Remote turn on lead work around options...

[Yosuncle]

I have a 11DX 400.4 kicker amplifier. It works as an amplifier, however without knowing what happened, I now do not have the ability to turn off the amp via the remote wire...(based on the green power, not orange power protect light)...

When I disconnect all wires from the amp except primary ground and power, the amp turns on, and approx 9v can be measured via the remote terminal. I have reason to believe this voltage (coming from somewhere in the amp that it is not supposed to), is the reason the amp sees power and wont shut off.

This particular amp has a 3 option remote turn on feature, including 12v(normal), dc offset, and signal sense turn on. Changing the switch position has no effect on the amp turning off.

So my question is this: Is there a way to fix this or bypass this? I have several options.
1) control primary 12v or ground wire with large relay (not my first pick due to high inrush when connected...)
2) repair the damage? that is causing/allowing 9v to be seen on rem wire (i have a scope, dvms, electrical knowledge but no schematics to help with diagnosis.)
3) remove the 9v seen on the rem line in hopes of "bleeding" off the voltage that is seen as the turn on power, (i.e., resistor and led to ground from the rem lead that may allow the amp to turn off (but will this damage the amp or not work at all?) and controlled by a relay in the same manner the rem line is supposed to work. (i.e, switch/rem line from source turns on/off relay that controls the "circuit to grnd"...

I have already taken the amp apart and meticulously determined there are no "crossed wires" from the power to rem line inside or out of the amp. (which makes sense as there is only 9v detected with nothing connected to the rem line, rather than a more expected 12v)

I have not taken an "idle amp" power draw measurement to see if the amp being left on with no music playing leaves a tolerable drain on my battery (have boot battery isolated away from starter so it would only hurt my system, not ability to run car).

I have not received contact back from Kicker to address my concerns or see what my options are for certified repair (if they even would), though I live 45 minutes from them so if repair directly IS an option and financially worth it, that is an option.

Also, if there is any advice on how/why this may have happened I am open to suggestions. The amp worked fine before moving to new vehicle. I installed the amp as expected using ground first, then speaker wires, then rcas, then power and last rem...I only noticed the trouble when i shut off the system and noticed that both of my amps were remaining on, but when separated, it was only the kicker, so further TS lead to finding voltage on the rem line for that amp, other amp has not been affected or damaged by whatever caused this.

Thanks in advance

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[metalheadjoe 10+ year member]

I personally would bring it to Kicker, since you are so close.

 

[Yosuncle]

UPDATE:

I ran a parasitic draw test on the amp in question. When the light indicates it is on, but with only the primary ground and power wires connected, draw is approx. 0.7A or 700mA, which is too high to leave unattended of course.

I tried to draw the power measured from the REM line to ground in hope that it would shut the amp down, which in fact it should NOT do and this should not work. (if there is power coming from that line, internally even if it should not be there, pulling to ground should only lead to the broken internals simply acting as a "source"...Well...

It worked! I used a small automotive light to use as a resistive device in the line. Wire connects to REM screw, passes through the light and to ground and the amp power light turned off...(strangely, the light does not light up at all!)...

On further testing using this setup, the idle amp draw before the "rig" was 700mA, and drops down to only 6mA with the working solution...

So end result is that now my REM line will be drawn to ground, (through a resistor device), to be turned off, rather than "seeing" a hot 12v signal to work as a "turn on" switch!

 

[LsGuy]

I'm glad you got it fixed, but why not just use a diode to prevent current backflowing from the amp to the remote?

 

[Yosuncle]

I'm glad you got it fixed, but why not just use a diode to prevent current backflowing from the amp to the remote?

I don't think you fully understand the issue I was having. The Rem terminal on the amplifier that is supposed to GET 12v to turn the amp ON, is showing 9v coming FROM the remote turn on terminal and amplifier is showing powered on with only 12v and ground connected to amplifier. There is nothing connected to the remote turn on terminal or any speakers but showing 9v on this remote turn on terminal when measured to ground.

This tells me that inside the amplifier, there is a circuit that is intended to receive a 12v signal INTO the remote turn on, which will switch a transistor or some such and power on the internals of the amplifier to be on. Since mine is showing positive voltage, this tells me the circuitry is damaged and current/voltage is flowing internally the "wrong way"...

Due to this understanding, i was skeptical as to being able to "draw" the power FROM the remote turn on lead in a way that would allow the amp to NOT SEE the voltage that is not supposed to be there and therefore turn the amplifier off. BUT IT WORKED!

So where a normal functioning amplifier would not turn on with only power and ground connected until the remote terminal receives power as well, mine is on all time until i draw that power FROM the terminal to ground. basically to get the amp to turn off, i have to ground the remote turn on terminal (but doing so through a light/resistor, to avoid a true "short to ground" situation...)