Subs aren't wprking.. must be doing something wrong?

[dgessler 10+ year member]

I'll try and detail my situation here and hopefully someone can pinpoint my error. This is the first time I've ever tried to mess with car audio. Please note my car is already pre-wired, I've had a system for abotu a year, but my old subs stopped working.

I had a rockford dual 12" setup until they stopped working. So I went ahead and made a new box with two 12" Alpine type r's, using a box from Sub Zone. I've never made a box before, but this is what I did:

Inside the box connections: I bought a long peice of 12 awg gauge wire (directed), cut it in two peices, then split them both. So, four peices. I connect positive to positive, and negative to negative on both sides, according to my amp's manual. I also plugged in the short two sided plug which came with both subs according to Rockford's manual. I wrapped the wire inside the little whole in the metal inside each of the terminal cups, and used some tape which appeared to be electrical, to hold it in place. Using non electrical tape wouldn't cease everything from working, would it?

Outside the box: I pretty much switched amps, with the HiFonics BX1000D amp I bought, and I noted where all the plugs went on my old rockford 2 channel amp, and did a mirror image for the new amp with connecting the wires. I then hook up the sub, the amp powers good, no protect light, just absolutely no sound at all from the subs.

This is my new amp:

http://ikesound.com/product-product_id/1506

And these are the new subs:

http://www.etronics.com/product.asp?stk_code=alpswr1242d

Help please! Thanks.

Dan //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/cool.gif.3bcaf8f141236c00f8044d07150e34f7.gif

Click to read more...

 

[theCybe 5,000+ posts]

So then the amp must not be getting a signal;

So then the RCAs aren't getting a signal;

So then the RCAs are disconnected somewhere between the amp and the headunit. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[dgessler 10+ year member]

Thanks for the reply. Are you sure it wouldn't have to do with how I did all the wiring with the subs? Does how I set up all the sub wiring sound right?

Maybe I'll try and jam my headunit out and check.

Dan

 

[theCybe 5,000+ posts]

You didn't explain very clearly; look to jlaudio.com for diagrams of how to wire.

basically, the sub has one, or two sets of + and -

Right. So wire those to the amp //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

Amp+ >>>>>>> Sub+

Amp+

Amp-

Amp- >>>>>>> Sub-

 

[dgessler 10+ year member]

I'm getting really pissed.. the amp powers on fine. I just checked the headunit and all RCA jacks are connected solidly. Anyone else know what may be the problem? My old subs may not have even died after all..

Thanks.

 

[Silver 10+ year member]

gains turned up? anything at all?

are the subs wired into a 1 ohm load?

let me know.

 

[theCybe 5,000+ posts]

It's possible that the RCA is damaged; Connect the amp to a set of RCAs from elsewhere, and see.

Maybe the pre-outs on the headunit are botched?

It's unlikely that a sub will just 'stop working' completely; At least, not without an ugly plume of smoke and smell that sticks to your upholstery.

Even if the subs were to have 'locked up,' it'd generally be noticable (ie, they wouldn't move when you pushed on 'em.)

----

Here's what we see;

The amp isn't getting a signal.

The signal comes from the headunit.

So, either both this amp and the previous amp aren't working right, [unlikely]

Or, the headunit isn't putting out a signal [possible]

Or, the RCAs aren't transmitting a signal [possible]

 

[dgessler 10+ year member]

Hey guys, I made a diagram of how I wired my amp to box. Is this correct? It was how I had my old sub.. but this case may be different since the amp is "class d"..? Anyway, it would be greatly appreciated if someone told me whether I got this wiring right or not.

Thanks.

 

[theCybe 5,000+ posts]

If instead of SubZone enclosure, there was a woofer there wired the same way, yes - that'd be fine.

It should at least make noise.

 

[Silver 10+ year member]

hmmm, probably rca's like cybe said. check the connections inside the box also.

 

[theCybe 5,000+ posts]

Where's ls1pimp. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[Slody4Futbol 10+ year member]

take your subs out.... take all your wiring off of it... it's possible it could be shorted or not connected propertly...

now hook just that one sub up... to the amp... does it play? if so hook the other up as well... and your amp has 2 terminals on it... just use both instead of cramming wire into one terminal...

 

[theCybe 5,000+ posts]

He said his previous subs stopped playing also - so replacing the subs and amp yeilds the same problem, then it's either the headunit or the rcas.

maybe the preouts on the hu are blown

maybe the rcas are shot

but that's about it, buddy //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[Ne1 10+ year member]

Rca's are definetly sounding like the culprit. Go buy a cheapy set of long(16 ft should be plenty) rca's from your local radio shack/circuit city/best buy. I assume (hope) you have more than one set of rca outputs on your radio. For starters, plug in the new set of rca's into where the old set are at on the radio. Run the new rca's outside the car, thru the back seat, thru a wormhole in the space/time continuim, whatever it takes to get the other end to your amp. Plug em in, see if it works. If that doesn't work, take the end thats plugged into the radio, and put them in another set of rca outputs. Also, before you do any of this, double check the settings on your radio, set fader and balance to dead center, and make sure theres no woofer on/off option. Good luck, I hope one of those procedures does it for you!

 

[Beermanpb14 10+ year member]

I have the same problem, did u figure it out??