Saturday night I installed a boost gauge in my car. It's swtiched + and ground are tied off of the radio. Since then, the speakers have started to randomly cut out, based on the bumps in the road, and emit a feedback. Neither the radio or the gauge's power seem to be changing, it's just that the speakers cut in and out. It only occurs after a few minutes of driving, and seems to go away and come back. Any suggestions on what to do? Do I need to find the ground it's own connection? I will check the connections tonight after work, but was wondering if anyone had had a problem like this before?
Radio wiring issue
- Thread starter Shaman
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A gauge like that needs its own power and ground connection. You should ground it separately from the radio and if it requires an ignition power source you would be much better off connecting it to the true ignition wire from the ignition switch harness.
I've already changed the ground once, it was on a switching ground, but I have located another ground on the other side of the steering column that I will try to connect to tonight and see how it goes. Instructions say 3 amp fuse for the gauge, so I don't know how much of a problem it's actually causing.
It would be better to ground it in the kick panel. The steel there is actually part of the body of the car, and the sheet metal under the dash may not provide as good a ground. Use an existing golt or nut to make the ground connection. Screws yuo drill in yourself tend to corrode and loosen over time. If you must drill your own ground make sure to use a good wuality star washer unter the ring terminal.
There is a protrusion where the dash mounts to the kickpanel area that already has a ground tied to it from the factory. I was just gonna put it there.
Moved the ground over to another connection, and I will see if I something happens tomorrow.
gauge draw should me miniscule and not impact radio performance. radio lead likely fused between 10-15 amps. speaker behavior suggests connection at radio harness to radio.
good grounds are always important, grounding to the radio is ok if it's not a high power system. high-draw amps/radios will tax an oem ground wire. if it's taxed and the gauge is digital, you could be introducing noise to antenna wire shield. not hugely likely, but possible.
describe "feedback." that term suggests a squeal or ringing tone. does speaker noise go away if volume is down?
good grounds are always important, grounding to the radio is ok if it's not a high power system. high-draw amps/radios will tax an oem ground wire. if it's taxed and the gauge is digital, you could be introducing noise to antenna wire shield. not hugely likely, but possible.
describe "feedback." that term suggests a squeal or ringing tone. does speaker noise go away if volume is down?
Retrace you steps to the "since then" point.
The gauge is digital, and the noise was poppyish. I moved the ground to the kickpanel, and don't have any noise. I may try to get a better wire for switched ground when the water injection system and other gauges go in. I will keep an ear open, and see what happens.
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