Regrounding headunit to reduce noise

[adam71 5,000+ posts]

I've heard that pioneer decks have a tendency to have a bad internal ground that you cant get to from the outside of the unit.

I've never heard this. I know I've never had a bad internal ground in any of my pioneer head units.

I have always grounded mine behind the dash. I have also always run my constant power straight to the battery. I thought you should keep the ground as close to the unit as possible? Am I mistaken?

I've always done it this way and have never had a problem. I didn't do this because I prefer grounding in the trunk. I had so much trouble grounding up front with my grand am and that was recommended to me and I've been doing it ever since.

 

[adam71 5,000+ posts]

This is the first time I've heard of running grounds all the way back to where the amps are grounded in the trunk. It kind of makes sense, eliminating the chance for isolation, but at the same time, thinking of the principal '3 feet or less from amp' for grounds, I am confused.

I don't think that rule is really important for a headunit. Atleast not in my experience. It's just that there isn't any better place for a GOOD ground than the trunk where you have alot more metal to use.

 

[jjski78 10+ year member]

What kind of car is it? If your original HU was an ISO-DIN or Double-DIN ISO mount, you should be able to just run the ground wire to one of the HU mounting screws. If not, any solid piece of metal behind the HU will work fine. A lot easier than running to the battery or to the trunk.

 

[geowick07 10+ year member]

When i had my Pioneer 6800mp installed, i had horrible noise through all four speakers, but sub/amp was fine. I searched around on here and found that this is a common Pioneer problem. Grounded the HU to a solid, fairly accessible piece of metal behind the dash, and the problem was gone. I have also heard of other folks running a ground from the HU to the rear and using the existing amplifier ground surface, as was stated earlier. Also, i second that if there is no metal behind your dash that is accessible or solid, run a ground straight to the negative terminal on your battery under the hood. Any one of these solutions should solve your dilemma. Good luck, and hope it all works out!

G

 

[ItalynStylion 10+ year member]

I realize that the black wire from the harness is a ground and should be attached to bare metal but no one answered the question about grounding the Headunit CHASSIS.... whats what I want to know about.

Someone said something about adding a ground to the metal part of the headunit....whats that about?

 

[disturbed_cbr 10+ year member]

Be sure that your rca's ran to your trunk are not kinked or cut in any way...... And be weary of your fuel pump creating interference with your amps....

 

[kizzo 10+ year member]

fuel pump creating interferance? how would that happen?

 

[disturbed_cbr 10+ year member]

There is power going to your fuel pump just the same as to your amps, you dont run your signal on the same side as your power.... if the fuel pump is too close to your amps or signal than there is a chance of interference or noise ive had someone install a a system in a car and they decided to wrap the excess rca's around the fuel pump and wires....dont ask me why but ive seen and heard it!

 

[slikrider20 10+ year member]

I ran a new ground to where my amps are grounded, and i still get horrible noise. I then ran a pair of new rcas straight from the HU to the amp, without installing it and i still got the shitty noise. What else could it be?