How much to REMOVE 4 channel amp

[Jaycich]

Yesterday I started getting some crackling sound and my passenger front speaker stopped working. I changed the front speakers just a couple of weeks ago, so i knew it wasn't that. I tried turning off the radio and the sound was still there. I go to the place I usually go to and they tell me it might be pinched wire, but they're backed up till Monday. I stop at another, they checked it out and told me it's my fosgate prime amp. They asked if I'd like to replace it for $150. Now I don't know if it's really the amp or if it's the wires and this system thing has become some what of a money pit. So I tell them to take it out, I didn't notice any better sound quality with it, didn't want to buy another amp and risk having another issue. So for $135 they disconnected it rewired the speaker to run off the radio. They didn't however remove the wiring. The wires that connected to it are still in the back and probably still hooked to my battery. I took the amp to a pawn shop and asked them to test it. It wouldn't power on at all. So it went from screwing up to what seems like a blown fuse.

Thoughts?

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[BOOMINGRANDPA 5,000+ posts]

Yesterday I started getting some crackling sound and my passenger front speaker stopped working. I changed the front speakers just a couple of weeks ago, so i knew it wasn't that. I tried turning off the radio and the sound was still there. I go to the place I usually go to and they tell me it might be pinched wire, but they're backed up till Monday. I stop at another, they checked it out and told me it's my fosgate prime amp. They asked if I'd like to replace it for $150. Now I don't know if it's really the amp or if it's the wires and this system thing has become some what of a money pit. So I tell them to take it out, I didn't notice any better sound quality with it, didn't want to buy another amp and risk having another issue. So for $135 they disconnected it rewired the speaker to run off the radio. They didn't however remove the wiring. The wires that connected to it are still in the back and probably still hooked to my battery. I took the amp to a pawn shop and asked them to test it. It wouldn't power on at all. So it went from screwing up to what seems like a blown fuse.
Thoughts?

either way if u buy a new one let us help u pick one don't get it at shop..

 

[Jaycich]

either way if u buy a new one let us help u pick one don't get it at shop..

He told me he left the wires there so that if I ever change my mind they're ready for another amp. At worst, they're not hurting anything. But I don't know, I would've like to have them out and everything clean. I'm taking a step back for now. It'll be a while if i decide to do anything other than completely take out anything that gives me a problem.

 

[BOOMINGRANDPA 5,000+ posts]

He told me he left the wires there so that if I ever change my mind they're ready for another amp. At worst, they're not hurting anything. But I don't know, I would've like to have them out and everything clean. I'm taking a step back for now. It'll be a while if i decide to do anything other than completely take out anything that gives me a problem.

can't believe u paid that much to have amp disconnected.. so noise went away? if noise was in speakers when hu was off coulda been ground or bad amp or pinched wire as they said..

 

[Jaycich]

can't believe u paid that much to have amp disconnected.. so noise went away? if noise was in speakers when hu was off coulda been ground or bad amp or pinched wire as they said..

Yeah, but I couldn't ride around for another week with it like that. Cracking was laud with it without music. Sound did go away. 6 weeks ago, I had a similar problem. I stopped at several places who said they were too busy, then finally one checked it and said I had a bad RCA. He wiggled the wire to show me, I said okay. $39 for the diagnosis and 80 for the fix = 120. I don't know if it was a pinched wire or whatever. I'm just glad to be done with it.

 

[THATpurpleKUSH 5,000+ posts]

OP if you paypal me $100 I will tell you what your problem is //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/graduate.gif.d982460be9f153bb54e5d4cb744f6ae8.gif

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

Yeah, but I couldn't ride around for another week with it like that. Cracking was laud with it without music. Sound did go away. 6 weeks ago, I had a similar problem. I stopped at several places who said they were too busy, then finally one checked it and said I had a bad RCA. He wiggled the wire to show me, I said okay. $39 for the diagnosis and 80 for the fix = 120. I don't know if it was a pinched wire or whatever. I'm just glad to be done with it.

You could have just bought a new amp and basically swap it... Literally a kid can do it for less than 120 dollars

 

[Jaycich]

You could have just bought a new amp and basically swap it... Literally a kid can do it for less than 120 dollars

And what if it wasn't the amp, what if it was the wiring?

 

[Jaycich]

To explain a little more. I watched the installation of that 4 channel amp. The guy removed the door panels and seats to run the wires. He took a little over 2 hours to finish. I thought in order to remove it they would've had to remove everything the same way they installed it. Obviously that wasn't the case.

So what exactly did they do in order to rewire and what should have been the labor charge?

 

[Jaycich]

OP if you paypal me $100 I will tell you what your problem is //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/graduate.gif.d982460be9f153bb54e5d4cb744f6ae8.gif

Tell you what man. Slide me $100 and I'll let you have the amp.//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/cool.gif.3bcaf8f141236c00f8044d07150e34f7.gif

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

To explain a little more. I watched the installation of that 4 channel amp. The guy removed the door panels and seats to run the wires. He took a little over 2 hours to finish. I thought in order to remove it they would've had to remove everything the same way they installed it. Obviously that wasn't the case.
So what exactly did they do in order to rewire and what should have been the labor charge?

More than likely and usually, the existing wiring that goes from the speakers go straight to the amp,and working off that amp/supplied from that amplifier.In most cases,they connect the existing wiring that is generally left in the doors back to the speakers that go through the dash ect/doors and wire directly back to the supply/head unit, while detactching the RCAs for that amplifier as well, and are left in place rather than ripping out all the wiring.The Power, RCAs,Speaker wiring,Ground wire, and Remote wire are all disconnected at the amplifier,and all power wiring is capped off and remote,so in the future it isnt a PITA to run new wiring ect back to adding an amplifier.It cost time/labor and money to run wiring and supply for adding an amplifier.Why pay twice for it?Leave it in place and add another amplifier to those speakers when you get funds.Its not hard to cap them off and zip tie them and tuck out of the way when not in use,and keep your supply ready for the new addition.

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

To explain a little more. I watched the installation of that 4 channel amp. The guy removed the door panels and seats to run the wires. He took a little over 2 hours to finish. I thought in order to remove it they would've had to remove everything the same way they installed it. Obviously that wasn't the case.
So what exactly did they do in order to rewire and what should have been the labor charge?

As far as Labor charges go..Any place of business has a flat rate or an hourly rate that needs to be addressed and accepted if work is to be conducted.Even warranty for the work conducted.Labor can run from $50-$150 an hour.And Flat rates vary if not implied other wise.If the noise/crackling continues in that speaker..its time to remove it and play it away from the door/out of the door wired up.If it stops..it could be the + wiring grounding out on the door frame.If it continues..Its time to check with a DMM and check the Ohms resistance(best to check anyways being removed and easy enough too).If its a 4 ohm speaker it should be within 4-3.5 ohm reading,if 2 ohm should be same from 2-1.5.Anything lower and you prob have a bad coil /damaged/ blown or on the way out/Blown speaker.If readings are all over the place ..its a damaged/ blown speaker.Anything below .5 readings for me and I generally replace it anyways..That me

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

It very well could have been a strand on the power wire grounding out..Loose connection on power supply/ground wire..RCAs..Just a few things can be to check.Easy enough to Bench test an amp.. can been done on your own in the driveway.Trial and error and process of elimination

 

[Jaycich]

It very well could have been a strand on the power wire grounding out..Loose connection on power supply/ground wire..RCAs..Just a few things can be to check.Easy enough to Bench test an amp.. can been done on your own in the driveway.Trial and error and process of elimination

How to go about checking the wires and testing the amp? What type of equipment would I need?