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Discussion in 'Car Audio Head Units' started by Eclipsed, Jul 17, 2006.

  1. Eclipsed

    Eclipsed Full Member

    Ok, now that I ahve all my system in, I can only go about 3/4 on the Volume and my subs will hit and my deck turn off as if it were hitting a bump, I checked the connection and it seems fine.

    Any other suggestions?
     
  2. weird22person

    weird22person Full Member

    Maybe your amp is overpowering you alternator? Something may be going into protection mode.
     
  3. Eclipsed

    Eclipsed Full Member

    The only problem I have had out of my amp is it overheateing in the 100+ degree weather.

    The deck problem only happens when my volume is at about 3/4 though.
     
  4. weird22person

    weird22person Full Member

    But maybe the alternator isnt creating high enough voltage because of the current drawn by you amp. You said it turns off when you subs hit. This probably means the subs/amp are part of the problem. Try turning the volume on the amp down...either the setting at the headunit itself or at the amp. Try both and see what happens. Maybe you can unhook the amp altogether just to test it out.
     
  5. Eclipsed

    Eclipsed Full Member

    I turned the subwoofer volume on the deck all the way down, then volume up, it croaked. Turned it all the way down on my bass control remote, it croaked. Even tried it on the radio, it croaked.

    It's making me thing the deck jjust can't handle it, I was running it off my battery the caqr wasn't on.....perhaps a new deck is in order?
     
  6. Eclipsed

    Eclipsed Full Member

    Ok, today it was really hot and my amp went into protection mode when it got hot from the 100+ degree weather, so no amp or subs, so I crank it up all the way and it never went out, my subs come back on 3/4, it goes out.

    HELP!
     
  7. fstrfvo

    fstrfvo Full Member

    try turning the gains down on the amp. Also what guage wire are you running to your amp?? It may be to small and choking your amp. Also check your impedence of your subs, if your running 1 or 2 ohm on a 4 ohm stable amp it will shut pretty down quickly.
     
  8. Eclipsed

    Eclipsed Full Member

    8 gauge wire.

    I just think the amp is to powerful for the deck.
     
  9. aznboi3644

    aznboi3644 Full Member

    Lol...but sorry...no amp can be TOO POWERFUL for a deck...all the deck does is send a signal to the amp.

    To small a gauge of wire wouldn't really cause it to shut off.

    What are the specs of that amp??? Impedances of the subs?? How is it wired???
     
  10. Eclipsed

    Eclipsed Full Member

  11. TheViking

    TheViking Well-Known Member

    First of all, 8 ga. wire is to small for that amp. Too small of wire will cuase the amp to overheat due to the resistance in the wire. Use at least 4 ga. Same with the ground of the amp, use 4 Ga. and keep the length of the ground wire about 18 inches or less, the shorter the better. Make sure your amp is grounded properly, not to a seat bolt or something like that. Find a spot on the car with nothing underneath, drill a hole for a nut and bolt, sand away the paint, put on a proper terminal and bolt that sucker to the car.

    Run a piece of 8 guage from the alternator output to the positive battery terminal, then run a peice of 4 gauge from the neg. terminal to the chassis of the car.

    If you still have issue with the radio turning off, disconnect the remote turn on at the amp and see what happens, does the rasdio still cut out?
     
  12. Eclipsed

    Eclipsed Full Member

    Ok, I turned down all my controls on my bass control remote and on the amp itsef and the deck went full blast, I tweaked a bit on the amp and got the deck to go a little bit louder before it goes out, so wtf is up?

    Oh, it said in the manual that is it recommended to run 8 guage wire.
     
  13. aznboi3644

    aznboi3644 Full Member

    Maybe your amp is just messed up?? lol
     
  14. Ranger SVO

    Ranger SVO Full Member

    Did you say the radio is shutting off?

    Weird22person might have something (we might have an amp with a current draw problem). You need a DVM (digital volt meter). Turn on the radio and measure the power on the yellow wire. It should be over 12 volts. Turn on the radio, it still should be over 12 volts. Turn up the volume, it should remain over 12 volts. Note the voltage reading just before it shuts off. I'm willing to bet it dropped below 12 volts. (Engine not running).

    Now do what The Viking Suggested, run the same test with the remote line disconnected.

    Let us know what happens
     
  15. Eclipsed

    Eclipsed Full Member

    Ok, I talked to a buddy at work who professionally installs systems in his free time and he said the Amp was drawing to much juice and I need a capacitor.

    Now, off to find a Capacitor.

    Any suggestions?
     
    Last edited: Jul 22, 2006
  16. fstrfvo

    fstrfvo Full Member

    To small of wire to the amp will cause it to shut down if your pulling a lot of current. It basically chokes the amp for voltage and causes a lot of heat which causes it to go into protection mode. But it depends on how your subs are wired and what impedence your amp will handle. You said you amp is not bridged, so what impedence are you subs??
     
  17. Hautewheeler

    Hautewheeler Full Member

    I don't thing that adding a cap to the amp will help with the radio cutting off. and if you get crazy with caps, you take a chance of fragging your alternator.
     
  18. Ranger SVO

    Ranger SVO Full Member

    I'm going to agree with everyone else on this. If the amp is drawing enough current to drop the voltage to a point that the radio shuts off, a cap ain't gonna fix the problem.

    I use caps in both my car and my truck, but their main purpose is smooth out voltage peaks. Wire runs from the battery to the distribution block in both vehicles is 4 ga.

    In a few of the very high output cars that I've built, I actually place batteries near the amps. You've probably seen this pic
    [​IMG]

    First, try a 4ga wire run and if that don't work add a battery.
     
  19. TheViking

    TheViking Well-Known Member

    Nope, a cap WILL NOT solve your probelem, period, anyone who tells you different is full of it and does NOT know the basics of electricity.

    Do the upgraded wiring as mentioned before. If problems still exist, then we can all discuss it....


    One more thing, that car is 13 years old you are driven, make sure you have a good battery and load test the alternator (the testing can be done while the alt. is on the car) See what it is putting out, when the engine is HOT, not right after it is first started up! this is important!
     
    Last edited: Jul 22, 2006
  20. pedro quiroga

    pedro quiroga Well-Known Member

    could'nt his radio be overheating?try taking the radio out and putting a fan on it.play your system and see what happens.i had a truck some time ago with no a/c and in the summer it would do the same thing.i put in a 12volt fan from radio shack and my problem went away.