Valentine V1 does not work when headlights are on.

1360 Views 18 Replies 11 Participants Last post by rob13572468, Apr 2, 2009

rb26dett

Discussion Starter · Mar 12, 2009

Hey guys,

I tried searching but I couldn't find anything specifically related to this topic. So my problem is exactly what the title states. I've had my V1 for a few months now and I haven't driven the car in a while due to the weather. Plus, when I did drive it a few times during the winter, it was during daylight.

So the other night, I took the car out and when I turned on the headlights my V1 started to act strangely. It continuosly beeped, and it wouldn't stop. I turned off the lights and the V1 went back to normal. I turned the lights back on and it beeped continuosly again.

Please help.

By the way, I have the green wire mod because I have HID lights. And I also did a hard wire connection to the V1 instead of using the cigarette socket. I assume I wired it incorrectly. I don't remember how I wired it because it was done before the winter. Does anyone know what my problem is and how to correct it? And which wires do I splice into for the hard wire installation?

Thanks

1 - 19 of 19 Posts

mrcarcrazy

· #2 · Mar 12, 2009

rb26dett said:
Hey guys,

I tried searching but I couldn't find anything specifically related to this topic. So my problem is exactly what the title states. I've had my V1 for a few months now and I haven't driven the car in a while due to the weather. Plus, when I did drive it a few times during the winter, it was during daylight.

So the other night, I took the car out and when I turned on the headlights my V1 started to act strangely. It continuosly beeped, and it wouldn't stop. I turned off the lights and the V1 went back to normal. I turned the lights back on and it beeped continuosly again.

Please help.

By the way, I have the green wire mod because I have HID lights. And I also did a hard wire connection to the V1 instead of using the cigarette socket. I assume I wired it incorrectly. I don't remember how I wired it because it was done before the winter. Does anyone know what my problem is and how to correct it? And which wires do I splice into for the hard wire installation?

Thanks

Based on my experiences electrical goblins are hard to track w/o the car in front of you.

I'd say get a test light and goto town...get a good ground, and then find a power source that is under power when the key is on...

Does the V1 beep when turned on?

charliex

· #3 · Mar 12, 2009

Guess, HID's might be interfering with it, if its RF interference it'll need shielding, if voltage, suppression and filtering.

rb26dett

Discussion Starter · #4 · Mar 12, 2009

mrcarcrazy said:
Based on my experiences electrical goblins are hard to track w/o the car in front of you.

I'd say get a test light and goto town...get a good ground, and then find a power source that is under power when the key is on...

Does the V1 beep when turned on?

Yes it does its normal beeps when I turn on the car. I remember now. I used the same power source when I installed my Pioneer stereo. I used the same ground as the stereo also.

rb26dett

Discussion Starter · #5 · Mar 12, 2009

charliex said:
Guess, HID's might be interfering with it, if its RF interference it'll need shielding, if voltage, suppression and filtering.

How do I do that, Charlie? I'm no electrical engineer...far from it.

charliex

· #6 · Mar 12, 2009

I guess a simple RF test is check the AM radio, tune to a few different stations in turn and switch on the HID's, if you get good reception when they're off, and lots of constant noise when they're switched on, I'd suspect RF noise.

Supply is a little harder to test the quality, usually the simplest way is to install suppressors/filters and go from there, if its a to low voltage problem, a simple volt meter would check that out, i'd hit valentine up and see what they say about it.

If i had to guess i'd say it was more likely to be RF noise some of those HID ballasts are really noisy.

rb26dett

Discussion Starter · #7 · Mar 12, 2009

charliex said:
I guess a simple RF test is check the AM radio, tune to a few different stations in turn and switch on the HID's, if you get good reception when they're off, and lots of constant noise when they're switched on, I'd suspect RF noise.

Supply is a little harder to test the quality, usually the simplest way is to install suppressors/filters and go from there, if its a to low voltage problem, a simple volt meter would check that out, i'd hit valentine up and see what they say about it.

If i had to guess i'd say it was more likely to be RF noise some of those HID ballasts are really noisy.

I bought my HID kit from a member (dabears2k) on the forum. I love the kit. Assuming it is RF noise, how do I shield that Charlie?

MickOpalak

· #8 · Mar 12, 2009

My V1 alerts for laser when I use my iPhone in the cabin. As soon as I turn it off the alert stops.

charliex

· #9 · Mar 12, 2009

The ballasts ought to be shielded, first thing to check is that they're properly grounded.

It can be a lot of work, isolating or different ground from the valentine/radio, esr capacitor on the supply, possible bad ballast, rf ferrite choke on the supply , minimise the length of cables between ballasts and the lights, reroute the grounding/power, move the valentine.

its possible for some of the lamps to generate RF too.

simple stuff first, find out what the cause is, check the grounds, find out if its a bad ballast unit.

i dont' have specific knowledge of the units, so either someone who's been through it will chime in, or like i said i'd try valentine, TheViper might have some info on it too.

