My system is being... difficult. (Detailed information)

[Ritter420 10+ year member]

Hey guys, I thought I'd try to make this organized for you and easy to help me diagnose this problem.

Equipment: Pioneer HU, Memphis 1000-D amplifier, Oz Audio 'Matrix Elite' 15"

Problem: Amp goes from power to protect and back to power everytime the sub goes to hit, it does it rapidly. It's almost as thought it can't get the power. So it makes the sub make a 'popping' or extreme distort sound and won't actully hit or get loud.

Prior problem: I blew the fuses on my amp the other day, replaced them. Started happening after that.

--

Subwoofer:

I checked the sub. Coils are intact. No signs of burning or smell of burning. Pushed down on it and it doesn't make a noise like it's blown. Also I used a DVOM or u might say DMM to check the resistance and both of the coils are like 4.1ohms, so the sub isn't blown.

Amplifier:

The fuses are good, i opened up the amp and there is nothing burnt or broke.

Wiring:

In-line fuse and fuse block good.

I checked the wiring, it looks like there is no cuts in any of the wiring, but that wiring (not THIS amp/sub) has been in my car for two years, and it is ran through the door, not the fire wall, so it has been getting 'smashed' per say. I have a good ground also.

What I think it is: I think my wiring is bad, but i don't want to go spend money on all new wiring if it's not actually the problem.

Thank you!

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[Immacomputer 10+ year member]

It sounds like one of the protection diodes on the power supply side of the amp is damaged. I would open it back up, find all the diodes on the power supply and check them using a multi meter. Consult google if you're not sure how to do this.

 

[car_audio11]

Ritter420 Could you Please Check the fuses again and Power Supply please I thought the probleom is in the supply

 

[iDesignBoxes 10+ year member]

Sounds like a pinched RCA. Happened to me a few years back. Easy fix. Replace your RCA cables.

 

[Ritter420 10+ year member]

I'll open the amp up again today after i go to class. Nothing in there was burnt, so i didnt think of going too in depth. I'm so sick of this mess.

Also, Car_audio11, I did check the fuses again, they are fine.

I guess I should also mention this... -My RCA's were all ****ed up and the Remote wire got damaged so it's been 'rigged' up with a small wire going from POWER to Remote just so it would power up.. any problems with that?

I think i just want to throw everything on the road and let a semi run it over....grrrr.

 

[boomzilla 10+ year member]

I guess I should also mention this... -My RCA's were all ****ed up and the Remote wire got damaged so it's been 'rigged' up with a small wire going from POWER to Remote just so it would power up.. any problems with that?

I think i just want to throw everything on the road and let a semi run it over....grrrr.

get new rca's. cheap ones if you have to, just to diagnose it. and the jumper wire from the 12v+ on the amp to the remote shouldnt be a problem, only you have to manually turn off your amp or let it drain your battery. and get your power wire through the firewall somehow. you risk shorting out that power wire everytime you smash it closing the door.

 

[Ritter420 10+ year member]

get new rca's. cheap ones if you have to, just to diagnose it. and the jumper wire from the 12v+ on the amp to the remote shouldnt be a problem, only you have to manually turn off your amp or let it drain your battery. and get your power wire through the firewall somehow. you risk shorting out that power wire everytime you smash it closing the door.

Any chance that is what the problem is? That i shorted out the power wire from smashing it in the door? I mean it has been there for 2 years...

 

[boomzilla 10+ year member]

the protection comes on when the ground isnt secure enough, or the power wire, high temperatures, low ohm, or a short. make sure your subs wires arent touching anywhere they shouldnt be

 

[Ritter420 10+ year member]

the protection comes on when the ground isnt secure enough, or the power wire, high temperatures, low ohm, or a short. make sure your subs wires arent touching anywhere they shouldnt be

Ground is secure. Power wire might have some issues, there might be a short in the power wire from being smashed in the door though, who knows. Its nonsense. I'm in class right now, i'll check when im out.

What do u personally think the problem is from what i described?

 

[fatboyracing 10+ year member]

i agree change the rca wires

 

[Ritter420 10+ year member]

Honestly i dont think its the RCA wires.

 

[TSGP]

sounds like your main fuse is blown and the amp is getting power from the remote wire.

Take your DMM with the car off and make sure you have around 12 volts at the power terminal of the amp.

 

[Immacomputer 10+ year member]

the protection comes on when the ground isnt secure enough, or the power wire, high temperatures, low ohm, or a short. make sure your subs wires arent touching anywhere they shouldnt be

Yea, but those modes go into a constant protect. What he is describing means that the amp is trying to play normal and go into protect and it's going into protect based on a certain voltage point. At that point, the amp is going into protect... that sounds like a protection diode issue to me. Diodes only allow current to flow in one direction but if they are damaged, they may not behave the same and allow current to flow in both directions. It sounds like this is happening. Check the diodes on the input side and make sure all of them read as a short when the probes are on either side of the diode and then they read open when you switch terminals with the probes.

If you blew your fuse on the amp due to high current draw, more than likely you broke something else on the amp. Some components may be blown but they may look fine. Diodes are one of those components; I have seen plenty of them blow and look perfectly fine only to find they read a short both ways or open both ways.

 

[TSGP]

Yea, but those modes go into a constant protect. What he is describing means that the amp is trying to play normal and go into protect and it's going into protect based on a certain voltage point. At that point, the amp is going into protect... that sounds like a protection diode issue to me. Diodes only allow current to flow in one direction but if they are damaged, they may not behave the same and allow current to flow in both directions. It sounds like this is happening. Check the diodes on the input side and make sure all of them read as a short when the probes are on either side of the diode and then they read open when you switch terminals with the probes.
If you blew your fuse on the amp due to high current draw, more than likely you broke something else on the amp. Some components may be blown but they may look fine. Diodes are one of those components; I have seen plenty of them blow and look perfectly fine only to find they read a short both ways or open both ways.

Unless there was a short somewhere and the fuses blew to protect the amp //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

Which if that happend I'd almost gurantee that his front fuse is blown....He said the wire is ran through his door so I'd almost bet something is shorted.

I don't think its the amp

 

[skadude016 5,000+ posts]

Unless there was a short somewhere and the fuses blew to protect the amp //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif
Which if that happend I'd almost gurantee that his front fuse is blown....He said the wire is ran through his door so I'd almost bet something is shorted.

I don't think its the amp

ya that would make sense. but if the main fuse is blown then how would that REM wire be getting any power whatsoever?