Kappa speakers shorting out on door

[waltham415 0]

So i just got my new infinity kappa speakers a few days ago. While i was installing them, i noticed they were crackling alot while i was screwing them to the door. After a good amount of investigation, i came to realize that the frame of the speaker (or any metal on it) was creating a short on the door of the car itself. I could take my knife and touch the speaker frame and then touch the door, and it would short with sparks arching at the other end. The stock speakers were coated in plastic around that area so that the screw was isolated from the speaker and wouldnt short.

Does any one know why this is happening? any ideas on how to keep it from happening on my new speakers? i havent been able to figure anything out that works... there is always some metal contact....

I could use some advise.... ive been wothout music and a door panel in my car for 2 or 3 days now.....

[Impious 1,476]

I would start by checking the connections at the speaker to make sure the wire/etc isn't touching the door or basket.

And sorry, but you're not going to get any sympathy from me. I've not had a radio in my car since May!

[Gioia69 30]

I would start by checking the connections at the speaker to make sure the wire/etc isn't touching the door or basket.

And sorry, but you're not going to get any sympathy from me. I've not had a radio in my car since May!

:suicide-santa:

[waltham415 0]

The speakers i have include something i believe they call a dongle... it allows the wires to connect to a little box outside of the speaker so that there is no way they could have been touching the door or basket.... ive traced the wires as far as i can but i dont see any problems there.

I have found an idea that would keep the speaker from touching the door, but i think that would just be a quick fix since there still must be a short somewhere in the wire. I want to run a new wire directly from the deck to the speaker, but have no idea how to get it through the super-tight tubing to the door. Any ideas?

"And sorry, but you're not going to get any sympathy from me. I've not had a radio in my car since May!"--Impious

Wow....

i guess i dont have it quite so bad then....

[Impious 1,476]

I want to run a new wire directly from the deck to the speaker, but have no idea how to get it through the super-tight tubing to the door. Any ideas?

In my car, I used a wire coat hanger. Bent the coat hanger into a straight piece, fished the coat hanger through the rubber boot, taped the wire on one end then pulled it back through. Not sure if it will be that easy in your vehicle or not.

[topgun 262]

Fish tape, tie wire, coat hanger, anything you can fit through the opening and tie the wiring too will suffice for pulling them through.

[Frostedflakejake 148]

yeah i used a coat hanger, it seemed to have the right amount of rigidness for me

[jcarter1885 995]

Coat hanger, electrical tape and patience with ease FTW!

[waltham415 0]

I was going to try the coat hanger but coming from my door, the wires go into the tube, 90 degrees down, and then into a loop which ends in the car..... i dont want to risk messing up any other wires trying to get a coat hanger through that many turns and twists...

[altoncustomtech 773]

if you're careful that coat hanger will work just fine.... trust us, it's been a car audio installers trusty tool for fishing wires for many a year... I just used one yesterday to run some wire in my sister's Durango, worked like a charm.

[waltham415 0]

Alright, ill give it a shot. Thanks for all the help.

[Dammed 12]

another tip is to mix water and soap 50/50 and then take some of the soapy water on the cable, do not take any on the end since it's not protected with isolation. After you get the tip of the cable through the rest will run smoothly through.

[ABXX49 20]

Have you thought about building MDF rings to mount them to? From what I gathered, it's ONLY when it's touching the metal of your door, right?

[waltham415 0]

Have you thought about building MDF rings to mount them to? From what I gathered, it's ONLY when it's touching the metal of your door, right?

yeah, but the screws touching the metel of the speaker go into the door, and ive tried rubber washers and stuff like that, nothing really worked.

But the problem was with the speakers, i looked more into the connection of the dongle(im pretty sure thats what they call it), and one wire was broken, hidden by the others, and touching the speaker basket. So i sent them back and am awaiting new ones. hopefully that was the problem and it will all work out. If that is the problem, does anyone still recomend that i run new wires to the speaker or will the stock wire suffice? im only running off of the hu for now.

[jcarter1885 995]

I wouldnt waste time to run them from the stock to head unit unless it some old wire or something, if it doesnt seem damage or faulty then I wouldnt. But that depends if you dont mind, have the speaker wire and so on. Maybe bigger and better wire may help with the sound but probably not by much.