Hum from LED Controller

[DJMattyT]

Has anyone had a hum from their led controller through their speakers? I am getting a high pitched noise from my speakers when my led controller is running (when LEDs are on a color) and he noise goes away when the LEDs are dimmed. I disconnected the controller and ran the LEDs off the switch and the noise is gone so I know for sure its the controller. Does anyone have any ideas as to what could be doing this? I might buy a different controller to try but wanted to check here first

 

[DJMattyT]

I'm going to reach out to earmark marine tomorrow too but looking for some advice.

 

[bronze_10]

Which controle are you using? And how is it wired?

 

[DJMattyT]

Which controle are you using? And how is it wired?

It works off your smartphone with an app. It's a cool controller, I've had it for years in my jeep and never had an issue like this. My positive power wire comes from the switch on the dashboard and the negative is coming from the battery.

 

[bronze_10]

I have no experience with that controler... mine is the same one @Bruce recommend. My power is from the switch and the ground if from the battery as well... maybe a bad controler?

 

[DJMattyT]

I have no experience with that controler... mine is the same one @Bruce recommend. My power is from the switch and the ground if from the battery as well... maybe a bad controler?

What controller are you using?

 

[BigN8]

I just had LED's installed and had a similar problem. When the LED is running on static of any color there was no hum, except for off white. When I switched the color to off white it would hum. The hum was really bad when I ran the LED's in dynamic mode where all the colors slowly fade in then out and as they fade out the color slowly changes from, let's say green to blue, etc.

After I installed the LED's I swapped out the head unit with the Dual Marine head unit. I bought a ground loop isolator off Amazon for around $9 hoping to cure the hum. However I did not need it. When I installed the head unit I was sure to run a ground wire from the head unit to the ground block on my amp board. This was not done before. So once I installed the head unit and had a single ground the hum went away from the LED's.

The key is to make sure you have a single grounding point and that you do not have multiple ground wires going to different locations. This is what causes the ground loop to occur. If after you have grounded everything to a single location you still have the hum, you might try the ground loop isolator. It's cheap and worth the try.

 

[Bruce]

What controller are you using?

This is the TQ2 LED controller we are using.

I believe that Wet Sounds is now selling the same controller for three times the price.

 

[DJMattyT]

This is the TQ2 LED controller we are using.

I believe that Wet Sounds is now selling the same controller for three times the price.

I just ordered that one from Wetsounds for $99. Looks like I'll be canceling the order. Does this controller do any single color functions like pulsing or strobes or is it strictly for changing colors?

 

[Bruce]

Does this controller do any single color functions like pulsing or strobes or is it strictly for changing colors?

It has 20 of what they call "classic modes" which are transitions that are not synced to the music and 15 that are synced to music. Some are RGB and some are single color. You can set the color for the single color modes. The controller has lots of adjustability. You can see the manufacturers info at http://www.supernight.cc/supernight...5-music-modes-led-light-strip-controller.html . It comes with a small manual that poorly explains some of the modes. I just play with the remote until I find something that I like or let the kids do so. It remembers what it was set to next time you power it on. I set it to red at a dim level when we are underway to reduce interference with night vision.

 

[DJMattyT]

It has 20 of what they call "classic modes" which are transitions that are not synced to the music and 15 that are synced to music. Some are RGB and some are single color. You can set the color for the single color modes. The controller has lots of adjustability. You can see the manufacturers info at http://www.supernight.cc/supernight...5-music-modes-led-light-strip-controller.html . It comes with a small manual that poorly explains some of the modes. I just play with the remote until I find something that I like or let the kids do so. It remembers what it was set to next time you power it on. I set it to red at a dim level when we are underway to reduce interference with night vision.

Do you have it wired directly from the battery? I have tried a few different wiring ideas but cant get rid of the hum...the only thing I haven't tried was bypassing the factory "courtesy light switch" I guess thats next, or wait for the shipment of a different controller

 

[Bruce]

I have used mine connected to the courtesy light switch. Currently it is connected to the eject button on my switch panel.

It has never caused any interference or hum. The hum is likely caused by a poorly engineered or malfunctioning power supply in your LED controller.

 

[DJMattyT]

I have used mine connected to the courtesy light switch. Currently it is connected to the eject button on my switch panel.

It has never caused any interference or hum. The hum is likely caused by a poorly engineered or malfunctioning power supply in your LED controller.

That's what I'm hoping for! I don't think my courtesy light switch is tied into the sound system wiring at all so I can't see that causing the hum, which kind of leaves us at the controller again. That's what I'm hoping for. This article references the wiring in their issues which are similar to mine http://www.themalibucrew.com/index....unds-rbg-led-controller-and-high-pitch-noise/

 

[DJMattyT]

@txav8r can you offer some advice? I know you know a thing or two about LEDs haha

 

[Bruce]

Is your LED controller connected to the stereo via an audio input?

I had a similar ground loop issue caused by using a Raspberry Pi as an audio input. My solution was to use a Toslink fiber audio cable to connect the Pi's output to the Fusion head unit with a fiber to RCA converter in the middle.

This broke the ground loop. I also used a ground loop isolator that worked well but reduced the input level.

My LED controller is using it's internal microphone to synchronize with the music.

 

[DJMattyT]

Is your LED controller connected to the stereo via an audio input?

I had a similar ground loop issue caused by using a Raspberry Pi as an audio input. My solution was to use a Toslink fiber audio cable to connect the Pi's output to the Fusion head unit with a fiber to RCA converter in the middle.

This broke the ground loop. I also used a ground loop isolator that worked well but reduced the input level.

My LED controller is using it's internal microphone to synchronize with the music.

I don't have anything from the stereo running into it. If the individual LEDs in the boat aren't grounded directly to the battery and are tied into other stuff on the boat that could cause the hum too right? I know the controller has to be grounded right to the battery but I guess all LEDs do too right

 

[Bruce]

My guess is that the power supply of your LED controller is introducing the hum as it handles a higher amperage load. Hopefully another controller will solve the problem.

 

[DJMattyT]

My guess is that the power supply of your LED controller is introducing the hum as it handles a higher amperage load. Hopefully another controller will solve the problem.

Yeah that's what I'm hoping for!! Thank you for all of your help

 

[Bruce]

The LED controllers actually modulate (limit) the flow of current on the negative side. The positive current to the LEDs is only limited by the size of the wiring.

Everything on the boat effectively has the same ground which is the negative terminal of the batteries. There is little if any ability to isolate circuits in the boat. You can supply, switch and breaker or fuse them using separate wiring but they remain part of the same system.

 

[txav8r]

If your tied to the courtesy lights, it is not direct from the battery, as Yamaha loops their power and jumpers it from one system to another on a single home run, except for accessories. So using them as a power source could be your issue. I ran a power supply cable to a separate switch panel. Mine didn't hum, so I can only offer what I have said. I agree with @Bruce , you can't isolate the ground, but you can isolate the power supply. And you can also install a ground loop isolator, a cheap fix and might help. They are typically used to reduce engine noise in the sound system. But as stated, all grounds are essentially connected, so it might help.