Isolating noise step by step

[vincent714028 10+ year member]

I'm trying to isolate each component of my system to find out where the noise is coming from beginning with the speakers. How do I check to see if there is a problem with the speaker itself?

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[Radioflyer97 10+ year member]

depending on the load rating on your speakers, you may be able to hook them up to a home stereo system.

 

[starkfu 10+ year member]

assuming this is an amplified system, unplug the RCA's from your amp, if noise still exists, you have a power issue, most likely a bad ground, a ground loop in the amp chassis (insulate from vehicle ground, mount a carpeted board and cover screws, then screw amp to board), or a faulty amp, it is possible you nipped a speaker wire with a screw too. If noise doesn't exist while unplugged, plug back in, if noise reappears, you have a bad rca, a badly run RCA, bad head unit ground, or faulty unit. Also possible you nipped an RCA cable with a screw.

GROUNDS ARE IMPORTANT!!!!

 

[starkfu 10+ year member]

test speakers with an ohm meter, test across the +/- terminals and make sure you get the manufacturers rating within an ohm or so (8 ohm speakers will usually ohm 6.8 - 7.2, etc). Also do a continuity check between the basket and the speaker terminals, should be no connection.

I would also advise not mounting the speakers into metal, use a wooden baffle to isolate the basket from chassis ground