Amp HOT! Music not even on! WTF? need opinions/inputs

[JarvisB 10+ year member]

Put a DMM on the remote and see if that bad boy is constant or not...just a quick and easy suggestion. Doesn't sound right though if the amp won't turn off when the HU is off. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif

I can do that, how would I do it with DMM tho? set it to DC?

Found your problem. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif

lol, you can think whatever you want to think..

but for this kind of install all i have to do was match the wires to the adapters and then I am good to go..

so got anything else to say?

 

[Beerdrnkr 5,000+ posts]

Don't know why this became so difficult to answer but the Kicker zx2500.1's run HOT but they won't shut off. Location would also be a factor in making it get hot faster and having the amp turned on constantly would also contribute. Either way, it's normal for the ZX's to get hot and like was mentioned before the KX's have the built in fan. Put a fan or 2 near the amp if you want to help dissipate the heat and it's probably constantly on because you have your remote wire hooked up to the stock power wire up front maybe.

 

[JarvisB 10+ year member]

Yeah apparently ZX2500.1 tend to run hot..

but does your amp run hot even when the radio/HU is off?? (not sure if it is normal or it is because of it is being turned on all the time?)

i got the remote wire hooked up to the blue remote wire with white stripe on it from the wiring harness that comes with the HU

I dont know if my HU has anything to do with it? my HU is a Pioneer Avic F900BT

 

[Beerdrnkr 5,000+ posts]

i got the remote wire hooked up to the blue remote wire with white stripe on it from the wiring harness that comes with the HU
I dont know if my HU has anything to do with it? my HU is a Pioneer Avic F900BT

Well that's hooked up properly. What wire is your HU remote and amp remote wire hooked up to on your stock wiring harness.

 

[AlterEgo99 5,000+ posts]

I can do that, how would I do it with DMM tho? set it to DC?
Yup, just set it to DC and place the DMM black probe on ground and the DMM red probe on the remote wire...should be no voltage when the HU is off and should have voltage when the HU is on...if that is the case, then it should be hooked up correctly.

 

[jpexpc 10+ year member]

Remotes typically don't need a fuse...very little current running through it.

Fuse as in being fed from a fuse panel. Lots of people do this if they don't know how to wire a HU or if they are running the factory HU.

 

[JarvisB 10+ year member]

Well that's hooked up properly. What wire is your HU remote and amp remote wire hooked up to on your stock wiring harness.

well i had my HU's remote hooked directly to my amp's remote wire

while the rest of wirings are matched up into the adapter that plugs into my stock wiring adapter

I can do that, how would I do it with DMM tho? set it to DC?
Yup, just set it to DC and place the DMM black probe on ground and the DMM red probe on the remote wire...should be no voltage when the HU is off and should have voltage when the HU is on...if that is the case, then it should be hooked up correctly.

ok I will see if my gf's dad got a DMM, and i set the black probe on the ground as in any metal in the vehicle or use the ground input on the amp that is already been grounded?

 

[AlterEgo99 5,000+ posts]

Not to complicate matters too much but some (me included) also prefer to have the remote wire connected via a SPST relay...that protects the HU's remote output circuit in the case of a short circuit. You can check the following link for how to wire it:

http://www.bcae1.com/

Go to the "Relays" page and scroll towards the bottom of the page and it will illustrate a standard Radio Shack SPST relay wired to control the remote circuit. Just some added insurance in case something goes horribly wrong.

Also, the site mentioned above is very good at giving you all sorts of education on the basics of electronics so you don't go doin' somethin' vewy, vewy bad! //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/eek.gif.771b7a90cf45cabdc554ff1121c21c4a.gif

 

[AlterEgo99 5,000+ posts]

well i had my HU's remote hooked directly to my amp's remote wire
while the rest of wirings are matched up into the adapter that plugs into my stock wiring adapter

ok I will see if my gf's dad got a DMM, and i set the black probe on the ground as in any metal in the vehicle or use the ground input on the amp that is already been grounded?

Yup, any ground for the DMM black probe...then just touch the DMM red probe to the remote wire (you can do this right at the amp if you want) and see what you get for DC voltage...should be 0 with the HU off.

 

[jpexpc 10+ year member]

Are you still in Ohio? Where at?

 

[JarvisB 10+ year member]

Not to complicate matters too much but some (me included) also prefer to have the remote wire connected via a SPST relay...that protects the HU's remote output circuit in the case of a short circuit. You can check the following link for how to wire it:
http://www.bcae1.com/

Go to the "Relays" page and scroll towards the bottom of the page and it will illustrate a standard Radio Shack SPST relay wired to control the remote circuit. Just some added insurance in case something goes horribly wrong.

Also, the site mentioned above is very good at giving you all sorts of education on the basics of electronics so you don't go doin' somethin' vewy, vewy bad! //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/eek.gif.771b7a90cf45cabdc554ff1121c21c4a.gif

thanks but this site is pretty complicated to me.. simple but complicated lol

I dont see relays page anywhere?

 

[JarvisB 10+ year member]

well i had my HU's remote hooked directly to my amp's remote wire
while the rest of wirings are matched up into the adapter that plugs into my stock wiring adapter

Yup, any ground for the DMM black probe...then just touch the DMM red probe to the remote wire (you can do this right at the amp if you want) and see what you get for DC voltage...should be 0 with the HU off.

so if it is not 0 then it is the remote wire correct?

now I m thinking maybe somehow my HU is mistakingly giving out currents while it is turned off?

 

[JarvisB 10+ year member]

other thing i could do is disconnect the remote from the HU and buy my own switch and install it into the dash so I can manually turn the amp on and off..

how does that sounds?

 

[ramos 5,000+ posts]

thanks but this site is pretty complicated to me.. simple but complicated lol
I dont see relays page anywhere?

#36 on the right side menu //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[JarvisB 10+ year member]

thanks