SweetDaddyD

· #10 · Mar 12, 2009

I'd assume it's noise. The HID's kill my FM reception but do not interfere with my V1.

A member? I guess if it comes to selling HID's. Don't think I've ever seen a post unrelated to that.

Seems a lot interferes with the V1's laser. I used to have a neon sign that did it every time I pulled in and faced it.

Randy Chase

· #11 · Mar 12, 2009

The first step if I was in your shoes would be (if this is possible) bypass the power wiring to the V1 and go off the cigarette lighter adapter. See if the problem still happens. If it does not, then you know you are dealing with a simple wiring issue. The hard wiring could be running so that they are picking up noise from the HIDs.

If that is the case, re-route the wires, use different source points to connect to. In the worst case solution, you can run wires from the battery which can act like a large capacitor for noise. Just need to put a switch in then. But I would try using better (heavier) wire and make sure you pick up is not directly connected to the lights.

If it still happens after the bypass test, that means nothing other than the fix is not so simple probably. It can be RF generated noise (doubtful, but possible).

Next step if it was me, I would try powering up the V1 from another source. Like 12V batteries (or 8 AAs) and see if that cures it. If it does, then it is probably not power line noise but instead RF.

If it is RF, shielding gets to be a big job. And may not be effective even then.

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Chris Mackey

· #12 · Mar 12, 2009

I'd love to know the answer. I have been considering getting a V1. I already have the HIDs from dabears2k which kills my AM reception.

SirLotus

· #13 · Mar 12, 2009

My guess is RFI. HID's are a well known source of RFI. RFI suppression is a complex subject. There are two methods of solution, one at the source with filters etc. and another at the location where the problem manifests its self using shielding or wiring rerouting. Best to talk to the HID manufacturer.
Michael

Randy Chase

· #14 · Mar 12, 2009

FWIW, I installed the other Lotus HIDs and I had NO reception issues** and no problems with my V1.

http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f129/now-available-complete-elise-hid-kits-16052/

**other than the stock reception already sucked and I never listen to AM.

Benjamin

· #15 · Mar 12, 2009

Go with Randy's idea and run direct off the cigarette lighter with the stock cord - My V1 was also acting like that - it wasn't related to the lights but would malfunction on a whim (beeping and what not) - turned out my power cable (the phone cord) was too long. I think if you look in the manual it says max length is 6 feet or something. Mine was around 10' and it caused just enough power drop to cause problems.

mrcarcrazy

· #16 · Mar 12, 2009 (Edited)

put ballasts in lead boxes.-poke-

personally find it strange that if both mods were in place before, and nothing has changed, then why would this RF issue be the cause...unless something (ballast) went bad....?

My FM reception sucked in my home town before the DDM kit (weak signals in BFE)....so I can't comment on any interference by HID's.

I say rule out the simple one first. (power issue)

rb26dett

Discussion Starter · #17 · Apr 2, 2009

Sorry for the delayed update guys. Well I tried to test it out by tuning into an AM station with and without the HID's on. When the HID's are on, the radio was horrible; alot of interference. When the HID's are off, the radio was actually ok.

I can't do Randy's test yet because I can't find the cigarette lighter plug.:wallbang:

MattG

· #18 · Apr 2, 2009

MickOpalak said:
My V1 alerts for laser when I use my iPhone in the cabin. As soon as I turn it off the alert stops.

I have a similar problem - when I turn on the stereo when it's dim or dark outside, the stereo's backlight triggers the V1's laser alert. I've found that if I turn on the stereo FIRST, then the V1, it doesn't give any alarms (or just power cycle the V1 by removing and reinserting its power plug). It's as if the V1 takes a baseline reading when it first powers up.

I'd recommend trying this with the HID problem, see if the V1 can sort through that interference if it's present when the V1 powers up.

rob13572468

· #19 · Apr 2, 2009

I can shed some light on the V1 issues.. We manufacture a V1 display adapter for mercedes (shameless plug: YouTube - Valentine One Interface for 2008 Mercedes ML ) and I have had to work through all these issues specifically.

First: the constant beeping that happens:if it sounds like the first part of the startup beeps then your problem is that the voltage is to low into the V1. This happens when the hardwire cord is too long or when the ground connection is poor or when the V1 is on a circuit that is overloaded. Run a better connection (both power and ground).

Second: if the beeping is actually radar alerts then what you have is radiated noise on the power or ground line. This is common with certain HID's when they are not grounded well or they are a noisy design. You first try better grounding of the HID's. Then try a noise choke inline on the power adapter for the V1. Finally if neither works then the HID ballests may need to have their metal cases grounded.

Third: If your V1 alerts to laser when you turn on your stereo/ shine a flash light, etc. That is actually normal behavior. The Laser receiver on the V1 was left wide band and unfiltered so alot of unintentional sources cause it to alert. There is not much that can be done other than moving the V1 away from the lighting source. Also consider that the Laser alert ont he V1 is useless for all practical purposes. If it alerts to a valid laser event then chances are that you just got clocked. Get a blinder system instead...

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