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

[jpexpc 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?

You could do this but the fix is probably pretty easy. The problem with running a switched wire, especially in your configuration is that you risk draining your battery if you forget to switch it off. You will also get a "bump" when you turn the amp off with your switch. If the amp stays on not only when your HU is off but when the car is off you really need to figure out where you're wired wrong. It's not a big deal to have your amp's remote hooked to the wrong wire. I've seen it plenty of times.

 

[AlterEgo99 5,000+ posts]

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

Each subject is listed down the right side of the page...you'll have to scroll down that list a bit and you should see the "Relays" subject...just click on the link and the page will load.

 

[JarvisB 10+ year member]

i see your point there about running a switched wire..

maybe adding a switch dedicated to the amp might not be a good idea

Honestly I am trying to refresh my memory back to when I wired everything together, I am positive i got it all perfectly wired up, but i could just check it out again which means i gotta take the bezel off n all that..

I am trying to troubleshoot it without fiddling with the dash.. but if I have to , i will.

now i m thinking only mistake I could make is that maybe I got the amp remote hooked to the antenna blue wire..

But i remember that the wire came from the HU wiring harness had a tag attached that says "remote wire" so I just hooked the blue wire that came from the amp to this wire.. so that is why I am very confused about how can I wire it up incorrectly

 

[ngsm13 5,000+ posts]

my IA amps did that. I drove to a show with the radio ON but either paused or muted...amp was HOT when I got there.

My MTX 1501d's did that too...

Same thing you mentioned...

Also, I owned a couple ZX2500.1's that did similar things...

nG

 

[AlterEgo99 5,000+ posts]

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?

If it is not 0 AND the HU is OFF, then you have something wrong...it should read 0 with the HU off and should read something greater than 0 (usually somewhere around 12V) when you turn the HU on.

 

[AlterEgo99 5,000+ posts]

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?

If you are going to do that you might as well use the relay.

 

[JarvisB 10+ year member]

ok, lets hope my girl's dad got a DMM, hes at work and i am emailing him right now see if he can tell me if he got one or not

 

[AlterEgo99 5,000+ posts]

i see your point there about running a switched wire..
maybe adding a switch dedicated to the amp might not be a good idea

Honestly I am trying to refresh my memory back to when I wired everything together, I am positive i got it all perfectly wired up, but i could just check it out again which means i gotta take the bezel off n all that..

I am trying to troubleshoot it without fiddling with the dash.. but if I have to , i will.

now i m thinking only mistake I could make is that maybe I got the amp remote hooked to the antenna blue wire..

But i remember that the wire came from the HU wiring harness had a tag attached that says "remote wire" so I just hooked the blue wire that came from the amp to this wire.. so that is why I am very confused about how can I wire it up incorrectly

Double checking your wiring (like someone has suggested) never hurts...sometimes going back over it you can see something you didn't see before. Happens to me all the time! //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif

 

[AlterEgo99 5,000+ posts]

ok, lets hope my girl's dad got a DMM, hes at work and i am emailing him right now see if he can tell me if he got one or not

Not very expensive...you can get one at Radio Shack, Home Depot, Lowe's, etc...get some test leads too (wires with alligator clips on both ends)...makes it easier to test circuits without needing to hold onto one or both of the probes.

 

[JarvisB 10+ year member]

If you are going to do that you might as well use the relay.

relay on the switch?

so it would shut off when car is off, correct?

 

[AlterEgo99 5,000+ posts]

relay on the switch?
so it would shut off when car is off, correct?

I don't really think you need the switch...I was suggesting the relay to protect the HU remote on circuit from any possible short...again, read the web page I recommended and you will understand better what a relay does...until then, the first thing you need to do is check the remote on wire with a DMM as recommended and see if you have the proper remote wire off of your HU harness.

 

[AlterEgo99 5,000+ posts]

You could do this but the fix is probably pretty easy. The problem with running a switched wire, especially in your configuration is that you risk draining your battery if you forget to switch it off. You will also get a "bump" when you turn the amp off with your switch. If the amp stays on not only when your HU is off but when the car is off you really need to figure out where you're wired wrong. It's not a big deal to have your amp's remote hooked to the wrong wire. I've seen it plenty of times.

x2. I think when he checks the wiring he will find the problem.

 

[AlterEgo99 5,000+ posts]

Performed some DMM testing on my remote wires in my system and when testing voltage here is what I confirmed:

DMM Black probe clipped to amp ground

DMM Red probe clipped to remote wire connection point at amp

Truck off - 0V

Truck started - HU Off - 0V

Truck started - HU On - approx. 12V

So, dude, when you check your remote wire, this is what you should observe. If you don't, you most likely have the wrong wire from your HU harness.

Let me know how it turns out!

 

[JarvisB 10+ year member]

thanks!

Actually, my girl's dad got a huge-*** DMM, but it needed weird type of batteries so I decided to screw it and get it today..

I might just go out to Menards today and get me a small DMM and return it after I am done

 

[AlterEgo99 5,000+ posts]

OK dude...keep me posted...I'm curious as to how your remote on wire is behaving.