Boat audio folks. step on in.

dgoodwin10

dgoodwin10

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2014
Location
Birmingham, AL
My ability to troubleshoot audio issues is pretty limited and Google is information overload, so hopefully the brain trust here can help me.

We have a 26' pontoon that we stripped down to the pontoons and restored a few years ago and installed a new MB Quart GMR-3 head unit, Pyle amp, speakers and speaker wire. The speakers and wires are in the same spot as they were prior to the restoration and I wired the new head unit in just like the old one. The radio sounds fine until I start the engine and am greeted with a popping / whine that gets louder with engine RPMs. This issue exists with FM radio and bluetooth.

In my limited knowledge of troubleshooting, I wired the radio and amp straight to a separate battery right under the console thinking I was getting interference from the engine - this helped, but the issue still exists. What else do I need to add, delete or modify to fix this?
 
I am far from an expert but if you have your power ran directly next to any thing carrying audio signal that can cause the issue.
I have used and power filter to help when I had this issue many years ago in a sweet el camnino!

This is an example what I used. I have no idea if this is a "good" one to use.
filter
 
Does the noise come through the speakers just when music is playing or if you pause the music, still get the noise?

They make twisted pairs of rca cables as well.

Any pics of the wiring?
 
Make sure all your radio components have good common power and ground connections running to the battery. If you have multiple batteries the grounds need to be tied together. You can try an inline rf filter/noise suppression filter and make sure all your alt and plug wires are in good shape.
 
rabb11d said:
I am far from an expert but if you have your power ran directly next to any thing carrying audio signal that can cause the issue.
I have used and power filter to help when I had this issue many years ago in a sweet el camnino!

This is an example what I used. I have no idea if this is a "good" one to use.
filter
Click to expand...
The only thing I can come up with is the speaker wires are passing by something that's powered by the engine. It just hit me that the speaker wire might be passing through the same hole as the harness that powers the gauges, lights and other boat things.

83oldyoda4x4 said:
Does the noise come through the speakers just when music is playing or if you pause the music, still get the noise?

They make twisted pairs of rca cables as well.

Any pics of the wiring?
Click to expand...
I still get the noise when the music is off. The RCAs I'm using from the amp to the radio are twisted pairs.

I'll sketch up a rough wiring diagram when I get a minute - the cranking battery is near the engine at the rear of the boat. It has a bundle of wire that runs through the floor, along the top of the pontoon and back up to the console to power gauges, lights, and other boat things. I set a deep cycle battery on the floor under the console and wired the radio and amp straight to the battery.

The ONLY thing I can come up with is that the speaker wire is routed near something that's getting power from the engine.

braxton357 said:
Make sure all your radio components have good common power and ground connections running to the battery. If you have multiple batteries the grounds need to be tied together. You can try an inline rf filter/noise suppression filter and make sure all your alt and plug wires are in good shape.
Click to expand...
Noted for later. I want to have both batteries wired in correctly and both charge from the engine.
 
Is the radio/amp the ONLY thing powered by that battery?
 
try some of these on your rca connections (amp input)
ferrita core

i was getting some noise from my phone when i plugged it into the head unit in an old truck. (cleaned the noise up). i still use them on all my phone charging cables to this date.
 
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