STEREO GROUND.... ?????

[h2osk8er00]

I have a ground on my stereo that is temperamental... and it exists when the boat isn't even running... Seems to be good until we are playing the stereo for like 30-40 min.. then it starts and is really intermittent. Can't figure it out... Only comes through the tower speakers from what I can hear. Not sure where to look even.. everything on the boat was gotten wet(had some serious rain storms while on the water) and maybe that is causing it to be worse... not sure.. I would always hear a light buzz through the tower speakers while running but never when she was turned off.. any ideas on where to start and what to check?

[chpthril]

Not sure I understand what you've got going on. Your 12V stereo system should always have a ground, with or with out the boat running. Are you getting some sort of noise in the system? These noises are usually stray AC voltage or pops caused by the collapse of a field when a relay opens. A system with a poor ground can also pick up some unwanted noise.

A low his heard with the volume down is usually gain hiss. Turning down the gains will help. But noise with the system off is unusual. Do you have any peripheral devices like an EQ? When the head-unit is off, can you confirm the amps are powered down?

if it seems that this has come about since a drenching rain storm, I would not get to worked up over it yet, as you may just be chasing your tail. Get the boat good and dried out, then reevaluate. Water can do some funky things, but not do any permanent damage in the end.

[h2osk8er00]

The noise is coming from the speakers... worse as it gets turned up.. but it is also very present as the volume can be turned down to mute and I hear crackling and buzzing through the speakers.. sometimes I can hear the whine of the engine as it starts! It's embarrassing! I did something wrong or something is loose... I know it has to do with a ground but my ground is straight to the Deep cell battery... 1/0 gauge I think... then splits to 4 gauge as it is closer to the amps.. I'm going to get in there tomorrow or Friday to dissect it all.. and try to find why she is sound so bad sometimes.. I just think it is weird that it plays perfectly sometimes and then other times it is horrible.. there was always a light buzz when the motor was on but now it is 10 times worse when the problem exists.. All I have is the CMD4A... 10 inch free air kicker sub.. two kicker tower speakers... two kicker Amps.. one for the sub and in-boat speakers and one for the 2 tower speakers.. have an inline marine fuse.. not sure what the hell is going on but tell me where to start please. Thanks Mike!