground loop" which in a nutshell comes from have two or more "grounds" that terminate at different points creating small currents to flow between those points.

Typically the fix is to get the ground points to one central location, but in car stereo applications this is difficult to do.

So, if one can't get the grounds to be the same potential, one must now find a way to isolate..

This is done by a isolation transformer on the audio jacks..

Old school method looked like this..



Found HERE

Inside that box is two small 1:1 audio transformers (one for each channel) the transformers break the ground between the CD player and the car stereo..

The downside of the above is you need to use RCA to 1/8 stereo jack cables and it is very bulky..

Now days, they have streamlined this and you can get the isolators in a smaller more compact tube and has 1/8 stereo jacks in and out..



The downside of these very small isolators is the transformers are smaller and may roll off the Bass considerably enough to be noticeable per reviews HERE so you might wish to consider one of the larger isolators which you could remote mount somewhere hidden.

Once you have isolated the audio ground then powering the CD player via USB jack on your radio or a dedicated 12V power cord for your player should now no longer have buzz and hum which wasn't in the music.

I do miss having a CD player some, but personally have gotten used to ripping my CDs to music files and putting them on USB flash drives.. It is like having a huge juke box in your vehicle and as long as you separate each album in it's own folder it is very easy to navigate manually to each album you want to listen to.

[mike-uswest]

Thanks for the answers, I didn't want to try going to the thumb drives, there are just too many of them and not enough time left in my life to transfer them. It sounds like I would be better off just keeping a supply of AA batteries on hand, and use it that way. It works fine that way. Thanks.

Mike

[wa8yxm]

The loud humm is caused by a ground loop Now there are ways to break a ground loop but none are perfect... (You need to use isolation transformers and most of those restrict audio range. Try the ones from Heil Sound for full range)

Alternative is to use a small True-sine inverter and a wall wart.. The inverter converts vehicle power to 120 volts and the wall wart back to 4.5-5 volts for the CD player. It also breaks the ground loop.

[ScottG]

Mike, I sent you a PM so I don't have the inevitable argument with some chuckle-head about it here.

[Matt_Colie]

Mike,

If those USB ports are not in the radio face, they may do you no good at all. Did you try duping the CDs onto a thumb drive and plugging that into the USB in the radio?

If you run out of other ideas, there are FM modulators that power from the DC mousohole and have a 3.5audio plug for the CD player. Tune it and go. I have one that is so old that it has died.

Matt