Problem with amp install

The amp should be hooked DIRECTLY to the engine's battery.

 

Agreed! ALL amps should be ran directly to the battery. I wouldn't key that mic up again with the linear on until you get it installed correctly.

 

Ive never grounded just the linear itself but you do need to get the linear at least 2 foot away from the CB to prevent feedback. 8 gauge wire will run that amp just fine. Just run pos and neg from box to battery. Make sure your SWR is low and also make sure your antenna will handle that kind of power.

 

some new trucks do not have enough shielding around the ECM for such a device. linears put off a lot of RFI, and that can cause problems as you are finding out.

 

As was said above:

Both wires. +12 and ground STRAIGHT to the battery, with an appropriate fuse AT the battery.

I see two problems here.

First, the power. At 30A, you shouldn't run #8 more than 10 feet or so. For a 25 foot run, you'll need #4 cable.

(Side thought here... why not place the amp closer to the battery?)

Second, the symptoms look like you have RF getting into the engine system, but it could be low voltage. To test, pull your amp and hook it straight to the battery with cable as heavy and short as possible; that 8' piece of #8 is fine. Start the truck and see if you have the same problem. If not, then it's a low voltage issue. If so, it's an RF issue, and your truck isn't compatible with that kind of power.

 

I recommend buying a Wilson trucker series antennas and mounting it behind the sleeper. Ground it by running a wire down to the frame.

 

He said he was running the linear off the fuse panel. Run the box off the battery and the problem will be solved.

 

i dont remember which post in the fuse box but had a friend that had a 03-04 columbia and ran a 2x4 linear off the battery post in the top, right side post in the fuse box on top of the dash and ran the ground to the r/s a-pillar bolt with the amp laying above the cb cubby and never had a problem with the guages and such, but u could watch the digital volt meter drop .5 volts when he keyed it up! would have to look at the setup and where you have it hooked up now to diagnose but have ran linears way bigger than yours from the fuse panel/a-pillar with no problems.