[mike699]

I have a 1993 Talari 200Z with a 5.0LX and I'm having issues with my stereo buzzing when my navigation lights are on only. The engine can be on or off and I still have the buzzing when the nav switch is in the on position. I'm thinking its a ground fault problem and was considering running a new wire for the head unit ground. Any other thoughts out there or other locations to ground my head unit to?

Mike

[Dredd]

You're most likely right. Typically buzzing in from a head unit is caused by a ground issue.

[ShabahZ280]

I agree. Check your ground, maybe find another one nearby if possible - anything metal that the other switches aren't connected or attached to. If it continues, and you're using an amp to power your speakers, there's a device called a ground loop isolator you can buy from Radio Spank or other electronics store that connects in the RCA lines and usually eliminates any hum & buzz problems.

[Hudson River Steve]

If your boat has a dimmer for the instrumentation lights try varying the intensity of the gage backlighting while listening for the buzzing in the stero. If you find that the stereo buzz follows the backlight intensity you may have to move your either your stereo B+ wire, ground wire or both away from the dimmer. These dimmers use a pulse width modulation scheme to control the voltage to the instrument backlight which produces pulses of current that can either drag down the B+ or pull up the ground...either way...stereos don't like it. Best bet is to power the stereo from a dedicated B+ and ground back to a clean power source so hight current loads do not affect it.
Good luck,
Steve

[mike699]

I fixed my problem. Hudson you were right. The dimmer knob did change the frequency of the buzzing and I was going to run new power leads for my stereo but I resorted to just unhooking the two wires that go into the dimmer knob and splicing them together. This disconnects the dimming feature and keeps your gauges at full illumination all the time. Didn't really seem necessary to have a dimmer because the illumination on all the switches on the dash are way brighter anyway.