Can a bad amp cause voltage drops?

[dacheatham 10+ year member]

Background info:

2008 Nissan Titan

Stock Alt/Interstate Battery

Alpine 9884

Sae1200D

(2) RE SR 10's

I posted yesterday about issues with my SAE-1200D. It was dropping voltage and losing output. At low volume it sounded good but if I turned it up at all the bass would disappear. The gain was set very low. My dist block showed the voltage with the amp off at 13.7, but as soon as I turned it on the voltage would drop to low 12's. With any output it would drop to the low 11's. I immediately turned it off. The amp was a direct replacement for a nine.1. The nine.1 never had any issues.

This morning I tried a different grounding spot, no change.I removed the dist block and went straight to the amp, no change. The amp now is just making the subs flutter. I double checked the polarities of the subs, all were fine. I tried the subs 1 at a time, no change.

At 1st I thought it was my install, but after changing grounds and running a set of RCA's directly from the radio to the amp and seeing no change I am thinking it might be the amp.

I am hoping my 125.2 will be in today. I will throw it in and see what happens.

Click to read more...

 

[Enellz 10+ year member]

So pretty much your amp is pulling too much current for you car to keep up. My advice upgrade your front battery to something bigger. Yellowtop, PM, Kinetik. That I would recommend regardless, BUT try hooking up a different amp and see what happens

 

[dacheatham 10+ year member]

Would a SAE1200 pull that much more than a nine.1? They are very close to the same power.

 

[Enellz 10+ year member]

Yeah my guess would be your sae is pulling more current because it produces more power. Most of SD audios line are underrated.

 

[loud-n-low 10+ year member]

Would a SAE1200 pull that much more than a nine.1? They are very close to the same power.

the Sundown is more effiecent than the Nine.1. thats why I cancelled on the Ed pre-order and got the sae-1200. Try a different amp to see if the problem persists

 

[mxer69 10+ year member]

I don't get why you are having this problem? I had a 2001 Nissan Fronteir (much smaller engine) and it ran the SAE 1200 I had perfectly fine. Also have a cube which ran it fine and has a much smaller engine, etc. ,etc.. Stock alt and batts, big 3 hasn't even been done. What runs of wires do you have? I had 1/0 gauge

 

[dacheatham 10+ year member]

1/0 Knu. I never had any problems before and I was running the nine.1 and a nine.2x. Since I have got a new/larger battery. I do not see why I would be having the problems.

 

[hrtbrk1 5,000+ posts]

check the grounds! or the rca connections...

 

[dacheatham 10+ year member]

tried 2 different grounds and ran a new set of rca's directly from cd player to amp

 

[hrtbrk1 5,000+ posts]

hmmm...power cable then? somethins not right...check the fuses of the amp. and the remote wire, is it burned up any?

 

[dacheatham 10+ year member]

Nope, power wire is fine, all fuses are fine and remote wire is fine. I hooked up a small CF amp to my door speakers and it worked fine.

 

[hrtbrk1 5,000+ posts]

this looks like a job for...superman! dang man im outta ideas

 

[mxer69 10+ year member]

Interesting.. Definitely check fuses. Maybe pop the top off of the amp just to double check that there isn't any noticeable hardware malfunctions?