Audio Install Gone Bad

[Drjohn501]

[QUOTE=Drjohn501;9690409]Wow! I didn't want to name the exact shop but you nailed it!
The noise seems to be less now. Im getting second oppinion with another installer. The amp isnt secured in the trunk. They have it mounted to a black insulator material but it moves back there. I checed the gains and they are way down. I think your correct and its an issue they don't have the expertise to solve. But, Im over $4500.00 with parts labor ect... The owner Eric doesn't seem to care. Again thank all of you for the input.
All the owner offered after over 2 months and 7 or 8 45min trips was ,its the Pioneer my installers can disconnect your$1000.00 8100 and reinstall brand new one, other wise its my problem. So I believe at this point I have no choice but to get second or third professional opinions and resolve this. If it's the stereo then I'll replace it. I don't think that Pico noise is intermittent. But, Im not the professional here. And I hope this gets resolved because the PAC is awesome!
Update:
I looked at the amp and it is set for Chan A =3db at HPF 70hz >
Chan B = 3db at HPF 80hz>
SUB = 4db at LPF < 80hz
Thats alright but they also had have the crossover on the HU8100 set at same settings. I asked the installer why he had two crossovers on the system, because what I have read and been told that a no no! He said, that he never had a problem running both. So I dont think they have a clue.

[Leo72793]

[QUOTE=Drjohn501;9690675]

Originally Posted by Drjohn501

Wow! I didn't want to name the exact shop but you nailed it!
The noise seems to be less now. Im getting second oppinion with another installer. The amp isnt secured in the trunk. They have it mounted to a black insulator material but it moves back there. I checed the gains and they are way down. I think your correct and its an issue they don't have the expertise to solve. But, Im over $4500.00 with parts labor ect... The owner Eric doesn't seem to care. Again thank all of you for the input.
All the owner offered after over 2 months and 7 or 8 45min trips was ,its the Pioneer my installers can disconnect your$1000.00 8100 and reinstall brand new one, other wise its my problem. So I believe at this point I have no choice but to get second or third professional opinions and resolve this. If it's the stereo then I'll replace it. I don't think that Pico noise is intermittent. But, Im not the professional here. And I hope this gets resolved because the PAC is awesome!
Update:
I looked at the amp and it is set for Chan A =3db at HPF 70hz >
Chan B = 3db at HPF 80hz>
SUB = 4db at LPF < 80hz
Thats alright but they also had have the crossover on the HU8100 set at same settings. I asked the installer why he had two crossovers on the system, because what I have read and been told that a no no! He said, that he never had a problem running both. So I dont think they have a clue.

Too bad you arent local to me. id look it over. Im still tuning mine. I have NO distortion in my mids and highs at all. and they are amped seperately. They sing well.

[rotwiler]

You can turn off the hu crossovers and test it. Spunds like a high gain issue, but you checked that. I would go to a better shop, just ask how much to diagnose issue, you have a lot invested.

[Drjohn501]

Originally Posted by rotwiler

You can turn off the hu crossovers and test it. Spunds like a high gain issue, but you checked that. I would go to a better shop, just ask how much to diagnose issue, you have a lot invested.

I can ride out to Washington! The noise seems to be gone or not as loud. But, it did this before. Im thinking its a some kind of intermittent groundloop. I'll post what tge other shops find.

[Sounds Good Stereo]

Is this problem only present when the vehicle is running? Are you running twisted wire RCA connectors or center core RCA's?

[rotwiler]

Bump to top, sucks you invested so much and get crap service, could be so many things. I did read some systems can have issues with both hu and amps crossovers set, but I never had issue. Old cars I used to get noise, but never in a newer car. Just hate when people get ripped off, I only went to a stereo installer twice in my life(with over 25+ cars over the years) out of pure laziness, usually was to run amp wiring from battery to trunk.

[rotwiler]

I read online others saying ground RCA's to the hu chassis, then make sure hu is grounded good. Hot swapping(plugging in RCA's) while hu is on can cause the pico fuse to blow. Just some stuff I read.

[Drjohn501]

Originally Posted by rotwiler

I read online others saying ground RCA's to the hu chassis, then make sure hu is grounded good. Hot swapping(plugging in RCA's) while hu is on can cause the pico fuse to blow. Just some stuff I read.

Update: I had a new Pioneer 4201 nex installed yesterday, Not the loud high hiss noise, can still hear a very faint hiss. Im gping to take pictures of the trunk Amp, connections ground ect.. The installer grounded amp directory to negative side of battery instead of using good metal ground. Maybe thats a factir. Anyway getting my Pioneer 8100nex repaired. And they did hot swap my rca's, I watched them do it!

