CRRAAAAAAP! Radio won't turn on...car won't start!

[bikinpunk 10+ year member]

Yesterday I took on the task of putting in a 3-way setup. All I did was run a 2 strands of wire up from the trunk, put in a 3rd amp and that's it. I tapped into the power & ground distro block for power.

Well, my music started to intermittently play last night while messing with the settings. The cd player would turn on, then turn off and continue to do so.

I had no idea what was going on. I checked my grounds, and all wiring and everything seemed fine.

Well, I go to crank my car because I started thinking maybe something in the electrical was awry. Sure enough, I get that horrible grinding noise when the engin won't turn over...

I have a feeling I had a dead battery, but I'm not sure how to tell. Thing is, when I put the key in the ignition I get all the lights on the instrument cluster. Also the dome light works just fine. Everything works but the radio won't even turn on and my car won't start.

HELP!

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[jmanpc 5,000+ posts]

sounds like a dead battery to me. just jump 'er to life.

 

[bikinpunk 10+ year member]

It's in the @%*# garage.

Would the dome and accessory lighting still come on even with a dead battery?

 

[jmanpc 5,000+ posts]

well the battery's voltage is still prolly high enough to turn on the lights and stuff, but not to turn the engine over.

 

[Safe-N-Sound215 10+ year member]

It's in the @%*# garage.
Would the dome and accessory lighting still come on even with a dead battery?

Your battery could be drained to the point where the engine wont turn over, yet still have enough juice to power the lighting.

 

[bonesninja 5,000+ posts]

Your battery could be drained to the point where the engine wont turn over, yet still have enough juice to power the lighting.

depends...if you turn the key all the way foward, like to start it, do the lights cut out? if so, then most likely a dead battery

 

[bikinpunk 10+ year member]

^ Everything just flashes, like it starts to turn on then they just stay lit but no engine.

I don't have the green on the battery indicator...back out of the garage it goes.

I'm hoping this is what my issue with the radio was. Maybe that it had enough to play for a little bit, but then died out again when the battery died?

 

[bikinpunk 10+ year member]

Another clue is that the radio beeps when I push the power button, and the little red light flashes, but then nothing happens. No power, nothing. After about 20 other pushes, it'll beep again but still nothing.

 

[azbass 5,000+ posts]

dude, while you were installing, you probably drained your batt.

charge it or get a new one.

end/

 

[theothermike 10+ year member]

stop trying.... let it settle.... sometimes i let my battery sit when it sounds like a machine gun when u try starting ur car and it just clicks and illum.... flashes quickly.... let it sit... then try in an hour..... if not then take the jumper cables to it....

 

[bikinpunk 10+ year member]

Got the car started. Had to jump it. I'm really thinking that's why the radio would be so intermittent. Hopefully that'll solve the power issue.

Thanks for the help.

Now I just gotta figure out why I have such horrible ground noise...

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[quakerroatmeal 10+ year member]

Horrible ground noise maybe from Horrible grounding? Either from H-U or the amp's itself, maybe even the rca's.

 

[bikinpunk 10+ year member]

I checked the processor's ground against the main ground and I have .1 ohms resistance. Every ground in my system has