Buzzing From Subwoofer

[Polygon]

I ran a search and didn't find anything like this. The sub is a Dayton 120. It will start buzzing during a lot of bass. There really isn't a pattern to it. It also seems to be getting worse as the weather gets dryer. Now, if I touch the rack my receiver is on or the amplifier on the back of the sub I get a static discharge and the buzzing stops.

The sub is on carpet and I can only assume that from the movement of the sub it is building up a static charge?

 

[Roc]

I had a similar thing happen to my dayton sub the same one you speak of. I was listening to some rap music at a pretty loud level when the sub began to buzz. Now the level of the sub was between one quarter and the half way mark when that happened. So i turned it down the volume on the reciever and touch the subwoofer cable and it stopped buzzing, I then put the music to same level and nothing has happened since. My sub also sits on a carpet strange.

 

[TLS Guy]

I ran a search and didn't find anything like this. The sub is a Dayton 120. It will start buzzing during a lot of bass. There really isn't a pattern to it. It also seems to be getting worse as the weather gets dryer. Now, if I touch the rack my receiver is on or the amplifier on the back of the sub I get a static discharge and the buzzing stops.

The sub is on carpet and I can only assume that from the movement of the sub it is building up a static charge?

It sounds to me that you don't have a system ground. There should be one good ground in the system. If there is and everything is connected properly the equipment chassis can not build up a static charge. You can build up a static charge though and discharge to the equipment which should be grounded.

Form your story, I'm highly suspicious there is a voltage leak to the chassis of an ungrounded system. That is dangerous.

 

[Polygon]

Well, everything except the sub is going through a surge protector. However, there are three things plugged into an extension cord and that goes to the surge protector. One of them is my MediaGate and another is the phone. If the MediaGate is on and I put the phone on the base it shuts off the MediaGate. I didn't think the two were related but if you think I have a grounding issue, that could be it?

 

[TLS Guy]

Well, everything except the sub is going through a surge protector. However, there are three things plugged into an extension cord and that goes to the surge protector. One of them is my MediaGate and another is the phone. If the MediaGate is on and I put the phone on the base it shuts off the MediaGate. I didn't think the two were related but if you think I have a grounding issue, that could be it?

Something isn't right. Without being there I can't tell you what it is. You need to get an outlet tester or a multimeter and check that ground and neutral are correct, on you outlets to your surge protector and sub. You need to check the surge protector also. Then check that the outlets are grounded and that your grounds device to device are in continuity.

What is that extension cord, is it polarized, and is it three pin or two?

 

[Polygon]

The cord is just a simple two pin which is why I suspected it first.

 

[TLS Guy]

The cord is just a simple two pin which is why I suspected it first.

Next question, which of your units have three pin grounded plugs and which units have two pin polarized plugs and which have two pin non polarized plugs? You see, I think you have a unit that is leaking stray voltage to a neutral, and further leaking this to the chassis of a unit or units that are not grounded. This is a dangerous condition.

 

[Polygon]

Alright, I'll start checking things. When I find it what can I do to ground it properly?

 

[TLS Guy]

Alright, I'll start checking things. When I find it what can I do to ground it properly?

I'm fear the problem will not be that simple. I have a strong sense that you may have a unit with a dangerous fault condition. When you investigate this further we will have to try and pin down which one.

 

[Polygon]

Could the problem be with the coax running to the subwoofer?

 

[TLS Guy]

Could the problem be with the coax running to the subwoofer?

It could be a lot of things. Guessing is useless. The only way to solve this is in an organized didactic way. You still have not answered my last question. Due to the fact you are getting shocked, if this is not your static you are discharging, this is a serious problem. Since there other problems associated with the charge/discharge, I have to be suspicious there is a serious problem here.

There is a hell of a lot of junk around these days. So much so that a lot of gear does not even have a proper power supply with a power transformer. These transformer less power supplies can really create some dangerous havoc. Do you know if your sub has one of those?

 

[Polygon]

It could be a lot of things. Guessing is useless. The only way to solve this is in an organized didactic way. You still have not answered my last question. Due to the fact you are getting shocked, if this is not your static you are discharging, this is a serious problem. Since there other problems associated with the charge/discharge, I have to be suspicious there is a serious problem here.

There is a hell of a lot of junk around these days. So much so that a lot of gear does not even have a proper power supply with a power transformer. These transformer less power supplies can really create some dangerous havoc. Do you know if your sub has one of those?

I don't know.

