MustGoFastR

iTrader: (13)

I'm pretty sure it wasn't there before I put my cap in yesterday; but it's installed right by the amp and no new wires are running any closer to the audio cables than before... at any rate, how can I have alternator noise out of only 1 speaker??? It's from the right rear speaker. The amp and cap are installed behind the driver's seat. All the audio cables run together away from the power wire. Any ideas? I'm stumped.

AroundMyHorn

iTrader: (9)

good thing i didnt get the cap.....lol. Sorry to hear that man. You know i dont know too much about this chit but i'll ask around.

05-Z

iTrader: (4)

I would ground your amp and the cap together....and if you remove the cap the noise disappears?

MustGoFastR

iTrader: (13)

I haven't had time to experiment too much with it; just noticed it today on the way home from work. It's not bad; I could only hear it while playing a CD in the dead spot between songs.

I should ground the amp and cap together? The instructions with the cap said not to do that...

I haven't pulled the cap yet to make sure ther noise is gone without it, but I'm almost positive it wasn't there before.

Does alternator noise come through the audio cables from the headunit or can it come through the speaker wires too? Only way it makes sense for it to be from one speaker only is if it's through the speaker wire, but the wire for that speaker isn't near anything.

MustGoFastR

iTrader: (13)

Found a really good site that should help me track down the problem:
http://www.termpro.com/articles/noise.html

I'm pretty sure it's b/c I grounded the cap in a diff. location than the amp, though, according to this:

Should be an easy fix. Damn odd, though, that the noise is only coming from one speaker...


Hmm, reading through that site some more, they have some seemingly counter-intuitive things to say about grounding in an audio system... So does the statement quoted above mean that the amp should not even be grounded? I'm not taking out my amp ground wire (I had no noise before the cap), but what about eliminating the cap's ground wire altogether? If it's just run in-line with the power cable to the amp and the amp is grounded, it should be fine without it's own ground, right? Or should I just ground the cap at the same location as the amp?

therock2689

I had the same problem not to long ago in my MB. After some trouble shooting, i found the rca's to be the culprit. Try laying some new rca's and see if that help. I have street wires and they work great, hope everything works out.

Rock

350xfire

iTrader: (2)

Yes, also make sure that the RCA's are not running beside the power cable. Power cables will add noise to RCA cables.

MustGoFastR

iTrader: (13)

Yeah, I knew that would create noise; I installed the system specifically to avoid that. Power cable runs well away fron the RCA cables and the fact that the noise wasn't there before the cap install pretty much rules them out (I used Phoenix Gold RCA cables) and points to a ground loop. That's the first thing I'm going to try as a fix, anyway.

Lsmith9523

What gage wire are you using for the positive side and neg side of the cap? Also, +1 on grounding your cap where your amp is grounded. Make sure your cap gage wire pos and neg, are the same gage or more than your amp pos and neg. I hope this helps....I does sound like a ground loop issue. Also, check loose end RCA's, (some RCA ends thread tight) Also, check connecion of said speaker,make sure something didnt come loose, or is coming in contact with another wire or car chassis. I hope this helps,,good luck and let us know

MustGoFastR

iTrader: (13)

I used gauge wire on all power and ground connections for cap and amp. When I get home today. I'll move the ground to where the amp is grounded and check the ends of the RCA's while I'm at it; hopefully that'll take care of the problem. I'll post up my findings. Thanks for the help, all.

350xfire

iTrader: (2)

Then must be grounding. Did you scratch up the paint to ensure proper grounds?

MustGoFastR

iTrader: (13)

Yep, sanded away all paint with my dremel. Grounds are good; just seems there are too many grounds, according to the info. I found on that site I linked above (at least I hope that's all the problem is).

MustGoFastR

iTrader: (13)

Ok, well I unhooked the cap from the system and the noise was GREATLY reduced; it was still there just a tiny bit, but almost imperceptable. I could probably only pick it out b/c I was sensitive to it at that point; it was probably present at this level when I installed the system. Still just from that ONE speaker, though. Weird.

Anyway, I hooked the cap back up and grounded it at the same point as the amp and the noise level did not rise at all, so that seems to have done the trick. As for the tiny bit remaining, you have to have the stereo muted and strain to hear any sign of it while driving, so I'll probably just leave well enough alone.

I checked that speaker's wire and asside from it crossing the little 12v wire for the power accessory plug back there, it had a clear path. As I was finishing up, I moved that speaker wire completely away from the 12V wire and taped it so it made no contact at all, so maybe that took care of the rest; I'll find out in the morning (I was too tired to test it again). At any rate, I'll call this problem solved.

Lsmith9523

I know its a pain troubleshooting,,but well worth it...especially the next morning on your way to work,,,,you dont hear that annoying whine,,,,you just lean back, and roll out....LOL

I am glad you got everything working....