bbak11010

Hey guys,
I have just installed an amp, component speakers, and a sub for my car.
The only thing is...I am hearing some noise from the passenger side speakers...I thought wiring the power wire and speaker wire (for passenger side only) together wouldn't matter.. but it seems to be making the noise.. and bad connection so that the speaker goes on and off..

(This was my first time installing it myself so I could be wrong of the noise source...)

So,.. I am planning to rewire the speaker through the driver side, but the only wire leftover is the 16 awg wires..they are speaker wirss but I first used the 10 awg wires for the speakers..Would I have any problem using this wire to connect the component speakers on the passenger side?

Anyhelp is appreciated!!!Thanks

Just for reference. my set up is 960 watt. 4 channel alphasoniks amp.. and infinity reference 6020cs component speakers.

Penforhire

Save some frustration and try to verify the source of the problem first (e.g. could be a bad ground). Pull the passenger side open and try separating the wires by a few inches first. If that doesn't help the noise then maybe it isn't your power line.

To those in-the-know, how is it possible for a DC positive voltage line to cause noise on adjacent speaker runs? Makes my head hurt trying to figure how that could happen.

devilchrist

i have power wire and passenger speaker wire running together also.. tie wrapped together.. no problems. here

what did you use for your signal wire? your RCAs? most of the noise is picked up from cheap RCA's or runnig power near it,

according to this chart 16AWG should be limited to 12ft before the resistance is greater than optimal. you should go with 14AWG. if you plan on running another cable.

http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm#wiretable

But like Penforhire said.. try diagnosing first. low quality RCA's are the #1 cause of noise.

Here's two simple tests you can do to see where the problem is.

Swap the L and R of the RCA amp input. if problem stays on passenger side, problem is not the RCA or input. continue to next test. if noise switches to driver side. you have problem either your RCA cable or your head unit or hi-low converter

Swap the L and R of the amp output. if problem stays with the passenger side, then it's not your amp.

Neutered Sputniks

Inductance.

Penforhire

I understand inductance. That's how magnetic coil transformers work. But a steady DC voltage gives off no RF signal and induces no current in an adjacent conductor. Is there significant pulsing in typical power lines?

I have read about separating power and signal lines in car stereo, and I did it in my install (partly for extra room under the carpet), but it doesn't seem necessary.

Neutered Sputniks

If DC doesn't induce current, how do DC-DC transformers work?

Keep in mind that the power supply in your vehicle is hardly a well-regulated supply. It fluctuates from 12-14.4VDC...

Penforhire

Common DC-DC converters work by creating voltage pulses, switching capacitors are typical, then applying those pulses to a traditional coil-type transformer and converting back to DC.

If you apply a DC voltage to one side of a coil transformer you get an output on the other side only from the voltage rise or fall. During steady-state DC operation you get zip out the other side, very similar to what happens when you charge a capacitor with DC voltage (some current motion across the cap during charging then zero, well some leakage current but you get the idea).

Neutered Sputniks

Maybe it has to do with the capacitance? Sure there's insulation there...but that's not always enough for the amount of current draw we're talking about.

Eric220

I'm using 16 gauge and getting no noise. I wired my S2000 like this:

1) Power cable to amp leading from engine bay down the passenger side door sill into the trunk.

2) RCA cables from head unit, through center console, up into the trunk.

3) Speaker wire from BOTH doors leading behind the head unit, then down the center console, up into the trunk.

4) Remote ignition wire from behind the head unit down the center console, up into the trunk.

5) Ground is from the amp, directly to a nearby bolt close to the rear strut.

Good luck!

bbak11010

thanks guys for all the help. I actually found the source where the noise was coming from.. It wasn't the speaker wires..ii was the sub rca cable.. I tried pulling out the rca cables.. and when I pulled the sub rca cable out, the noise was gone.
Im planning take out the sub box and recheck the connection.

Just in case if its not the connection problem, what could it be? I believe my ground is good.