Hey guys, I'm still having horrible alternator whine...
07-08-2005, 12:41 AM
#1
Hey guys, I'm still having horrible alternator whine...
Hey guys, I keep bringing this topic up time and time again about alternator/engine whine in my 2000 max with amplifier install.
Ok well, here we go again. In my setup, I have my amplifier screwed up to the back of the back passenger seat and grounded it to a bolt that holds seats down. I grinded away all the paint and bolted down the ground wire. But I still have awful alternator whine.
I need to know once and for all, where is the best place to attach my ground for my amplifier. Also, I know you shouldn't ground the amp with a ground wire that is longer then 3 feet, but would I have good luck just running a really long ground wire to the front of the car and to the neg. post on my battery? Also, I have two amplfiers, which means I have two grounds, it is not recommended to keep one amp grounded in one area and the other amp ground in another, this creates the ground loop, correct?
PLEASE, ONCE AND FOR ALL, WHAT IS THE BEST POSSIBLE PLACE TO GROUND MY AMPLIFIERS AND END ALL THE ANNOYING ALTERNATOR WHINE??
Sorry, but I spent the last couple days busting my brains trying to get the alternator whine problem finished, but with no luck so far...
Ok well, here we go again. In my setup, I have my amplifier screwed up to the back of the back passenger seat and grounded it to a bolt that holds seats down. I grinded away all the paint and bolted down the ground wire. But I still have awful alternator whine.
I need to know once and for all, where is the best place to attach my ground for my amplifier. Also, I know you shouldn't ground the amp with a ground wire that is longer then 3 feet, but would I have good luck just running a really long ground wire to the front of the car and to the neg. post on my battery? Also, I have two amplfiers, which means I have two grounds, it is not recommended to keep one amp grounded in one area and the other amp ground in another, this creates the ground loop, correct?
PLEASE, ONCE AND FOR ALL, WHAT IS THE BEST POSSIBLE PLACE TO GROUND MY AMPLIFIERS AND END ALL THE ANNOYING ALTERNATOR WHINE??
Sorry, but I spent the last couple days busting my brains trying to get the alternator whine problem finished, but with no luck so far...
07-08-2005, 03:02 AM
#2
I have heard alot of people having a great deal of success grounding their amp to the bottom of the spare wheel-well. I know that I have read of one or two guys here eliminating the whine by going this method.
07-08-2005, 09:07 AM
#3
instead of running a wire that could potentially be more than 3 feet (back seat -> spare tire well)
try the convex hump of the wheel well on the left or right side. thats also bare metal, sand it down of course.
try the convex hump of the wheel well on the left or right side. thats also bare metal, sand it down of course.
07-08-2005, 09:39 AM
#4
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Milford, CT
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Ive used the trunk floor in all of my cars and never gotten alternator whine. Run a large guage (Ive never had to go more than 4 ga) wire from somewhere on the trunk floor to a distribution block, then plug your grounds (amp, xover, etc) into the dist. block. Make absolutely sure that your ground wire is at least the same guage as your main power wire. Smaller ground wiring does make a difference. So if you main power wire is 4 ga, the main ground should be at least 4 ga. Then if your power wires from dist block to amps are 8 ga, the ground wires from dist block to amps should be at least 8 ga.
Make sure to sand/grind off any paint, but chances are the trunk floor isnt painted very well to begin with (which is maybe why it always seems to work well). Also make sure you have a GOOD connector on the ground wire where you connect it to the body. Usually 4 ga connectors are hard to crimp on correctly, so Ive just had an audio shop do it for me.
-Chris
Make sure to sand/grind off any paint, but chances are the trunk floor isnt painted very well to begin with (which is maybe why it always seems to work well). Also make sure you have a GOOD connector on the ground wire where you connect it to the body. Usually 4 ga connectors are hard to crimp on correctly, so Ive just had an audio shop do it for me.
-Chris
07-08-2005, 09:55 AM
#5
Should I bolt it down on the curve up the hump, like the bend where the walls of the tire well meets the floor of the tire well?
Any other good places since I lack the wiring and block at the moment...
Any other good places since I lack the wiring and block at the moment...
07-08-2005, 11:14 AM
#6
I tend to get a bit irritable
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The amp is ground directly to the back seat? Any board or anything in between? Rubber/plastic washers being used? If not take the amp off and see what happens. Very good possibilty the amp is grounding itself through the chassis.
07-08-2005, 11:14 AM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Queens
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Alternator whine doesnt always have to come from a bad amplifier ground; it could be from a bad head unit ground or any signal processor that is connected in the system that has a bad ground. You are correct to ground amplifiers, and what have you, to the same point in order to ward off a ground loop, which is a difference in volatages between 2 points. Good luck with the fix man.
07-08-2005, 11:59 AM
#8
If you are running your RCA wires too close to your power or ground wire, it will cause the whine too. Try running the RCA wires on the passenger side, with your power wire on the driver side (or vice versa). Keep the RCA wires a far as you can away from the other two wires.
