Speaker Fuzz!

[dogbert]

Just tap in to the 420 power/ground, or run seperate back to the battery?

Yes, it needs to be attached to the ground of the two components you're trying to isolate, in your case, the H/U and the 420.

[chpthril]

Thanks. You mentioned in a post yesterday that I may have an issue with the fan on the back. If I just run new ground and power back to the battery, the fan will run as long as the HU is turned on or all the time? Can you clarify what you meant in that post?

The fan will run all the time with a constant 12v, so you do need to switch the power wire.

[Jeff T]

The fan will run all the time with a constant 12v, so you do need to switch the power wire.

Will the HU stay on all the time as well if I don't manually turn it off or is there still a remote that is activated when I turn the key. In other words, will the key position no longer impact the HU's ability to be on or off, so if the switch is on, the HU will be on regardless of the key position and vice versa. But, I can turn off the power manually, leave the switch on, and the fan will run...which is why you want the switch to begin with.

[chpthril]

Will the HU stay on all the time as well if I don't manually turn it off or is there still a remote that is activated when I turn the key. In other words, will the key position no longer impact the HU's ability to be on or off, so if the switch is on, the HU will be on regardless of the key position and vice versa. But, I can turn off the power manually, leave the switch on, and the fan will run...which is why you want the switch to begin with.

To answer your question, the key switch will no longer be sending power to the head unit. You will have to add a switch somewhere to interrupt power to turn the fan off. The fan will run all the time, regardless of the ON/OFF bottom on the head unit.

You have to go to the battery to stop the noise, but you have to have a switch, as it is from the factory, to kill the power and stop the fan.

[Jeff T]

Gotcha. Clear as day.

[Jeff T]

Yes, it needs to be attached to the ground of the two components you're trying to isolate, in your case, the H/U and the 420.

If I grounded my 420 at the dist blocks, could I just run a length of ground/power for the loops to the dist blocks...or is it imperative that I actually tap into the actual ground/power wire?

[spharis]

Jeff,
What head unit do you have? What amps are you running?

What do you mean by fuzz? Is it a hiss, or is it more of a white noise?


Wire the turn on for the radio to an ACC switch on the dash. Mine is shared with my depthfinder.

How far are you from Hot Springs Village (Lake Ouachita). I am going fishing up there in a few weeks. I wouldn't mind helping you out.

[Jeff T]

Jeff,
What head unit do you have? What amps are you running?

Clarion CDM4
Kicker ZX 650.4 (bridged) pushing 1 set of wetsounds pro80s
Kicker ZX 350.4 for deck (stock Kicker KS series)
Kicker ZX 750.1 for sub (kicker solobaric 12 L5 in vented box)

What do you mean by fuzz? Is it a hiss, or is it more of a white noise?

Hmm...I'm not sure what the difference would be between a hiss and white noise, but i guess i would describe it as a hiss. You know the noise you make when you put your pointer finger over your lips and tell someone to be quite? I guess that is what it sounds like. White noise makes me think of the noise your tv makes when the cable goes out. It isn't like that.

How far are you from Hot Springs Village (Lake Ouachita). I am going fishing up there in a few weeks. I wouldn't mind helping you out.

I'm roughly 3.5 hours away from Hot Springs.

Wire the turn on for the radio to an ACC switch on the dash. Mine is shared with my depthfinder.

If I do this, will i still have to wire in a switch to shut off the fan on the HU?

[chpthril]

Jeff,
Wire the turn on for the radio to an ACC switch on the dash. Mine is shared with my depthfinder.

.

If I do this, will i still have to wire in a switch to shut off the fan on the HU?[/QUOTE]

That's what I was describing in the earlier post, spharis is just giving a suggestion as to where to wire it. If the H/U unit "turn on" is hot all the time, like straight-wired to the battery or amp, the fan will run. If not mentioned earlier, I think its the small red wire off the head unit, and the only red wire on the ignition key switch that is hot in the ACC (10 o'clock) position, other then the constant 12v.

[Jeff T]

Gotcha. So there was my confusion: The Fan will only run when the HU is ON. I was thinking that the fan will run if there was power to it, regardless if the HU was on or not. So, I just need to switch the HU.

[spharis]

Yes. Most double din and din.5 head units have those built in fans.

And usually head unit wiring is:
yellow: constant 12+ (to your battery)
red: switched 12+ (this you want on a switch)
black: ground (battery)

I wonder if the hiss you are hearing is just the powered sound that you are not used to. Most high power audio setups will have a high pitch "hiss" when the amps are powered and the volume is very low. I am unsure if this is what you hear though. It should attenuate and not be heard at listening volume.

[Jeff T]

I wish that were the case. Unfortunately, the hiss was heard at ZERO volume.

[chpthril]

Gotcha. So there was my confusion: The Fan will only run when the HU is ON. I was thinking that the fan will run if there was power to it, regardless if the HU was on or not. So, I just need to switch the HU.

Yes. Most double din and din.5 head units have those built in fans.

And usually head unit wiring is:
yellow: constant 12+ (to your battery)
red: switched 12+ (this you want on a switch)
black: ground (battery)

I wonder if the hiss you are hearing is just the powered sound that you are not used to. Most high power audio setups will have a high pitch "hiss" when the amps are powered and the volume is very low. I am unsure if this is what you hear though. It should attenuate and not be heard at listening volume.

Like spharis pointed out, the red needs to be switched or the fan will run regardless of whether the H/U is on or not.

[spharis]

I'll be up there in about 4 weeks.

If it is still around, lets have a look; depending on how the bass are biting of course .