Scanner makes noise while turned off!!

[michaelbookland]

Hi everyone,
I recently purchased a PRO-2006 online (I know it is an old scanner and all that, but it fits my needs in my county, plus I also have a PRO-164). Anyway today I noticed that when it is plugged in to the wall socket, even when it is turned off, it makes a humming noise. Same noise when turned on (it is not an annoying noise, it is just like a low and soft humming ). I have not noticed the same noise with my other devices at all.
Has anybody ever encountered the same problem with their scanner? Maybe is the house electric wiring? Sometimes I can't even have 2 heaters on at the same time...or the electricity shuts down.

Any help is appreciated!

Mike

PS:actually I find the noise annoying now(off or on, it does not matter), and I am wondering why i did not notice it before. I was playing with antennas yesterday, but I also played with some antennas on my PRO-164 and it is working fine.

 

[OsloViking1975]

I haven't. Not sure what it could be. There is still a current going to it even though it's turned off.Because when you turn something off it breaks the current but in actuality there is still a current you just simply blocked it by turning it off. Also are using the same adapter for both?

 

[OsloViking1975]

I'm not sure where I read something about humming noise. But somewhere in one of these forums I think it talks about it.

 

[michaelbookland]

I haven't. Not sure what it could be. There is still a current going to it even though it's turned off.Because when you turn something off it breaks the current but in actuality there is still a current you just simply blocked it by turning it off. Also are using the same adapter for both?

Hi OsloViking, thank you for your reply.
No, I am not using the same adapter, in fact the PRO-2006 has this built in cable so there is no need for one, although now I want to try a 13.8V adapter just to see if it what's only wrong is the built in adapter of the scanner.

Yeah, the electricity keeps going, but the noise shouldn't be there if there is none on the other machines...it is weird. Also not only the noise, but it kind of vibrates...a little tiny bit. I am not sure if it was like this before or not, really, maybe I am just paranoid all of a sudden today that I noticed.
Hopefully it is all fine, because I really LOVE this scanner.

 

[OsloViking1975]

Sorry I can't be of more help. I'm sure somebody has an idea here somewhere.

 

[OsloViking1975]

Maybe try the Oregon forum.

 

[michaelbookland]

Sorry I can't be of more help. I'm sure somebody has an idea here somewhere.

That's ok, you are helping anyway. Thank you.
Hopefully somebody else will give us a hand here.

 

[comsec1]

since the 2006 has a built in power supply it might be the transformer, as I remember with the micors I worked on they would get noisy with a hum when the plates that the transformer were wound on would seperate. try the external 13v supply and retest.

 

[michaelbookland]

since the 2006 has a built in power supply it might be the transformer, as I remember with the micors I worked on they would get noisy with a hum when the plates that the transformer were wound on would seperate. try the external 13v supply and retest.

Yeah I am going to have to purchase one of those. I do have one power supply for my CB radios, but of course it is the one with the 2 wires attached. I will need to get a wall adapter I guess, maybe a universal adapter with a bunch of plugs? Of course, it needs to have a 13.8V output option as well. Or is there a way I can do it with my CB radios power supply?

What do you think?

Thank you

Mike

 

[KE4RWS]

PRO-2006 Issue

since the 2006 has a built in power supply it might be the transformer, as I remember with the micors I worked on they would get noisy with a hum when the plates that the transformer were wound on would seperate. try the external 13v supply and retest.

Had the same issue with one of my PRO-2006's years ago. Turns out it was the internal power supply. I originally unplugged it and supplied power using the 12-volt DC plug on the back and that solved the problem. I also felt like my scanner was operating a lot warmer than it did when it was new, which was another reason I wanted to try using the 12-volt jack. Turns out it did operate much cooler after eliminating the internal supply. I guess over the years the transformer was starting to wear out maybe.

I used a spare Uniden 12-volt wall-wart power supply that had 1-amp output and it worked fine. Just make certain the polarity is correct or you'll be replacing a diode or two. Of course, a regulated power supply always works too


Randy

 

[DickH]

... Maybe is the house electric wiring? Sometimes I can't even have 2 heaters on at the same time...or the electricity shuts down.....

Mike, you are playing with fire - literally. If your electrical circuits are overloaded, you could wake up some morning and find your house on fire - or you might NOT wake up at all!

 

[michaelbookland]

Mike, you are playing with fire - literally. If your electrical circuits are overloaded, you could wake up some morning and find your house on fire - or you might NOT wake up at all!

I had the electrician come...it is not my house, so I had to call the real state people and send somebody in. He said everything seems to be fine, but honestly I think this electrical installation is bad. However, he mentioned some old houses just can't take a certain amount of watts...this happens ONLY on the rooms upstairs...
It I owned this house, the electrical installation would be installed the right way.

But yeah, you are right, I would someday find a fire in the house...or not wake at all. Then again the smart electrician tells us everything is fine...and so do the real state people. Oh well.

