Subwoofers acting up!

['96_Talon_TSi]

Well, ive had my subwoofers out of my car for quite sometime, and i decided to put them back in yesterday. I also installed a profec B-II and a turbo timer; im unsure if that could have something to do with the problem, but i figured i would put it in there in case it might.

So i put the woofers in, grounded my amp in the same spot i had it grounded before (and they worked perfectly). I never removed my remote wire, my power wire, or my RCA wires, those just hid under the backseat. SO i put the woofers back in, hooked everything up, and they are acting funny. When i turn my radio down, they give off a humming sound. If i put my windows up/down threy make a popping noise, and if i turn on my lights they make a super loud and annoying buzzing sound.

I think it could be a bad ground, but i never removed that either, so i'm stumped. Any help would be wonderful.

BTW, im running 2x MTX 6000 and a Rockford Fosgate 400s amplifier.

 

['96_Talon_TSi]

I tried a couple different grounds, and i still had the same problem. I'm completely befuddled by this problem. ANyone know what could be causing it?

 

[Mack]

Try cleaning the ground, in my Ranger, it gets crusty in no time. Did you install your amp in another place?....could have a ground loop (get an isolator ~$10). When you installed your TT and stuff, did you use the same ground as the HU (IF it had a seperate ground)?

 

['96_Talon_TSi]

The only difference in position of my amp is i took it off the back of the backseat, and now it's sitting in the lower bucket of the driver side back seat. It moved maybe 1 foot. I also tried cleaning the ground, no dice either. When i installed the TT i made sure to ground the HU and the TT in 2 different spots.

WHat do you mean it could be in a ground loop? what is an isolator, and how could that possibly help me?

I did notice then where the power wire and ground wire connect into the amp, they do come pretty close to contacting each other. Perhaps they are contacting each other while powered up and causing some sort of interference?

 

[14.5 drift]

Not ikely, in the event they did contact you should see a pretty light show.

I would say second thing to check is that all rca's are plugged all the way in, and that nothing is pinching or piercing them.

 

[pinknuggit]

are your signal wires (RCA) wires ran anywhere near your power wire?

Sounds like you got yourself a good ol' groud loop. I would try using a Different ground.
you will usually experience the same thing you're going through whenever you install a new electrical device in your car, or change any grounds in the car.

Whenever i installed my 30 band EQ into my system, i had noise just like yours, but i changed all of the grounds in my system to different locations, and it got rid of the problem. Also, do not ever ground two devices to the same point. use an individual ground for each electrical component in your car.

If changing a ground doesn't work, i would try to re-route your RCA wires to be as far away as possible from any power wire (remote wire, power wire). make sure that the power doesn't run paralell to the signal, and if you do have to cross them, make sure they cross at a 90 degree angle.

 

['96_Talon_TSi]

I have both the RCA wires and the power wires (remote and main) running down the same wire loom that runs under the center console, and they both go under the carpet/backseat together. I've had them set like that since i installed the subwoofers last spring, and this problem just started now. I do know I shared the ground between my intelliglow needles and either the profec or TT (i cant remember which needed to be spliced).

should i get a new ground for anything i shared the grounds with?
Should i try to run my RCA and power wires differently?

 

[Mack]

ground loop http://www.epanorama.net/documents/groundloop/index.html
and an isolator http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog_name=CTLG&product_id=270-054

Brands don't matter. Walmart prolly has one made by Scoshe, which will work as good as any. It is caused by have multiple ground points for interconnected audio componants (i.e. HU and amp).

 

['96_Talon_TSi]

SO that isolator would just replace my current RCA wires?

 

[Chuckster]

Start by disconneting your needles and profec and/or TT. If it worked before, it's probably something you've added. If you find it's one or two of your new installs, you'll want to find separate ground and possibly power for these items.

If that doesn't work: Got a spare set of rca's? I'd try just using those quick, so you don't have to dismantle anything. You may have pinched your installed rca's somewhere.

And yeah, you should have power and signal wires separated. It's really important for the higher frequencies. You may never notice if it's only the subwoofer signal.

Chuck