I'm Stumped

[nhguy261]

I'm a newbie here and in need of assistance.

This is what's installed in my 1981 C3 Corvette.
Kenwood KDC-X303 head unit
Alpine MRV-F300 Amp
Alpine R-S69 Speakers
Alpine Sub-Woofer Model unknown
Kill switch at battery

I did not install this equipment, I had it done by a local audio shop.
I took the car out of storage and it fired right up and the sound system worked but something wasn't right. I smelled mice and found the nest in the center console. I cleaned it up and found that they had chewed through what I believe is a speaker wire and the insulation on the antenna cable. I think the speaker wire contained five separate wires. Two on either side and one running down the middle.
I carefully spliced everything back together, tested it and everything sounded great...I was happy. I called it a night and picked up where I left off but before I did, I tested it but the car wouldn't start, the battery was dead.
I put the charger on the battery and the speakers began to howl. I disconnected the charger and started my research. I was told that the problem was how the amp was wired at the head unit. It had a constant power source. I disconnected the blue remote wire from the amp, put the charger back on the battery and there was no howling. I fully charged the battery.
OK, so what does this mean? I couldn't understand how this could be possible since the system worked fine before I put it into storage.
I decided to put an on/off toggle on the amp remote wire to kill the power so that it didn't drain the battery.
I'll walk through what's happening now.

1. Battery kill switch on
2. Amp toggle off
3. Start car
4. Amp toggle turned on and the radio works
5. Turn off radio and the amp turns off
6. Turn off engine
7. Turn off battery kill switch and the amp turns on...WHAT??
8. Turn off amp toggle, amp remains off
9. Turn on battery kill switch
10. Start car
11. Turn on amp toggle
12. Turn on radio
13. Radio works

I'm baffled. What's the point of having a kill switch if it turns on the amp when it's in the off position?
Could a stray speaker wire in the splice be causing this?
Is it a wiring issue at the head unit?

Thanks for taking the time to read my lengthy post. All advice is welcome.

Click to read more...

 

[Kickstand Premium Member]

Take a picture of the wires the mice chewed through
I have a feeling they were not speaker wire but your RCA's
I have had ones that had a separate ground running down the middle
If it was then splicing them back together is a really delicate process and there are actually almost impossible to properly fix once they are split unless you know how to solder.
Even then they are never as good as new

 

[1aespinoza 10+ year member]

kill switch if it turns on the amp

So the kill switch kills power to the entire car? If yes, then the battery drain makes no sense. Amp should be connected direct to the battery, but if the remote wire has no power to leech off any other wires that are "killed", then this should be impossible. If radio does not lose memory every time kill switch is used, then remote may be spliced in with the constant power wire.

 

[nhguy261]

This is the wire that was chewed. I traced it back to a second amp that powers the sub-woofer, So I’m told. The other picture is of the two wires to the sub- woofer that are visible.
I don’t understand why the wires in the two pictures are different unless the sub-woofer has additional wires that aren’t visible.

 

[Kickstand Premium Member]

I'm fairly sure that first picture is a set of RCA cables
They should run from the HU to the amp
It what carries the signal to the amp
If they were chewed on then and then repaired it would explain the feedback your getting through the speakers
When you disconnected the remote wire you cut the power to the amp and stopped it
If they look anything like the picture I have posted then that is your problem
Just replace them
It will cost you $30-40 for a decent set of cables and if you have them installed somewhere probably about an hour of labour or you can do it yourself if you feel up to it

 

[nhguy261]

The cable that the mice chewed through is kind of flat. There are two wires, separately encased, on the right and left and a wire running down the middle. I spliced a total of five wires. The connections are similar to what’s in your photo.
So, just splicing those wires can mess up the system? Would that explain the amp draining the battery?
Thank you for your help, it’s appreciated.

 

[nhguy261]

So the kill switch kills power to the entire car? If yes, then the battery drain makes no sense. Amp should be connected direct to the battery, but if the remote wire has no power to leech off any other wires that are "killed", then this should be impossible. If radio does not lose memory every time kill switch is used, then remote may be spliced in with the constant power wire.

Hi 1aespinoza,
Admittedly, I’m not an audio guy. I know just enough to get myself into trouble. Before the mice came into my life, everything was working as it should. The kill switch, the sound system, etc.
Yes, the kill switch should kill all power.
If the amp is connected directly to the battery, wouldn’t it bypass the kill switch?
I disconnected the blue remote wire that goes to the amp, fully charged the battery and left the remote wire disconnected. There hasn’t been a battery drain since.
I don’t think that the radio loses memory when the kill switch is engage or kills power. When the power is turned back on, the radio does not return to the station it was on when the power was cut however, the preset is still there. Someone else did say that the remote wire could be connected to a continuous live feed.
Thanks for showing interest.

 

[metalheadjoe 10+ year member]

Hi 1aespinoza,
Admittedly, I’m not an audio guy. I know just enough to get myself into trouble. Before the mice came into my life, everything was working as it should. The kill switch, the sound system, etc.
Yes, the kill switch should kill all power.
If the amp is connected directly to the battery, wouldn’t it bypass the kill switch?
I disconnected the blue remote wire that goes to the amp, fully charged the battery and left the remote wire disconnected. There hasn’t been a battery drain since.
I don’t think that the radio loses memory when the kill switch is engage or kills power. When the power is turned back on, the radio does not return to the station it was on when the power was cut however, the preset is still there. Someone else did say that the remote wire could be connected to a continuous live feed.
Thanks for showing interest.

Please post a picture of the battery terminals and the kill switch.

 

[Kickstand Premium Member]

The cable that the mice chewed through is kind of flat. There are two wires, separately encased, on the right and left and a wire running down the middle. I spliced a total of five wires. The connections are similar to what’s in your photo.
So, just splicing those wires can mess up the system? Would that explain the amp draining the battery?
Thank you for your help, it’s appreciated.

No it won't explain or fix the draining battery but it will fix your feedback/distortion problem
We are talking about a 40 year old car that was sitting in storage for a while
What are the chances the battery is just shot and won't hold a charge anymore

 

[1aespinoza 10+ year member]

disconnected the blue remote wire that goes to the amp, fully charged the battery and left the remote wire disconnected

Remote wire is definitely getting power from an alternate source. Rewiring of radio's power wires should fix the issue.

 

[nhguy261]

Remote wire is definitely getting power from an alternate source. Rewiring of radio's power wires should fix the issue.

It’s going back to the shop that installed the system. They said that they’d trace all the wires and figure it out. I told them to start by replacing the remote wire.
Thank you for taking the time to read my post and responding. It’s been a big help.