07-08-2005, 12:04 PM
#9
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Originally Posted by whazzzzuup
If you are running your RCA wires too close to your power or ground wire, it will cause the whine too. Try running the RCA wires on the passenger side, with your power wire on the driver side (or vice versa). Keep the RCA wires a far as you can away from the other two wires.
Thats just a myth. It doesnt matter where either of them are.
07-08-2005, 12:26 PM
#10
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Originally Posted by whazzzzuup
If you are running your RCA wires too close to your power or ground wire, it will cause the whine too. Try running the RCA wires on the passenger side, with your power wire on the driver side (or vice versa). Keep the RCA wires a far as you can away from the other two wires.
07-08-2005, 01:28 PM
#11
Originally Posted by friendhasmax
that's not true at all.
Edit: The shielding of most RCAs can still have conduction through it, because it is so thin. That is how it is causing the whine when he is accelerating.
07-08-2005, 03:27 PM
#12
Originally Posted by whazzzzuup
That is how I fixed mine. After I moved the ground, it was better. After I moved the RCA to the other side, it was completely gone.
Edit: The shielding of most RCAs can still have conduction through it, because it is so thin. That is how it is causing the whine when he is accelerating.
Edit: The shielding of most RCAs can still have conduction through it, because it is so thin. That is how it is causing the whine when he is accelerating.
07-08-2005, 04:42 PM
#14
Ok well, I have all the speaker wire and the power wires seperated from each other. Going to try to bolt the grounds to the trunk well.
Also, I am using the stock head unit, and both amps are attached to cardboard type materials. The only concern I am having as of right now, is ground looping. I am worried because I have a cd changer grounded to a piece of bare metal behind the head unit, can this cause problems?
Also, I am using the stock head unit, and both amps are attached to cardboard type materials. The only concern I am having as of right now, is ground looping. I am worried because I have a cd changer grounded to a piece of bare metal behind the head unit, can this cause problems?
07-08-2005, 05:07 PM
#15
Why didnt you say that you were using the factory deck to begin with. Ill bet its the location of the high-low converters. Take your dash apart, move them around/away from anything at all, see if the whine changes. Or you could just get an aftermarket deck.
07-08-2005, 11:46 PM
#16
Originally Posted by kpr10is
IBYouGetOwnedByfriendhasmax.
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?p=3268102
Please look at post #16, just to clarify my point. Please search through the internet, and most reputable sites will tell you the same thing, but in much greater detail. Thank you.
07-09-2005, 06:24 AM
#17
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Originally Posted by whazzzzuup
Please look at post #16, just to clarify my point. Please search through the internet, and most reputable sites will tell you the same thing, but in much greater detail. Thank you.
I need to learn the subject matter in greater detail? My electrical engineering education isn't good enough for you? I should search internet websites for bull**** information like you do? By moving your RCA cables you might have put a bandaid across your problem but you certainly didn't solve it. Sounds to me like you have radio shack RCA's and that is not my problem. ****ty RCA's can create a ground loop that gives alternator whine, but don't ever say that it is because of the power wires being too close to RCA's since you can NEVER move them far away from the CHASSIS which is the entire ground plane for the car. The RCA will ALWAYS be near power since you dont run your RCA's outside of the chassis.
07-09-2005, 07:19 AM
#18
Originally Posted by whazzzzuup
Sorry, but you need to learn about this subject matter in more detail before you can say something like that (personal attack).
Second of all, I think he was saying I need to learn more friendhasmax. But he has no idea what I know about the subject matter from reading one post of mine, which was simply a post whoring. Could I have argued with you instead of waiting for friendhasmax to chime in? Of course. Because I have seen his thorough explanations and learned from him through posts and pm's. But I chose to leave it to him, since hes the expert.
07-09-2005, 10:49 AM
#21
Since I don't have the car with me at the moment, I was wondering if it's ok to ground the car using a 4ga wire to a distribution block, then attaching the amp grounds to the block? I have a strong feeling my ground wires will not reach all the way to the trunk well.
07-09-2005, 02:21 PM
#23
I tend to get a bit irritable
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Originally Posted by whazzzzuup
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?p=3268102
Please look at post #16, just to clarify my point. Please search through the internet, and most reputable sites will tell you the same thing, but in much greater detail. Thank you.
Now what does the amp and the battery/Alt have in common? Ground
So with that being said show me ANYwhere on the car that power/ground is Not gonna be near your RCAs.
07-09-2005, 02:22 PM
#24
Originally Posted by friendhasmax
I need to learn the subject matter in greater detail? My electrical engineering education isn't good enough for you? I should search internet websites for bull**** information like you do? By moving your RCA cables you might have put a bandaid across your problem but you certainly didn't solve it. Sounds to me like you have radio shack RCA's and that is not my problem. ****ty RCA's can create a ground loop that gives alternator whine, but don't ever say that it is because of the power wires being too close to RCA's since you can NEVER move them far away from the CHASSIS which is the entire ground plane for the car. The RCA will ALWAYS be near power since you dont run your RCA's outside of the chassis.