So, as far as testing each thing, how would I go about testing the devices? All I have left hooked up is the receiver straight to the outlet and the sub to another outlet. Everything else is disconnected.

As of yet it has not had the issue since removing it from the power strip.

I still want to test it though.

Correction, still doing it. So, it has to be the receiver, the sub, or one of the outlets. So, how can I test them?

 

[TLS Guy]

I don't know.

So, as far as testing each thing, how would I go about testing the devices? All I have left hooked up is the receiver straight to the outlet and the sub to another outlet. Everything else is disconnected.

As of yet it has not had the issue since removing it from the power strip.

I still want to test it though.

Correction, still doing it. So, it has to be the receiver, the sub, or one of the outlets. So, how can I test them?

What are the power connectors on your various devices? Do you have a multimeter and know how to use one?

 

[Polygon]

What are the power connectors on your various devices? Do you have a multimeter and know how to use one?

They both are using two polarized prongs. As for the multimeter, I have one, but have very little experience with them.

EDIT: I noticed that I don't discharge ever time I touch the rack. If I sit still and then touch it I don't discharge and the buzzing doesn't stop.

Anyhow, I have my multimeter in hand.

 

[TLS Guy]

They both are using two polarized prongs. As for the multimeter, I have one, but have very little experience with them.

From your description it seems there is no ground. That confirms my suspicion that one of the units is leaking stray voltage to a chassis. It should not do that.

First check your outlets, including the surge unit. Put your voltmeter on the 300 AC volt range. Now put the red probe in the short power slot and the black in the long slot. You should get a reading of 120 volts. Now put the black in the ground keeping the red in the short slot, you should still get 120 volts. Now keeping the black probe in the ground put the red in the long slot, which is the neutral, you should not see a meter deflection. Put the meter on the 1 or three volt range keeping the last probe arrangement, and you should have a reading of 0 or no more than 0.5 volt.

Do this for all outlets connected to your system and a surge bar outlet. If the readings are significantly different from what I'm describing then report back for further advice.

If you get the readings I describe proceed as follows.

Disconnect your sub from your system and everything else. Play your receiver hard while you connect your multimeter between the chassis of the receiver and ground. You will need to try all voltage ranges starting with the 300 range and going lower. Start with the DC range. If you don't measure any voltage, then repeat on the AC range. If you see any voltage between the chassis and ground the receiver needs service.

Now put the sub back into the system playing it hard and repeat the whole procedure again. If you record a voltage between chassis and ground then the sub is the problem. If this does not find the problem then add the other units you mentioned back one by one and repeat the procedure each time you add back a unit. If you find stray voltage on a chassis, DO NOT TRY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM BY GROUNDING A CHASSIS. Take the defective unit in for service or preferably junk it.

 

[Polygon]

Alright.

I measured both outlets and got about 121 volts through each test. When switching to neutral I got no voltage on either outlet. Now, I've run the amp hard and the only voltage I get is on DC below 2 volts and it registered between .003 and .007 withe the amp on it's own and with the sub with nothing else getting power. I then tested the rest of the devices and got the same measurement.

 

[TLS Guy]

Alright.

I measured both outlets and got about 121 volts through each test. When switching to neutral I got no voltage on either outlet. Now, I've run the amp hard and the only voltage I get is on DC below 2 volts and it registered between .003 and .007 withe the amp on it's own and with the sub with nothing else getting power. I then tested the rest of the devices and got the same measurement.

If there is a leak it is likely intermittent. Next time you get this buzz that is stopped by you touching a chassis and getting a shock, don't touch it. Carefully connect your meter between a chassis and ground on a DC range and see if you get a voltage that rapidly falls.

 

[Polygon]

If there is a leak it is likely intermittent. Next time you get this buzz that is stopped by you touching a chassis and getting a shock, don't touch it. Carefully connect your meter between a chassis and ground on a DC range and see if you get a voltage that rapidly falls.

I have been testing it and I held it until the buzzing started. Even with the buzzing the voltage did not change.

 

[TLS Guy]

I have been testing it and I held it until the buzzing started. Even with the buzzing the voltage did not change.

In that case it is now safe to try grounding the receiver. Connect the receiver chassis to ground and see if that eliminates your problem. If you get shocked after that, then we can be certain you are discharging your own static.

 

[Polygon]

In that case it is now safe to try grounding the receiver. Connect the receiver chassis to ground and see if that eliminates your problem. If you get shocked after that, then we can be certain you are discharging your own static.

Well, I've grounded it and I can still discharge on it. I'm starting to think there is an issue with the sub's amplifier or the cable.