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View Full Version : Im lost here, i need help


RomeoGAOC
07-24-2005, 08:05 PM
I've been having sooo much trouble with my audio equipment within the past few months its rediculous. Usually i can diagnose the problem and fix it, but lately I can't seem to get anything working. This may be a little long, sorry.

My Original Setup:
Clarion HU
Kicker KX200.2 powering a pair of 4" Infinity Kappa's in the doors
Kicker KX500.1 powering a pair of 12" Kicker Subwoofers
DHD Power Cruiser 600 Watt powering a pair of 6x9" Infinity Kappa's in the rear Deck

October 04: Installed my Clarion HU in my GP when I got it; no problems at all.

Feb 05: I installed my Infinity Kappa's all around, as well as a Kicker kx200.2 and a KX500.2 along with my Kicker Comp CVR's; everything worked amazing.

THE NEXT DAY!!!! : I was putting the speakers thru their paces (dumb idea because it was extremely cold and I had't given the equipment time to break in) and all of the sudden my driver's side front speaker (4" Kappa) cut out. Shortly after that, the other one cut out and would not work anymore. I went and checked the amp and I noticed that the power light was still on. But when I took my old speaker and put it to the 200.2 and it wouldn't make a sound. I tried a couple other speakers that I knew worked and the amp wouldn't make a sound. So I ripped that amp out and hooked the fronts back up to the radio, although one of them was blown. I returned them both and received new ones.

Spring 05: I started noticing that my subs would cut out intermitently. When they would cut out, the amp would be on, but no sound would come out, just like my other Kicker amp. As time went on, the subs would cut in and out more frequently and for longer periods of time until they wouldn't hit at all. Still, the amp shows that its on but does not put out any sound.

At that point, all I have are my stock speakers in the door and my 6x9's in the back being powered by my DHD amp. The front speakers are connected to the regular output of the HU, and the rears get signal from the RCA output of the HU.

For about a month now, the front AND the rear speakers have been cutting out. But when they do, they cut out at the same time. This is funny because they are hooked up to different outputs of the HU! I did notice sometimes it would go off and on when I would hit a bump or something, but all other times it would go on and off when it pleased. I checked ALL connections and it still did the same thing. When the speakers cut out, I noticed that my one remaining amplifier was not powered AT ALL. So I took a little jumper wire and ran it across the REMOTE and the POWER inputs to the amp. When I did this not only did my rear speakers come on, but the front speakers came on with it! I thought to myself, "How could this be?" It really doesn't make sense. So I yanked my Clarion HU out and threw in a JVC HU and tried it out. Sure enough, the amp would turn off after a little bit. BUT, the front speakers would stay on. I then through the Clarion back in a proceeded to weep a little. Then I took my buddy's amp and put it in my car and his turned off after a little bit as well. At this point I really started to cry.....like bauling like a baby.

Heres a list of things that I have tried/tested to try and resolve the problem:

Swapped out HU's

Swapped out amps

Tested the charging system and battery at Advance....TWICE. Both times the charging system was fine, but the battery was weak. I replaced the battery today and had the same results.

I don't know what else could be the problem. If youv'e made it this far down the page, thank you for reading and good luck diagnosing the problem :lol:

nineteen88ga
07-24-2005, 10:06 PM
If you have a way of trying those amps out of the car, on a test bench with power supply, and totally different test speakers and head unit, that would be the best way to see if its an equipment or an install issue(don't take it the wrong way, and since I obviously can't see it, it kinda sounds like the install could be the problem or at least part of it). Doing so should make it easier to see where the trouble is, if its in a certain component.

How Old are the kicker amps? If possible I'd send them back under warranty and have them serviced.

Aside from that, I'd totally gut the system, and start from scratch-rewire everything.

GLrunner13
07-24-2005, 10:50 PM
I'm pretty much a newb at fixing weird problems like this, mainly inexperience lol...When everything is cutting out your HU is staying on correct? You said things were shutting off randomly and cutting out, maybe there is something wrong with your power supply? Or could it be that you don't have a very good ground?

RomeoGAOC
07-25-2005, 12:30 AM
Originally posted by nineteen88ga
If you have a way of trying those amps out of the car, on a test bench with power supply, and totally different test speakers and head unit, that would be the best way to see if its an equipment or an install issue(don't take it the wrong way, and since I obviously can't see it, it kinda sounds like the install could be the problem or at least part of it). Doing so should make it easier to see where the trouble is, if its in a certain component.

How Old are the kicker amps? If possible I'd send them back under warranty and have them serviced.

Aside from that, I'd totally gut the system, and start from scratch-rewire everything.

I basically did all that really. I took one of the Kicker amps to my buddy's house and plugged it into his system and it did the same thing. I know my Kicker amps are shot so i'm sending them back to be replaced or serviced. Im more concerned with why my other amp keeps shutting off all the time. I tried different head units, amps, the whole bit. But I think you may be right, i'm getting awefully close to starting all over again.

RomeoGAOC
07-25-2005, 12:31 AM
Originally posted by GLrunner13
I'm pretty much a newb at fixing weird problems like this, mainly inexperience lol...When everything is cutting out your HU is staying on correct? You said things were shutting off randomly and cutting out, maybe there is something wrong with your power supply? Or could it be that you don't have a very good ground?

Yes, head unit stays on and grounds are good. I changed the battery if thats what you meant by power supply.

cletus
07-26-2005, 09:40 PM
Check the Remote wire going to the amp and the ACC wire going to the head unit. Or the main power lead from the battery, I have seen on a disc changer where the unit has had power from the acc but not the battery and the unit will power up but not do anything else. This is a complete shot in the dark but if the amp is kicking off it sounds like a power problem. And if the Remote wire is cut somewhere from the front of the car to the back this might be the problem.

RomeoGAOC
07-26-2005, 10:00 PM
Originally posted by cletus
Check the Remote wire going to the amp and the ACC wire going to the head unit. Or the main power lead from the battery, I have seen on a disc changer where the unit has had power from the acc but not the battery and the unit will power up but not do anything else. This is a complete shot in the dark but if the amp is kicking off it sounds like a power problem. And if the Remote wire is cut somewhere from the front of the car to the back this might be the problem.

I totally agree. Its obviously a power problem, and theres only two places power comes from, and when i swapped out both the battery AND a different HU and still had the same problems, that is what baffled me lol. But yeah my next step is probably a teardown and rebuild if you will.

nineteen88ga
07-26-2005, 10:59 PM
is the amp loosing power(aka all the lights shutting off etc), or just loosing audio (still staying lit up, just no sound)?

RomeoGAOC
07-27-2005, 06:44 PM
Originally posted by nineteen88ga
is the amp loosing power(aka all the lights shutting off etc), or just loosing audio (still staying lit up, just no sound)?

its losing power completely.

My two other Kicker amps stay on, but no audio.

nineteen88ga
07-27-2005, 09:39 PM
I'd say it might be the headunit having a problem with the remote turn on, but if the Kicker amps stay on just no audio, and your other amp shuts off, then its not common enough to blame the headunit. Break out a multi meter and check the remote wire at the amps, it should have 12v when the deck is turned on. While your at it, check gnd, and constant. That'll emiminate/narrow it down to if its amp problems, and or install problems.

RomeoGAOC
07-28-2005, 06:43 PM
Im sure its not the HU, because i swapped it out and put in another one and it did the same thing on me. Im sure the Kickers are bad because I put one of them in my buddy's system and it did the same thing it was doing to me.

Im waiting for the time to do an install check. If its still messing up on me after that than I am allll out of ideas.