Engine noise through speakers???

[smashedpumpkins 10+ year member]

So I've done a lot of reading and am curious about a few things. I have two amps... A Sundown Audio 100.4D and 1000D. (Speaker and Sub Amp) I installed my system after a week of torture but everything is working now except for some annoying engine whining. I read online that the amps should each have their own ground. Right now I have a 0 gauge split in half to the two amps for grounding. Could this be my problem? The RCA wires are on the opposite side of the power wire and get near each other by the amps. I separated them as a test but the engine noise remained. The voltage reading at the battery is within plus or minus .02 of at the amps which from what I read is perfect. (Probably the multimeter bouncing around a little) The whine isn't horribly loud but if I turn the volume down you can definitely hear it whine with the engine. At low volumes it's noticeable. Is it possible to eliminate all engine whining? What else might be my problem? Thanks

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[Pborcich 10+ year member]

Engine noise or alternator whine is pretty much always caused by bad grounding...

So Id look at that as your first issue to address

 

[TheUnderFighter 10+ year member]

You have 0 gauge SPLIT between the 2 amps? Like... split by a distro block, or just split in half? haha.

For me, it was an issue of the RCAs being too close to the power wire, which you've already determined is not an issue. From there, I'd check the grounds... And from what I've heard using more than one ground introduces more chance of noise in the system.

 

[smashedpumpkins 10+ year member]

You have 0 gauge SPLIT between the 2 amps? Like... split by a distro block, or just split in half? haha. For me, it was an issue of the RCAs being too close to the power wire, which you've already determined is not an issue. From there, I'd check the grounds... And from what I've heard using more than one ground introduces more chance of noise in the system.

Yeah I know I'm going to get some smack for this but I cut off the plastic and took half the copper to one amp and half to the other. My power wire has a splitter though that I moved from my old system. I must have missed the splittler for the ground. This is my first real heavy install so I'm pretty new to everything. The power splitter goes from 0 gauge to a higher gauge. (Wish I could tell you the gauge but I don't have a clue... Just a bit smaller) So I figured splitting the 0 gauge ground in half was pretty equivalent? Maybe not though... Would a too weak ground cause the noise? Like I mentioned in the first post, I checked the voltage at the battery and at the terminals to the amp and it's equal. I thought this meant I had a good ground?

 

[smashedpumpkins 10+ year member]

Oops double post... Added my system to my signature though.

 

[smashedpumpkins 10+ year member]

Okay lets see if someone can explain this one... I messed with the RCA cables and to my surprise a lot (not all) of the whine disappeared. Then I noticed something strange. If I have both pairs of RCA cables wrapped together the static and whine is minimal. If I pull them apart it's 3 to 4 times louder. Why in the world would this make a difference?

EDIT: With the two pairs of RCA cables tightly snugged together the whine is completely gone.

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

Yeah I know I'm going to get some smack for this but I cut off the plastic and took half the copper to one amp and half to the other. My power wire has a splitter though that I moved from my old system. I must have missed the splittler for the ground. This is my first real heavy install so I'm pretty new to everything. The power splitter goes from 0 gauge to a higher gauge. (Wish I could tell you the gauge but I don't have a clue... Just a bit smaller) So I figured splitting the 0 gauge ground in half was pretty equivalent? Maybe not though... Would a too weak ground cause the noise? Like I mentioned in the first post, I checked the voltage at the battery and at the terminals to the amp and it's equal. I thought this meant I had a good ground?

while it works in concept, it's a terrible idea to have that much exposed wire. they make distribution blocks for this purpose. you should buy one (only a few bucks) and then run 4 awg to each amp. do this now.

pics of your ground location?

sounds like you have a bad RCA ground. meaning one of the RCA wires is not connected. by putting them together you may be bridging the shields. try testing the RCA cables with a DMM - for continuity on both pin and shield. also, try taping a wire to each RCA shield to complete the circuit.

anytime you have an open wire in the low level signal path, you will get noise.

 

[PriligySir]

I'm new here , nice thread!