[Snoman]

Originally Posted by Drjohn501

Update: I had a new Pioneer 4201 nex installed yesterday, Not the loud high hiss noise, can still hear a very faint hiss. Im gping to take pictures of the trunk Amp, connections ground ect.. The installer grounded amp directory to negative side of battery instead of using good metal ground. Maybe thats a factir. Anyway getting my Pioneer 8100nex repaired. And they did hot swap my rca's, I watched them do it!

Ground loops are a common problem when the system has two different ground points (HU vs. Amps).

[Drjohn501]

Originally Posted by Snoman

Ground loops are a common problem when the system has two different ground points (HU vs. Amps).

Update:
I uploaded some pictures taken at another shop si I git second opinion on this so called professional installation by Car-tricks. Radio was sagging down di to broken tabs on the PAC Unit. If upu look close at the PAC purchased at Car-tricks, looks like the excellant work of the installers at Car-tricks glued them back on, look at the pictures, you can see the tabs broken. Anyway I also included pictures of the Hertz amp Car-tricks installed. Please take a look at the connections and the ground wire from amp. Is that correct? From what I have read, the ground should be seperate from battery. The amp slides all over back there. Its not mounted. And is that enough air flow for the amp?
Its going to cost me over $200.00 to get the Pioneer avic8100nex repaired and then more to install it! The RCAs were hit swapped, but Car-tricks denies this and the owner kivked me to the curb. I'll never let that shop touch my ride again! Don't go to those clowns! Just a terrible and expensive experience ($4000.00 + $200.00 repair+ my time.)
Thanks in advance.

[Leo72793]

Originally Posted by Drjohn501

Update:
I uploaded some pictures taken at another shop si I git second opinion on this so called professional installation by Car-tricks. Radio was sagging down di to broken tabs on the PAC Unit. If upu look close at the PAC purchased at Car-tricks, looks like the excellant work of the installers at Car-tricks glued them back on, look at the pictures, you can see the tabs broken. Anyway I also included pictures of the Hertz amp Car-tricks installed. Please take a look at the connections and the ground wire from amp. Is that correct? From what I have read, the ground should be seperate from battery. The amp slides all over back there. Its not mounted. And is that enough air flow for the amp?
Its going to cost me over $200.00 to get the Pioneer avic8100nex repaired and then more to install it! The RCAs were hit swapped, but Car-tricks denies this and the owner kivked me to the curb. I'll never let that shop touch my ride again! Don't go to those clowns! Just a terrible and expensive experience ($4000.00 + $200.00 repair+ my time.)
Thanks in advance.

Its ok to use the battery BUT can interoduce noise. The amp should be mounted. The amp has good space but 0 flowing air. i have that amp under the seat in a silverado no issues. they ruined that head unit and the kit. i would definetly report them to the BB and whomever else you can. I do my own installs and assist in them at bestbuy where i work and trust me, that shop ****ed you up.

[Drjohn501]

They did f@#k me hood didny they. What a shame. Like Snoman said, that shop was top notch when they had better installers. I'm going ti repoet them thats for sure.

[Drjohn501]

Originally Posted by Leo72793

Its ok to use the battery BUT can interoduce noise. The amp should be mounted. The amp has good space but 0 flowing air. i have that amp under the seat in a silverado no issues. they ruined that head unit and the kit. i would definetly report them to the BB and whomever else you can. I do my own installs and assist in them at bestbuy where i work and trust me, that shop ****ed you up.

I have Electrical/Computer Engineering Degree, but never installed car stereos before. Wish I could have did this one.

[Snoman]

My god, Mark with Cartronix in Valparaiso butchered your install. This man is demonstrating that he has zero training performing installations and from these pictures, has no business being in charge of an installation bay. I would definitely rip the installer by name on Google Maps and Yelp. The BBB will laugh at you, they are a mafia racket that caters to their own anyway, complete waste of time. Reach out to Mobile Mag as suggested above if haven't yet, they may ignore you but it's worth a shot.

• I've seen amps installed in the battery well, but it is the least desired place to do so. The amp should have been installed behind the left trunk liner on an amp board. Installer cost would have been less than $20.
• Power wire is ran down next to the entire length of the amplifier? This is one of the primary reasons you have line noise.
• Circuit breaker for a single amplifier? Seriously? Not in a million years, a 60 amp inline fuse should have been used. Circuit breakers take too long to open, which is why they are not used until you reach a 150+ amp system and even then, wafer fuses are still preferred because they are more reliable.
• The Circuit breaker being within 6" of the RCA connects is the secondary method line noise is coming into your system. Mainly because of the the general nature of the wire being open and not protected.
• RCA's (black wires on left) are physically touching speaker wires (bundle on right) - massive major installer violation that any qualified technician knows not to do. If you're not getting line noise from the other installations above, you're getting it here. This alone tells me Mark has no business performing 12V work.

I would have Best Buy document everything for your lawsuit if you're pursuing one. I'm not sure if a state certification is required to perform retail 12V engineering work in your state. If so, you should have a case here. I feel bad for you and hope Geek Squad can get you fixed up.