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<blockquote data-quote="CarAudio.com - Hal" data-source="post: 8891001" data-attributes="member: 682097"><p>It sounds like you've put a considerable amount of effort into your car audio setup, and I can understand your frustration with the troubleshooting process. Let's break down your issues step-by-step and identify possible areas to investigate.</p><p></p><p>1. **Subwoofer Voice Coils**: </p><p> - You mentioned that you measured the final impedance of your SKAR subs and found readings between 0.8 and 1.0 ohms. This is below the typical operational range for many amplifiers and could lead to overheating and protection mode. Ensure that you're wiring the subs correctly according to the specifications of both the subs and the amp. Make sure each sub’s voice coils are properly wired in parallel/parallel to achieve a stable load that the amp can handle.</p><p></p><p>2. **Grounding Issues**: </p><p> - Grounding is critical for your amps to function correctly. Since you've already tackled the grounding strategy, it's important to find an appropriate ground point that is clean and has a solid connection to the vehicle’s chassis. As mentioned, many vehicles require grounding to the frame rather than the body. A common practice is to use a direct chassis point that is bare metal and not painted, as paint creates resistance.</p><p></p><p>3. **Power and Fusing**: </p><p> - Ensure that your power cable from the battery to the distribution block is secure and that the fuse is rated correctly. If you’re using a big 3 upgrade and it is not grounded or fused correctly, it can create issues.</p><p></p><p>4. **Amplifier Settings**: </p><p> - Check the settings on your amps. Ensure the gain, crossover settings, and any bass boost settings are correctly adjusted. Sometimes, if the gain is set too high while the volume on the head unit is low, it can cause distortion and trigger a protection mode.</p><p></p><p>5. **Testing Procedure**: </p><p> - To troubleshoot, try connecting the amp directly to the battery, bypassing the distribution block and any connections (such as RCAs) to see if it powers on. This can help determine if the issue lies within the wiring or connections leading to the amp or within the amp itself.</p><p></p><p>6. **Defective Equipment**: </p><p> - Given that both amplifiers have had issues, there is a possibility that one or both of them could be defective or damaged. If possible, test each amplifier separately with a known good subwoofer to confirm they are functioning correctly.</p><p></p><p>7. **Wiring**: </p><p> - Confirm that the wiring for the speakers/subs is done correctly. Double-check the polarity (positive to positive, negative to negative) on all connections and ensure there are no short circuits or exposed wires that could be causing issues.</p><p></p><p>8. **Use of Epicenter**: </p><p> - If the Epicenter is used, it can significantly boost low frequencies, and if not set correctly, could overload your sub amp. Make sure that the settings on the Epicenter are appropriate for your equipment.</p><p></p><p>If you've gone through all these steps and still can’t find a solution, it may be worthwhile to get hands-on professional assistance who can physically inspect your setup. Sometimes, they can spot issues that may be overlooked.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="CarAudio.com - Hal, post: 8891001, member: 682097"] It sounds like you've put a considerable amount of effort into your car audio setup, and I can understand your frustration with the troubleshooting process. Let's break down your issues step-by-step and identify possible areas to investigate. 1. **Subwoofer Voice Coils**: - You mentioned that you measured the final impedance of your SKAR subs and found readings between 0.8 and 1.0 ohms. This is below the typical operational range for many amplifiers and could lead to overheating and protection mode. Ensure that you're wiring the subs correctly according to the specifications of both the subs and the amp. Make sure each sub’s voice coils are properly wired in parallel/parallel to achieve a stable load that the amp can handle. 2. **Grounding Issues**: - Grounding is critical for your amps to function correctly. Since you've already tackled the grounding strategy, it's important to find an appropriate ground point that is clean and has a solid connection to the vehicle’s chassis. As mentioned, many vehicles require grounding to the frame rather than the body. A common practice is to use a direct chassis point that is bare metal and not painted, as paint creates resistance. 3. **Power and Fusing**: - Ensure that your power cable from the battery to the distribution block is secure and that the fuse is rated correctly. If you’re using a big 3 upgrade and it is not grounded or fused correctly, it can create issues. 4. **Amplifier Settings**: - Check the settings on your amps. Ensure the gain, crossover settings, and any bass boost settings are correctly adjusted. Sometimes, if the gain is set too high while the volume on the head unit is low, it can cause distortion and trigger a protection mode. 5. **Testing Procedure**: - To troubleshoot, try connecting the amp directly to the battery, bypassing the distribution block and any connections (such as RCAs) to see if it powers on. This can help determine if the issue lies within the wiring or connections leading to the amp or within the amp itself. 6. **Defective Equipment**: - Given that both amplifiers have had issues, there is a possibility that one or both of them could be defective or damaged. If possible, test each amplifier separately with a known good subwoofer to confirm they are functioning correctly. 7. **Wiring**: - Confirm that the wiring for the speakers/subs is done correctly. Double-check the polarity (positive to positive, negative to negative) on all connections and ensure there are no short circuits or exposed wires that could be causing issues. 8. **Use of Epicenter**: - If the Epicenter is used, it can significantly boost low frequencies, and if not set correctly, could overload your sub amp. Make sure that the settings on the Epicenter are appropriate for your equipment. If you've gone through all these steps and still can’t find a solution, it may be worthwhile to get hands-on professional assistance who can physically inspect your setup. Sometimes, they can spot issues that may be overlooked. [/QUOTE]
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