Amp Not Turning On!

[Preston019 10+ year member]

Hey guys,

I just added a second amp to my system, a Kenwood X500-1, and when I first turned on the vehicle it came on, but within a minute a fuse popped.

I replaced the fuse and turned on the vehicle, neither of the fuses popped, but the amp will not turn on. I checked to make sure I'm getting voltage right at the amp, which I am getting voltage within the range that is required for this amp, and I checked the remote turn on wire and it has voltage.

I've quadruple checked all of the wiring and every single fuse. My other other amp turns on no problem.

Is there supposed to be a specific voltage that needs to be delivered by the remote turn on wire? Or do I just have a bad amp. The amp is brand-new.

Any suggestions/advice?

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[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

what fuse popped initially?

pics of your wiring/install?

the amp could be faulty.

the remote can be tied to both amps.

 

[Preston019 10+ year member]

what fuse popped initially?
pics of your wiring/install?

the amp could be faulty.

the remote can be tied to both amps.

The 30 amp fuse on the amp was the one that popped initially. I replaced it and it didn't pop again, but the amp wasn't turning on. I have the remote wired to the first amp, a Kenwood KAC-8405, then a second wire from the 8405 to the X500. I got it working, but it was weird...

I tested the voltage to the remote wire on the 8405 and I was only getting about 0.7 volts. I'm guessing, that something arced when I pulled the the DMM probes away because I heard crackling (yes I know that sounds extremely bad). I quickly checked the voltage of the remote wire on the 8405 again and the voltage was up to around ~14. I played some music and both amps were on and functioning properly. I have no idea what I did, it was weird.

Also, once I had the second amp wired in, but after the fuse for it had popped, I had some difficulties with the 8405 turning on the first time the vehicle started, or if I turned off my head unit and turned it back on, the 8405 wouldn't turn back on and I'd have to turn off my vehicle and start it again.

 

[mylows10 5,000+ posts]

check grounds

 

[Preston019 10+ year member]

check grounds

I have. I sanded the paint off of the chassis and made it very shiny. On both grounds. Each amp has separate ground.

 

[mylows10 5,000+ posts]

I have. I sanded the paint off of the chassis and made it very shiny. On both grounds. Each amp has separate ground.

but did you check to make sure they are tight and the continuity is good ?

 

[Preston019 10+ year member]

but did you check to make sure they are tight and the continuity is good ?

Yes, I have done all of that.

 

[calebkhill 10+ year member]

Is all your power wiring fused correctly.

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

if the fuse blew as soon as it was powered, then one of two things occurred:

1. power and ground were reversed.

2. something internal to the amp failed/shorted.

in your case, it sounds like #2 .

 

[Preston019 10+ year member]

if the fuse blew as soon as it was powered, then one of two things occurred:1. power and ground were reversed.

2. something internal to the amp failed/shorted.

in your case, it sounds like #2 .

It didn't blow right as I turned it on. It played for about a minute or two before the fuse blew.

 

[dbertoli]

I'm pretty sure your remote wire should be carrying 12v at a low current. You can always try (on the amp that isn't working) sending 12v from your battery to the remote on the amp. Other than that I would use a test light to check your ground as I have had times where I would grind paint down to metal and still not have a solid ground.

 

[CrossoverOre 10+ year member]

I'm pretty sure your remote wire should be carrying 12v at a low current. You can always try (on the amp that isn't working) sending 12v from your battery to the remote on the amp. Other than that I would use a test light to check your ground as I have had times where I would grind paint down to metal and still not have a solid ground.

dont test stuff with a test light. buy your cheap *** a dmm and do it right.

 

[CrossoverOre 10+ year member]

Yes, I have done all of that.

did you check continuity all the way to the neg term of the batt.

 

[Preston019 10+ year member]

I figured out that the remote wire isn't getting enough voltage for my X500 amp. It's only getting like .16 volts. But what's weird is that my other amp, a kenwood KAC-8405, is turning on with just 0.16 volts to the remote wire. I have the remote wire connected to the remote wire behind the head unit and it runs from there to the 8405 amp then I have a jumper wire from the 8405 to the X500 and only the 8405 is turning on. Sometimes, not always, the X500 will turn on, and sometimes it won't. I don't know what to do; I know the X500 works because it'll sometimes turn on and I've ran a jumper wire from the battery wire to the remote connection and it'll turn on.

How do I get more juice flowing through the remote wire?

 

[Preston019 10+ year member]

Update:

Now I have a **** "magic amp" that will turn on without the remote wire connected to it... What the hell! It's the Kenwood KAC-8405 that's doing this...