Amp goes into protection mode

[afplayboy18 10+ year member]

i got my amp and sup hooked up yesterday but i think something isnt done right and i dont know what to really look for.

its a stock radio going into a PAC line out converter being powered off of my rear speakers. then connecting my amp and sub. its a Kicker 1500.1 amp powering a FI Audio Q12 sub.

in the past ive had amps with more power than the sub so id just turn the amp down but ive never had one cut out on me...

at the installer he tried to explain that because the amp is more powerful, the sub causes the sub to go into protection mode if too much power is going from the amp to the sub....i have never heard that.

any ideas on what is going on?? when it goes into protection mode it burps, flashes my traction control lights on my dash, then goes off...in a couple seconds it'll turn back on. thats when i just turn the bass down but its definitely not loud IMO.

i can take pictures of the setup if needed.

Click to read more...

 

[mast240 10+ year member]

the guy you talked to is an idiot... sounds like your amp is probably clipping.... which would be pretty easy to assum, since your running it through a line converter (sound quality is alot dirtier from most of those, then from an upgraded head unit) ... find someone who knows what their doing with an o-scope, and have them set your gains properly

 

[-01limited- 10+ year member]

Make sure your ground is good. An amp wont go into protect because the sub cant handle it, the sub will just blow, which might cause the amp to blow though.

 

[lilpride 10+ year member]

It doesn't sound like clipping to me sounds like the remote turn on is cutting out

 

[lilpride 10+ year member]

I mean with the traction control lights its def a wiring issue

 

[mast240 10+ year member]

could be alot of things... but from what he's said, and the way the installer was talking, i have to assume that the installer really didnt know what he was doing... i would check every wire, power, ground, remote... even check the line converter ... and then have someone with an o-scope properly set your gains, lol

 

[afplayboy18 10+ year member]

i just got back from trying to look at everything...i cant even find the Line Out converter so i have no idea where its at....i tried to follow the wires but it goes up under the seat and disappears. i cant get too much into it cuz im at work but atleast everything is hidden properly...i guess.

i dont want to upgrade my head unit right now which is why i bought the line out converter...i know its not ideal but i dont think that is whats causing the problem.

 

[afplayboy18 10+ year member]

i believe the ground is good, i saw it while he had the seat out.

what's funny is that on the way to work this morning i had a song come on that made the bass pound, which is the way it should sound all the time. but on every other song, the bass goes back down and when i try to turn it up either through my radio or the bass knob, it cuts out again...

its like a balancing act...i turn the bass up through my radio, then the bass knob and if it cuts out, i turn the bass knob down until it stops. definitely not good.

i'll call around when other car audio shops open up and set up another appointment cuz i agree...something isnt done right and i dont have the skills to troubleshoot.

 

[lilpride 10+ year member]

check the amp and tell us how high the gain is set.

also what is the crossover set to?

 

[afplayboy18 10+ year member]

ok...there are three knobs on the top of the amp.

Gain - set to 2

Bass Boost - set to 3 db

X-Over - set to 125 Hz

 

[mast240 10+ year member]

if your running a line converter, you shouldnt be turning the bass way up on your head unit... you're just asking for distortion and clipping... the installer should have told you this... but once again... i dont think that he had any idea what the hell he was doing

 

[lilpride 10+ year member]

Well bass boost should be off.

X-over should be a little lower.

But gain a 2 on that knob should be where about half way?

 

[afplayboy18 10+ year member]

normally the bass is set at 0 but when i got there, he had it turned down to -6. he said i could turn that up but i would have to turn the bass knob down or i could leave the head unit at -6 and turn the bass knob up...whatever i wanted to do. when he had it all the way down at -6 and the bass knob all the way up, it was still barely noticable.

the bass boost goes from 0 - 18 and its at 3

the gain goes from 0-11 and its at 2

the x-over goes from 0-300 and its at 125

 

[bubbagumper6 5,000+ posts]

If your amplifier is affecting the rest of your car's electrical system (your dash lights) that sounds more like it's pulling the system voltage down.

Do your headlights dim when it cuts out?

What does your electrical system consist of? (stock alt? batts?)

What is the gain set at?

How was it set? (Using a dmm? scope? by ear?)

 

[afplayboy18 10+ year member]

it doesnt affect the headlights or dash lights, it barely hits hard at all.

it is stock electrical system, alt. and battery.

gain is set at 2 out of 11.

im guessing it was set by ear as i dont think they have a scope or dmm to measure anything with. i just got back from there and told them to look at it again cuz if the radio bass is all the way down and the bass knob is all the way up i should hear something. i mean its pathetic, i barely hear anything hit at all.