Thanks for your advice though man.

 

[michaelbookland]

Had the same issue with one of my PRO-2006's years ago. Turns out it was the internal power supply. I originally unplugged it and supplied power using the 12-volt DC plug on the back and that solved the problem. I also felt like my scanner was operating a lot warmer than it did when it was new, which was another reason I wanted to try using the 12-volt jack. Turns out it did operate much cooler after eliminating the internal supply. I guess over the years the transformer was starting to wear out maybe.

I used a spare Uniden 12-volt wall-wart power supply that had 1-amp output and it worked fine. Just make certain the polarity is correct or you'll be replacing a diode or two. Of course, a regulated power supply always works too


Randy

Hi Randy, thank you for your input. I was wondering, isn't it a 13.8 V jack the one located on the back of the PRO-2006? I mean, I have some 12V adapters around here plus the CB 13.8V power supply with the nuts to attach the wires (but I would have to play with some cable and a jack though). Do you know how many amps the PRO-2006 needs? I was looking through the manual and couldn't find it, just the voltage. These adapters I am talking about, one is 300mA and the other is 800mA. I use a 9V 1.5 A adapter with my PRO-164, which needs a minimum of 400mA, but it works perfect.

Anybody knows the amperage for the PRO-2006?

Thanks guys

 

[Ref-Jazzy]

Could be a ground loop issue. Happens alot when dealing with surround sound systems and the like. When i plug my computer into my surround sound i get the same hum. Whats happening is "dirty power" the power your radio i recieving has intereference on the line which is causing your speaker to hum.

 

[michaelbookland]

Could be a ground loop issue. Happens alot when dealing with surround sound systems and the like. When i plug my computer into my surround sound i get the same hum. Whats happening is "dirty power" the power your radio i recieving has intereference on the line which is causing your speaker to hum.

But I do not use a surround sound system. Perhaps something else around the house.

 

[GrayJeep]

Hi Randy, thank you for your input. I was wondering, isn't it a 13.8 V jack the one located on the back of the PRO-2006? I mean, I have some 12V adapters around here plus the CB 13.8V power supply with the nuts to attach the wires (but I would have to play with some cable and a jack though). Do you know how many amps the PRO-2006 needs? I was looking through the manual and couldn't find it, just the voltage. These adapters I am talking about, one is 300mA and the other is 800mA. I use a 9V 1.5 A adapter with my PRO-164, which needs a minimum of 400mA, but it works perfect.

Anybody knows the amperage for the PRO-2006?

Thanks guys

If you can find a manual it should say the current draw. Sometimes the radio will tell you the info in a label on it. If none of that works, try the largest supply you have and keep the radio volume down (use headphones) while you test. 800mA could be enough. Be SURE to examine the polarity of the plugs and the radio before connecting. In the old days (Pro-2004 and thereabouts) the usual polarity of the little power plugs wasn't standard so a reversed polarity was highly possible.

My money is on internal power supply problem. When the radio is off but the noise is there, if unplugging the radio removes the noise then that's 90% confidence test (in my opinion). There is a keep-alive power required to maintain memory on older equipment.

 

[michaelbookland]

If you can find a manual it should say the current draw. Sometimes the radio will tell you the info in a label on it. If none of that works, try the largest supply you have and keep the radio volume down (use headphones) while you test. 800mA could be enough. Be SURE to examine the polarity of the plugs and the radio before connecting. In the old days (Pro-2004 and thereabouts) the usual polarity of the little power plugs wasn't standard so a reversed polarity was highly possible.

My money is on internal power supply problem. When the radio is off but the noise is there, if unplugging the radio removes the noise then that's 90% confidence test (in my opinion). There is a keep-alive power required to maintain memory on older equipment.

Thanks NW0U. Yep. The polarity is correct, negative actually, so I may try that 800mA. The problem is, it does not say it in the manual, nor online or any website with the PRO-2006 specs. I know it says 12V on some and 13.8V on others, but what concerns me is the current. It says N/A. I can't calculate it neither. Maybe somebody else knows the exact current draw of the scanner though and can give me a hand before I mess it up.

Mike

 

[GrayJeep]

PRO-2006 Programmable Scanner 200-0145 Specifications

Says 10 watts at 13.8V. (724 mA) - so your 800 mA supply should be ok. Just keep the audio volume down.

 

[michaelbookland]

PRO-2006 Programmable Scanner 200-0145 Specifications

Says 10 watts at 13.8V. (724 mA) - so your 800 mA supply should be ok. Just keep the audio volume down.

Thanks, I am so silly I could have calculated it Amps = Watts/Volts

I will try it right now.

 

[michaelbookland]

Hey guys it works perfect, no noise at all. So yeah, it was the built in power...so happy it was not the scanner.
Thank you very much for your help, you are great.

Hopefully this thread will help somebody else if they encounter the same problem.

Mike