Sound system issue

[01bigair]

Buddy's boat is getting that whining sound through the speakers when boat is running, similar to AM radio in a car, but sounds good when boat is off. Would this be a ground issue or something else. All help appreciated.

[ers906]

I would think ground issue or the a main positive power line is running near one of the outputs.

[Mikeski]

Most of the time it's caused by the head unit and the amp having different ground or power potentials that manifest as audio signals to the amp. Easiest solution is to move the power and ground (yellow and black) to the amp power. Another less effective solution is to install a ground loop isolator on the RCA's, Stinger has a nice unit that has done the trick for me in the past.

[Chexi]

I get really bad whine when I am charging my ipod with the dash 12v outlet and playing that same ipod through the headphone jack. Remove it from the 12v outlet, and all is well. This probably is not your issue, but just in case, I thought I would mention it.

[Nautibouys]

Most of the time it's caused by the head unit and the amp having different ground or power potentials that manifest as audio signals to the amp. Easiest solution is to move the power and ground (yellow and black) to the amp power. Another less effective solution is to install a ground loop isolator on the RCA's, Stinger has a nice unit that has done the trick for me in the past.

Realize this is an old thread, but it appears to have some information that may help with my "alternator whine" through my tower speakers. Mikeski, in your response here do you leave the red power wire from the head unit (key/switchable power) connected to the boat wiring harness, so that you continue to use the key to turn everything on and off? Then just the Yellow from the head (constant power) and Black (ground) are run to the largest amp or distribution block on your system? I have read other threads on Wakeworld, etc talking about adding relays and am now utterly confused. Thanks in advance.

[Chexi]

Ideally, you want all of your grounds for all pieces of audio equipment connected to the same common point. That should solve your problem. Start with that. Having all power coming from the same power source should not be necessary, although it is my personal preference, as I like to be able to turn all of the audio on by just turning on the head unit without having to turn all of the other accessories on.

Regarding the remote on, you should be able to just run a wire from your head unit to your primary amp and if that has a remote out, daisy chain it. Otherwise, you can just splice them. The remote wire should not affect the audio whine.

[Nautibouys]

Ideally, you want all of your grounds for all pieces of audio equipment connected to the same common point. That should solve your problem. Start with that. Having all power coming from the same power source should not be necessary, although it is my personal preference, as I like to be able to turn all of the audio on by just turning on the head unit without having to turn all of the other accessories on.

Regarding the remote on, you should be able to just run a wire from your head unit to your primary amp and if that has a remote out, daisy chain it. Otherwise, you can just splice them. The remote wire should not affect the audio whine.

So, if I read this right and I apologize in advance for my 8th grade electrical skills. Technically, the power side has nothing to do with ground loops occurring and its the grounds going to multiple ground points that cause the issue. So, realistically, all that would need to be changed is moving the ground wire to the amp and that should fix it.

The other part, the power side. I have a blue power turn on wire going from the head unit spliced into two wires one going to each of the two amps. But, I also have the yellow constant power wire and the red power wire that runs through the key and the stereo is powered on either by moving the key. Both of these are currently hooked into the factory wire harness. If I moved the yellow constant power wire to feed off the bigger amp, but left the red wire connected to the key (wire harness power source), would I continue to have alternator whine or potentially other issues. Guess I could trace that wire back to the other side of the key switch and move it to the amp as well. But just more difficult.

[gride]

the remote turn on does not have much voltage to share, so if you're running multiple amps and/or an eq use a relay. it's not needed, but makes things slightly better and less ghetto.

[Chexi]

There may be some confusion of terminology. Your head unit is probably receiving a remote-on from the harness. It also has a remote on output to connect to your amps, etc. You could technically splice into the remote on going into your head unit and connect that splice to your amps... or you could use the remote on output from your head unit and connect that to your amps. If you use the second option, you could disconnect your head unit from the harness and power it directly from your audio battery (I am assuming you have a dedicated audio battery). Then you could turn the head unit on either from an on switch on the head unit (if it has one) or by a battery switch (like a perko of blue seas switch).

When I redo my system, I will probably disconnect the wiring harness and use this second option myself, as I see no need to drain the main battery with accessories on when I listen to audio when the boat is otherwise off.

[Nautibouys]

There may be some confusion of terminology. Your head unit is probably receiving a remote-on from the harness. It also has a remote on output to connect to your amps, etc. You could technically splice into the remote on going into your head unit and connect that splice to your amps... or you could use the remote on output from your head unit and connect that to your amps. If you use the second option, you could disconnect your head unit from the harness and power it directly from your audio battery (I am assuming you have a dedicated audio battery). Then you could turn the head unit on either from an on switch on the head unit (if it has one) or by a battery switch (like a perko of blue seas switch).

When I redo my system, I will probably disconnect the wiring harness and use this second option myself, as I see no need to drain the main battery with accessories on when I listen to audio when the boat is otherwise off.

My apologies with the terminology. I shouldn't have brought the Remote Turn On (Blue wire) into the discussion as I am all set there. It goes from the head unit to each of the amps and is fine. I was more concerned about where to connect the 12V Constant (Yellow) and 12V Switched (Red). My thinking is to move the 12 Volt Constant (Yellow) from whatever source it is connected to on the harness to have it directly connected to the biggest amp, along with the ground. But, then leave the 12V Switched (Red) connected to the harness so that the stereo turns on and off with the key and keeps its memory. Does this seem feasible, and would help eliminate any ground loop?