Whine when engine running

[Jason05216]

This winter I installed Exile tower speakers, an Exile 15.4 amp and a ZLD. EVerything was fine until I started the boat. There is a whine coming thru the speakers. It's much more noticeable in the cabin speakers than it is on the tower speakers but it is coming thru them as well.

I've read several of the other threads about noise and think I must have a problem with the way the head unit is powered. The new amp I installed as well as the existing Kicker amp that came in the boat are powered from the distribution block next to the amps. I don't have a picture but it is just like most of the other ones that people have posted on here. The ZLD is powered from this block as well. The neg side for all of those components are returned to that block also. The head unit, it's a Fusion RA205, is powered from a distribution block under the helm and the neg returns there.

I've tried disconnecting the RCA's from the head unit as well as the amps and the whine is still there, that's why I was thinking the problem is in the power. Does it sound like I'm on the right track if I run the power and the neg to the other distribution block? Any input on this is appreciated.

I'm curious why the wiring from helm distribution block wouldn't cause a problem with the original setup but does after adding an amp?

[csm]

Not an expert, but I had the same problem. The ground from my head unit was in a bundle of wires and I couldn't really tell where it led to. I cut it and rewired the negative directly to the distro block that my amps were using and it solved the issue.

[viking]

sounds like a ground issue

[mmandley]

Yes its a grounding issue, whats really happening is the noise is being transmitted from the boats ignition system, other electrical system. The noise travels on the Ground circuit.

Once the noise reaches the boats common ground, anything connected to it will allow the noise to travel, Your Head Unit is grounded to this. Moving the ground to the stereo Distro, as long as the Stereo Distro is grounded right to the Stereo Bank of batteries will eliminate this problem in most cases.

[Jason05216]

Yes its a grounding issue, whats really happening is the noise is being transmitted from the boats ignition system, other electrical system. The noise travels on the Ground circuit.

Once the noise reaches the boats common ground, anything connected to it will allow the noise to travel, Your Head Unit is grounded to this. Moving the ground to the stereo Distro, as long as the Stereo Distro is grounded right to the Stereo Bank of batteries will eliminate this problem in most cases.

Any idea why this would be a problem now when it wasn't before I added the new gear? I didn't change anything with the head unit.

[mmandley]

Because the old gear wasn't as sensitive as the new gear.

I know in my LSV and my MOJO I had no whine before the stereo upgrades but after I had wine unless I got all the grounds off the main buss in the boat.

There are tons of threads talking about the same issues with the grounds.

[David Analog]

Any idea why this would be a problem now when it wasn't before I added the new gear? I didn't change anything with the head unit.

Jason,
All grounds plus all positives of all boats are modulated by noise that is created by the boat's electrical system....such as the alternator, ignition module, fans, pumps, etc. That is completely normal. What is not normal is when the noise specifically gets into the signal path.
This is normally caused by a poor relationship between two or more audio components. It's the same reason for noise with home audio/video equipment when two components access different ground potentials from different circuits. The voltage differential will seek ground by any means necessary. Ground finds its way home. Unfortunately if the easiest path is between the audio components you will have noise.
Normally this is easily remedied by removing the HU B+ (all B+) & grounds from the helm buss and/or helm wiring harness, and redirect them by having those respectively access the B+ and ground at the identical distribution blocks that supply the amplifiers.
However, for this to be the true problem....the RCA connections would have to be intact. The RCAs are what completes the noise-causing ground loop. So that is odd that you would still have noise with the RCAs disconnected from the amplifier inputs, as you stated above.
Double check this again to be absolutely certain.
Make sure that no amplifier chassis is grounded, per an amplifier mounting screw, etc.
Connect one separate test wire & speaker only per amplifier to eliminate the possibility of a shorted or mis-wired speaker wire, but while the amplifier RCA inputs are still disconnected.
That's a good start. You have to work sequentially to eliminate one component and one interconnect relationship at a time. Once you obtain a status change you can narrow your focus and the problem is likely resolved at that point.

[MLA]

The new amp I installed as well as the existing Kicker amp that came in the boat are powered from the distribution block next to the amps.

IMO, the OEM cable supplying that BUS bar, is too small to support the 2 amps you now have, same with the ground stud. I would suggest A) upgrading the trunk line to 1/0 or B) home running the new amp's 4ga cabling right to the switch, which proper circuit protection in place. Run its ground battery direct, or upgrade the ground feed to the stud to 1/0 as well.

David's post has you on the right path for tracking the root cause of the noise.

[mmandley]

Yes its a grounding issue, whats really happening is the noise is being transmitted from the boats ignition system, other electrical system. The noise travels on the Ground circuit.

Once the noise reaches the boats common ground, anything connected to it will allow the noise to travel, Your Head Unit is grounded to this. Moving the ground to the stereo Distro, as long as the Stereo Distro is grounded right to the Stereo Bank of batteries will eliminate this problem in most cases.

I restate this again.

Everything Associated to Stereo POWER and GROUND has to be tied to the Distro Blocks of the Stereo. Not the BOAT.

HU + - has to goto the Stereo Only Battery or Ground.
ZLD + - has to goto the Stereo Only Battery or Ground
Amps + - has to goto the Stereo Only Battery or Ground

The only thing that can be common is the Stereo Toggle Switch, this is because all its doing is sending the Remote Turn on to the HU. HU Remote Turn on goes to a Relay or Tied to your Stereo Amps, ZLD <no more then 4 devices Recommended>

Can you wire the stereo differently? Sure, but with all the stereos I have installed in boats, and there are other members on here I installed for I have never had Whine noise.

This is because I wire all my power, and ground to the Stereo Distro Block, which is grounded right to the Stereo Bank Battery.

In all the boats I have installed they have at least 2 batteries.

1 is stereo, 1 is House.

The Stereo Battery Ground Terminal is connected to the House Battery Ground terminal for charging porpoises, but the Positives are kept separate, the only common point is the Battery Switch to select what battery you want.

If all your grounds and power for all stereo components are wires to the Stereo Distro- Stereo only battery and you have Noice then you have a Bad component.

To TSS this you use your phone and an RCA to 3m jack. You Unhook the HU RCA, Plug this into the ZLD Aux.
Noise Gone? Your HU is the issue.
Noise Yes?
Move the RCA From ZLD to the AMP, by passing the ZLD.
Noise Gone Yes? ZLD is the issue
Noise Gone NO? The AMP is the issue.

You can TSS Each Amp separate

Also if you use your Phone as your music control and you plus the Charger into the Cig lighter you will get noise due to the Charger not being ground shielded.


My Battery Bank, 2 6V Golf Cart style batteries, 1 Marine 12V
IN the Picture the 6V are Green top, you will see each bank has a small Black and Red wires, this is my on board Charger.
Then on Green Top you can see 1 large black cable and Red Cable these go directly to my Stereo Distro Blocks.
Then there is 1 block cable from my Stereo Bank to my House Bank to allow combining all batteries as one.

[Jason05216]

Mike....all of the components are wired to the stereo distribution bus. I unhooked the HU and connected my phone to the aux in on the ZLD, phone not connected to a charger, still had noise. Hooked phone directly to amp and did not have any noise. Oh yeah learned quickly to make sure volume on phone is turned down when hooking directly to amp. So if I understand you it's probably a problem with the ZLD? I checked the wiring to the stereo dist for the ZLD and see nothing wrong with it. Is it a problem internal on the ZLD?

Sorry if I'm missing something here. I've never done any of this before so this is all new to me. I figure that the problem here is something that someone with experience would see right away. I appreciate the help.