This is Whazzzzuup.
07-09-2005, 02:28 PM
#25
I tend to get a bit irritable
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Originally Posted by Lusty2Kmax
My point is the RCA wires will still be touching the chassis (like you've mentioned), but if it is seperated from the power wire, then it does not have an opportunity to touch the power wire itself, which may give a greater chance for a ground loop, thus causing the distortion. If you have ever seen my car or me, you would know that I will never put anything of low-quality, no matter if it were car or audio performance, to compromise its peformance. I am running my car with Monster Cable RCAs and power/ground wires, mated to an Alpine CDA-7998 deadhead. I was getting alternator whine, and that was the way I fixed it.
Dont get offended, but I would not in anyway consider your Monster cable to be classified as "highend"
07-09-2005, 06:35 PM
#27
I tend to get a bit irritable
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Originally Posted by whazzzzuup
I understand they are not high-end, but they are much better than Radio Shack RCA cables.
1) Why do you have two different accounts on here?
2) Who is it that You think personally attacked you?
3) Please stop sending reported posts, I see no personal attacks it to warrant it. Let alone to report this post TWICE under different names.
07-09-2005, 06:45 PM
#28
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Hey Don hows it going man i still have whine also i regrounded changed RCA'S still got whine , i have two amps with a Distribution block i ws messing wiht some and now i have whine even when i turn off the radio so now its horrible cant listen to music becuase there is so much whine so i jus unplugged the amp, but this needs to be resolved any input?
also,Do you think it could be if the cross overs are near the ecu or power wires?
also,Do you think it could be if the cross overs are near the ecu or power wires?
07-09-2005, 07:34 PM
#29
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 236
Originally Posted by friendhasmax
I need to learn the subject matter in greater detail? My electrical engineering education isn't good enough for you? I should search internet websites for bull**** information like you do? By moving your RCA cables you might have put a bandaid across your problem but you certainly didn't solve it. Sounds to me like you have radio shack RCA's and that is not my problem. ****ty RCA's can create a ground loop that gives alternator whine, but don't ever say that it is because of the power wires being too close to RCA's since you can NEVER move them far away from the CHASSIS which is the entire ground plane for the car. The RCA will ALWAYS be near power since you dont run your RCA's outside of the chassis.
EEs always have excellent information. Which is why, for some reason, actual real world practice tends to differ from what they say.
07-09-2005, 08:12 PM
#30
Originally Posted by Pearl96Max
Not really but anyway...
1) Why do you have two different accounts on here?
2) Who is it that You think personally attacked you?
3) Please stop sending reported posts, I see no personal attacks it to warrant it. Let alone to report this post TWICE under different names.
1) Why do you have two different accounts on here?
2) Who is it that You think personally attacked you?
3) Please stop sending reported posts, I see no personal attacks it to warrant it. Let alone to report this post TWICE under different names.
What is this called then? IBYouGetOwnedByfriendhasmax and IBsayingthiswillputsandinsomeonesvagina is directly towards me (a revision of my AIM SN). How does this benefit his question? It doesn't. That is why I reported it.
07-09-2005, 08:25 PM
#31
I tend to get a bit irritable
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Originally Posted by pikers
EEs always have excellent information. Which is why, for some reason, actual real world practice tends to differ from what they say.
EEs are the people that make discussion like this even possible.
07-09-2005, 09:26 PM
#32
Originally Posted by whazzzzuup
IBYouGetOwnedByfriendhasmax and IBsayingthiswillputsandinsomeonesvagina is directly towards me (a revision of my AIM SN)
07-09-2005, 09:51 PM
#33
Originally Posted by kpr10is
I honestly had no clue this was your SN, I didnt look at your AIM profile before I posted that, and Ill bet that neither did AscendantMax or Metal Maxima. Hence the reason Don didn't see them as attacks at all. Mine was just a friendly post ***** since I knew that friendhasmax would reply, being that he has extensive knowledge on the subject. That was all. Im sorry if you took offense, being that you chose it as your screen name, but dont take it personally every time someone says IBTL or IB___, because the 1% of people who have seen your SN or profile before, probably arent the ones posting (unless theyre your friends). Its an extremely common saying on almost all online forums. That is all, and this thread can continue uninterrupted.
07-09-2005, 10:11 PM
#34
ok anyway...do this...drill a hole in your metal and get a metal screw...just big enough to fit in the hole...and she clean it and atrtach it there...otherwise if you use a pre existing screw hole that is already holding something together (like the seat)..it wont be grounded right..so drill a new whole..in the metal...away from the seat and screw it in to that new hole with a metal screw...ok?..gl
07-11-2005, 02:30 PM
#35
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Posts: n/a
I dont understand why you guys keep on arguing wiht Don he owns a Shop and is a Pro Installer best on this board..
Any ways i continue having trouble wiht my whine in my car i een have it when i turn off my radio but when the amp is disconected it goes away ..
Any ways i continue having trouble wiht my whine in my car i een have it when i turn off my radio but when the amp is disconected it goes away ..
