Popping from new sub when large electrical loads hit

[jawn101]

So now that I have the new sub installed, I've been noticing periodic pops from it when large electrical loads in the car engage. Compressor cycling, fans kicking on, flashing the brights, etc. I know all the car's grounds are tip-top and there are no other problems elsewhere. The amp is grounded straight to the battery.

Question is, what can I do to eliminate the noise? An audio capacitor? Some kind of filter? It's a minor annoyance at best but I'd like to try and clear it up.

[Exolis]

http://www.caraudiohelp.com/car_audio_noise_troubleshooting/car_audio_noise_troubleshooting.htm

Hopefully this helps.

[Bitsyncmaster]

How is the sub getting the +12 volts?

[jawn101]

How is the sub getting the +12 volts?

Also straight from the battery. None of the vehicles wiring was used for this - just straight runs of 8 gauge wire right to the battery.

[Bitsyncmaster]

Also straight from the battery. None of the vehicles wiring was used for this - just straight runs of 8 gauge wire right to the battery.

It may just be your battery has lost it capacity (the impeadance is to high). How old is your battery?

[Elvis]

Where is the radio conneted to ? + and GND ?

and what means new amp ? did you uninstall an old one that did not have this problem ?

[jawn101]

It may just be your battery has lost it capacity (the impeadance is to high). How old is your battery?

Could be. It has no date on it, I was told it was new when I got the car 2-3 years ago and it has performed well and passed multiple load tests at the auto parts store. But it may be old or a factory reject or something, I really do not know.


Where is the radio conneted to ? + and GND ?

and what means new amp ? did you uninstall an old one that did not have this problem ?

12v and Ground are hooked directly to the battery. There was no amp before, this is a brand new setup.

[Elvis]

If I remember correctly, I have connected my radio and amp at the posts at the firewall.

It might be worth to test it.

[jawn101]

If I remember correctly, I have connected my radio and amp at the posts at the firewall.

It might be worth to test it.

Someone in another thread rightly pointed out that the wires there are relatively low-gauge (especially the ground post on the passenger side firewall), so going right to the battery was a better option.

[David T]

I hope you used some kind of overcurrent protection like a fuse or a CB! There can be 2 reasons you hear popping or clicking. One is the voltage gets pulled down too low too quickly and the other is noise impressed into the electrical system. A large capacitor will help with the first problem and a filter will help with the second. I would call the tech line for the sub you bought and discuss this with them before trying things.
David Teitelbaum

[jawn101]

I hope you used some kind of overcurrent protection like a fuse or a CB! There can be 2 reasons you hear popping or clicking. One is the voltage gets pulled down too low too quickly and the other is noise impressed into the electrical system. A large capacitor will help with the first problem and a filter will help with the second. I would call the tech line for the sub you bought and discuss this with them before trying things.
David Teitelbaum

Of course I did. Big fuse, 8" away from the battery in the 12v line. 10" less than the maximum recommended distance.

The sub is from DMC-CA but it's more likely the amp's problem than the speaker itself, I'd think.

[Shep]

It's possible the radio is causing the popping rather than the amp. Are you running dedicated RCA cables to the amp, or tapping into the main speaker wiring?

With aftermarket radios, I've found that even some high-end ones start rapidly losing signal quality once they reach 75% volume, almost like a switch. The one in my daily driver starts popping and clicking quite a bit if I turn the volume to 29 (maxes out at 35), but leaving it at 28 never has a problem. Could be part of the problem in your scenario. I've also found aftermarket radios with built-in circuit protection can start popping and clicking if the speakers start shorting out, although it usually isn't too long before it completely shorts out and the radio goes into "protection" mode, so I doubt this is the case with your installation. Still something to consider.

[jawn101]

It's possible the radio is causing the popping rather than the amp. Are you running dedicated RCA cables to the amp, or tapping into the main speaker wiring?

With aftermarket radios, I've found that even some high-end ones start rapidly losing signal quality once they reach 75% volume, almost like a switch. The one in my daily driver starts popping and clicking quite a bit if I turn the volume to 29 (maxes out at 35), but leaving it at 28 never has a problem. Could be part of the problem in your scenario. I've also found aftermarket radios with built-in circuit protection can start popping and clicking if the speakers start shorting out, although it usually isn't too long before it completely shorts out and the radio goes into "protection" mode, so I doubt this is the case with your installation. Still something to consider.

Definitely the secondary amp. The hookups are line level, not speaker level and are dedicated. And the pops happen even when I have the head unit paused/muted but still on.

[dmc6960]

And the pops happen even when I have the head unit paused/muted but still on.

Disconnect the input from the radio and check again. If it is coming from the radio muting/pausing the audio would not necessarily stop the pops.

[jawn101]

Disconnect the input from the radio and check again. If it is coming from the radio muting/pausing the audio would not necessarily stop the pops.

You're right. Man is that an annoying job though. LOL

Will give it a shot and see....

[Shep]

You're right. Man is that an annoying job though. LOL

Will give it a shot and see....You can disconnect it from the amp itself rather than the radio. I'd actually try that first, so you know none of the wires are touching, and see if it still pops.

[jawn101]

You can disconnect it from the amp itself rather than the radio. I'd actually try that first, so you know none of the wires are touching, and see if it still pops.

That's even harder. But I know nothing is touching there, the cord wraps were very tight.