Radio/CD player cuts out when brakes applied

[moggiegeek]

I have a Radio/CD player in car. Curiously it stops the CD playing when I apply the brakes especially at night when the lights are on. Then the CD plays on after a pause!
I have tuned the radio so as to pick up interference and it crackles like mad when the brake pedal is being pressed.
I'm thinking that if I fit a capacitor to the brake switch live (?) it might solve the problem but is this so?
Are there other ways to solve this problem and if I do need a capacitor where will I get one and with what impedance.
Do I need to ensure the feed to the radio is stabilised in some way and if so how do i do it?

[palacebear]

Do you have an alternator fitted, or a dynamo?

[firedrake1942]

It sounds like your car probably has different musical tastes to you. Have you seen the film Christine ?

[moggiegeek]

It hates Coldplay. The car is fitted with an alternator. However the lights do dim when brakes applied.

[firedrake1942]

Car has excellent taste. There must be a problem in the wiring. How is the radio wired in ? It seems odd that there is some connection between the brake circuit and the headlights.

[palacebear]

Provided that alternator and battery are in good health with secure clean connections etc., and the fan belt is adjusted correctly, the lights shouldn't dim when the brake lights are activated. I would suggest that you get to the root of this problem first (probably a poor earth) and then move onto sorting out the radio/cd. For the latter, I'm not a fan of additional 'shared' power supplies or earths. My personal preference is to connect the audio system direct to the fusebox, with an in-line fuse between the fusebox and the audio system. Similarly, run a separate earth from the audio system.

[Sleeper]

"I have a Radio/CD player in car. Curiously it stops the CD playing when I apply the brakes especially at night when the lights are on. Then the CD plays on after a pause!
I have tuned the radio so as to pick up interference and it crackles like mad when the brake pedal is being pressed."

Applying the brakes when moving or stationary...if stationary looks like an electrical problem , if when moving looks like an electrical problem but caused by connectors/earths moving under inertia.

John

[shoebone]

I agree with previous reply's, radio should have its own fused dedicated power supply and earth. Older radios used to earth using the arial fitting but I would still provide a separate earth to avoid complications. I also think you have other issues and suspect bad earth elsewhere ... possibly battery. I have owned a number of minors and other old vehicles and shortly after taking ownership, set aside a weekend just to clean/repair earth points before the wierd stuff starts to happen