USB Charging Ports vs Escape Installed Boss Radio

[EscapeBoulder]

I just discovered that the USB charging ports that Escape installed in at least my December 2018 19’er makes a lot of RF (radio frequency) noise on the radio.

Ever since we picked up the trailer in early December, I’ve noticed the radio seems to have static, like the FM signal is weak or there’s a poor connection with its external antenna. Well... I just plugged my iPad into one of the USB charging ports installed by ETI and the radio audio degraded significantly. Then unplugged it and the degraded audio went away. And with my iPhone the degraded signal was less. So the interference / degraded audio appears to be proportional to the strength of charge being done by the USB charging ports.

It no doubt has to do with the voltage regulator in the USB port. Maybe an electrical engineer out there can explain why.

In any case, if you’re in a marginal radio reception area and want to listen to your Escape installed Boss radio, you might unplug any items you’re powering with the USB charging ports.

From a wonderful little reservoir somewhere in the Colorado Rockies...

[h2owmn]

If you put a "cigarette lighter usb charger" in the other receptacle, does that make a direct contact with the trailer's 12v? (bypass the regulator?)

[Eggscape]

You could always disconnect the Escape USB and use one of these like I do. There is no interference on my non Escape brand radio or on my VHF/ UHF communications radio.

If you want it to arrive in decent time, pay the extra and select “ePacket” under shipping.

See the full install story here in post # 244
http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f8...-12918-25.html

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by EscapeBoulder

It no doubt has to do with the voltage regulator in the USB port. Maybe an electrical engineer out there can explain why.

Yes, this is likely a switching power supply, which makes the incoming DC power into high-frequency AC as the first step in producing a different voltage of DC. If the output is not well filtered or the case is not well shielded, it acts like a dirty radio transmitter; if the input is not well filtered the unwanted AC can run back through the supply wiring to other devices such as the entertainment system.