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Help with electrical gremlins after sound system install

Redrelyt12

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Looking for some help diagnosing a problem. I recently installed a full sound system and have a few issues.
  • Alternator whine - buzzing sound that gets louder with engine RPMs
    • I initially had the ground wires running to a distribution block with a 0 gauge ground, but the change below didn't fix the issue
  • Clicking noise when running heated steering wheel / heated seats
    • Any idea where these wires run to/from?

System Build:
  • Stinger Heigh10
  • Rockford Fosgate DSR1
  • JL Audio M400.4 under driver seat
    • Running JL Audio C3-650 mid-woofers (Dash)
  • JL Audio M400.4 under passenger seat
    • Running JL Audio C3-650 tweeters (Active in Dash)
    • Running JL Audio C2-650X Coax (Roll bar)
  • Pioneer Electronics GM-ME500X1 under rear seat
    • Running JL Audio 10TW3-D4 (x2)
General Information:
  • 0 gauge wire running from battery along passenger side of vehicle to fused distribution block under rear seat
  • Distribution block sends 4 gauge wire to all 3 amps
    • Wiring for amps under driver/passenger seats are under center console
  • All 3 amps are grounded on factory grounds using 4 gauge wire (short runs)
  • RCAs run from head unit to DSR1 via driver side
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Gaust

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Where did you have your 0 ga ground point? Did you try changing it to a different location? It’s better if you can ground all your amps at the same location. I have 2 amps, one under each front seat, grounded to the factory ground by the center console. It sounds like a ground loop problem. Sometimes it can be fixed by running a new ground wire for the radio. Where’s the dsr 1 installed? I have mine installed under the driver’s side of the dash using Monster Cable RCAs. I had some noise induced by the bare metal connectors. After I used some Tessa tape to cover them the noise was gone. I doubt that’s the problem but it’s something to check.
 
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Redrelyt12

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Where did you have your 0 ga ground point? Did you try changing it to a different location? It’s better if you can ground all your amps at the same location. I have 2 amps, one under each front seat, grounded to the factory ground by the center console. It sounds like a ground loop problem. Sometimes it can be fixed by running a new ground wire for the radio. Where’s the dsr 1 installed? I have mine installed under the driver’s side of the dash using Monster Cable RCAs. I had some noise induced by the bare metal connectors. After I used some Tessa tape to cover them the noise was gone. I doubt that’s the problem but it’s something to check.
The 0 gauge ground point was at a factory ground on the driver side of the rear seat (red circle in picture). I did not try changing it to a different location, as I don't have too much 0 gauge wire to spare. When I grounded the amps independently, I utilized the same red ground for the subwoofer amplifier, and the two blue circles for the amps under the seats. I didn't realize it would be better to keep all of the amps with a common ground, but I figured the long path to ground could have been an issue.

The DSR1 is installed on the subwoofer box, right next to the red circle. RCAs are running from the radio through the driver side trim panels (13' 4-channel Knu Konceptz Karma v3).

One thing I thought of on the way to the gym this morning - it's hard to determine where the clicking from the heated steering wheel/seats is coming from, but it sounds very loud from the driver side tweeter. The speaker wire for the tweeter is running from under the passenger seat and through the dash. I'm thinking I could reroute the wire under the driver seat and along the driver trim.

JLUR ground points.jpg
 

LSguy

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This is almost certainly a ground loop problem. You could test it with a long piece of wire to the negative on the battery terminal or a known good ground to see what the resistance is on your new ground point. You could also run a small ground wire from your ground point to the head unit so there is a common ground that way. Sometimes these things can get tricky to trace.
 
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Redrelyt12

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This is almost certainly a ground loop problem. You could test it with a long piece of wire to the negative on the battery terminal or a known good ground to see what the resistance is on your new ground point. You could also run a small ground wire from your ground point to the head unit so there is a common ground that way. Sometimes these things can get tricky to trace.
So I could also test the resistance from the battery to the body ground using a multimeter, correct?
 

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FWIW

I have the same head unit and nothing else in my setup matches yours. (alpine sub under passenger seat and small alpine class D AMP for other speakers). My RCA wiring goes along the right (passenger) side of the center console and the power wire runs above the passenger side frame rail. My amps are grounded at a ground point under the passenger seat.

I get the same clicking sound you do when a heated seat is on and it gets louder when turning on the other heated seat or heated steering wheel. The clicking does not increase in volume with the volume control, but I have not yet checked if it changes with the amp gain control as it's difficult to access the amp controls in my setup. I suspect it will.

This leads me to believe the issue exists somewhere between the output on the Heigh10 (or in the output circuit itself) and the input to the amps. I have had the amp and sub installed for a couple months and did not notice the clicking until I installed the Heigh10. But, I'm not certain I used the heated seats/wheel prior.

If you can easily adjust your amp gain while experiencing the clicking and the clicking volume changes, you can at least rule out speaker wiring/routing as a possible cause.

I do not have any alternator noise.
 

beaups

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One more isolation idea, since you are running traditional RCAs is to feed those directly into a device not powered by the vehicle. PC, phone, AV receiver, headphones, etc to see if the clicking is still present. If it is, then you know the issue is in the head unit or RCA cables.
 

Gaust

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Since the two of you have similar problems you might contact Singer and see if there’s anything they can help with.
 

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beaups

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Since the two of you have similar problems you might contact Singer and see if there’s anything they can help with.
I thought it would be beneficial to try to isolate the noise source first. Based on the noise level not changing with the volume control, I’m leaning toward the cause being downstream.
 
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Redrelyt12

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I thought it would be beneficial to try to isolate the noise source first. Based on the noise level not changing with the volume control, I’m leaning toward the cause being downstream.
Agreed. This may be a long process with a winter storm heading up through the northeast
 

Gaust

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Agreed. This may be a long process with a winter storm heading up through the northeast
Yeah the cold and rain in the NW has stalled most of my Jeep related upgrades till warmer weather. Does the noise come from all the speakers or just speakers on one amp?
 
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Redrelyt12

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Yeah the cold and rain in the NW has stalled most of my Jeep related upgrades till warmer weather. Does the noise come from all the speakers or just speakers on one amp?
The alternator whine and clicking are both coming from all speakers
 

LSguy

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Get RCA to 3.5mm wire. Plug the RCAs into the amp, and the 3.5 into your phone. Play audio and check for noise. This will help pinpoint the problem as either after the amp, or between the amp and head unit.
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