Very Unhappy Person

[pilyin 10+ year member]

It could be a power problem to me. Is your car manual or auto (manual cars idle in neutral at a lower RPM typically, causing the alternator to put out less power at idle)? Do the amps typically turn off when you're standing (at a light or in traffic) or while you're driving and your RPM's are above 1.5k?

At the same time, the amp would normally come back on without having to reset the HU if it was a lack of power. The only time something like this happened to me was when I completely packed my trunk and the amp overheated and turned off cause it didn't have any room to breath.

 

[Louisiana_CRX 5,000+ posts]

sounds like a bad ground...your car is a unibody...it needs to be grounded at the battery up front not in the trunk...weak gnds cause all kinds of power issues...get them to check your ground out and make sure it runs up front with your power lead

 

[pilyin 10+ year member]

Also, you can find a used alternator at a wrecking yard pretty cheap (if you don't upgrade to a high output alt.) If you're alt was bad, your car would shut off, not just your amps. Your alts probably fine. Maybe weak (86 is not really strong - you car uses about 60-65, maybe more, with lights, AC, wipers and stuff. Doesn't leave much for the radio.

Do you have a DMM? Play your system in the driveway for a bit (push it a bit) and see what your battery voltage is after a few minutes.

 

[TurdFergueson2 5,000+ posts]

How much is a new alternator?
If it is over 200 bucks I may as well forget it and sell this system. I'm not putting anymore real money into this. I'm just a college student for god sakes.

Look up how to do the big 3 and get a yellow top. That's about 200 for the battery and materials so it's up to you. Or you could just not run the AC and turn your radio all the way up. Or you could run a battery in the back. For a Kinetik hc-800 plus about 10-12 feet of wire it will bend you over for maybe 150-160ish.

 

[Ridley 10+ year member]

I don't have a DMM to check but I can take it to them today.

Say the issue is not about the grounding and is indeed something with my alt or battery. What do you guys recommend? Get a better battery up front, get a 2nd battery in the trunk, or buy a better alt? I need to find cheap deals.

Is the Big 3 easy enough for a guy who has NO IDEA about how to even check the oil in a car? Yeah it is sad, but I'm more of a computer tech guy.

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

Isn't the problem obvious? It was fine for the first two weeks, now problems. Hmmm. I bet if you were to stick your batt on a charger over night, those problems would magically disappear for a few days again.

Its probably not a bad ground and its certainly not low voltage on your REM wire. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wow.gif.23d729408e9177caa2a0ed6a2ba6588e.gif You said yourself your alt is just under 90 amps. At 14.4 volts, that's less than 1300 watts of power it can provide. Im betting your stereo is larger than that, before you even consider amplifier efficiency. And I bet you listen to your stereo loud as fawk all the time too, right? Not to mention power for the vehicle itself. Again to me at least, your problem is obvious.

Adding another batt, as those morons at that shop suggest, will only prolong the problem a bit longer and have you coming back to them again in another couple of weeks. At best they are ignorant, at worst they are intentionally stringing you along from pay check to pay check.

 

[Scoobydoo 5,000+ posts]

I don't have a DMM to check but I can take it to them today.
Say the issue is not about the grounding and is indeed something with my alt or battery. What do you guys recommend? Get a better battery up front, get a 2nd battery in the trunk, or buy a better alt? I need to find cheap deals.

Is the Big 3 easy enough for a guy who has NO IDEA about how to even check the oil in a car? Yeah it is sad, but I'm more of a computer tech guy.

if you can't check the oil in your car, finding your dick in your pants is probably too hard for you

 

[mlstrass 5,000+ posts]

I had the exact issue last year and it turned out to be the REM wire shorting out. Powering off/on the HU would "fix" it until the wire shorted again. Was only cutting out the amp for the comps...

I'd take it back and have the install shop check it out. Otherwise you could "jumper" the POS lead from the amps to the REM wire for testing purposes and see if it still happens...

 

[Ridley 10+ year member]

So it could just be a wire issue? Hmm...

I took it to Autozone and they tested my battery for me. They said the battery is doing great and they said the alternator is fine as well. This was without the car on btw. That means the battery and alt are not dying, but they may be underpowered. What do you guys suggest? My install shop is charging me around 400 bucks for battery, fuses, and install.

Is there a website where I can get a higher output alt for a good price? It has to fit a 2002 Dodge Neon SXT. I'd hope it would be no higher than 250, but that may be pushing it. Would it be enough or would I need a new battery too?

For testing purposes, I tried using my subs and comps at a low-medium loudness, air all the way up, lights and wipers on, and opened up my automatic windows. Nothing happened to the music. As soon as I turned my volume up past 30, the comps stopped working and only the subs and back speakers played. Sometimes when I'm blasting my subs, mainly A Milli by Lil Wayne, it shuts off after a good pounding in hot weather. I'm thinking the sub amp is cause of heat but what about those comps? hmmm

I never had them both shut off at the same time before and I never had a protect light come on. The amp remains on for the comps, but just the speakers cut out. Once I turn my headunit off and back on, it usually fixes the issue for a minute.

 

[jeeper07 5,000+ posts]

k u keep saying if it isnt the wiring... it probably is. How much power are you pulling what gauge wires are run, grounds, and play the amps hard, once they cut off feel the amp and see if they are smokin hot. Ya gotta help yourself here man sayng idk what thisis or that is means youll never fix it. Save yourself money and check some stuff.

 

[tapout 5,000+ posts]

I need to talk to someone who owns a Neon.

iamamp3pimp

find him.

 

[Ridley 10+ year member]

Okay I'll let you in on all the tests.

You got the power test I did earlier. Tested the amps and they are the same temp as with normal use... warm.

I believe I have 4 guage wire for the subs and 14 for the speakers. It may be that the grounds is messed up, but I'd like to know how to check myself.

I already tried talking to him. He paid no mind to my countless ims and the one time he did reply, he just ignored my question and went on with w/e he was doing. I haven't seen him on since.

 

[jeeper07 5,000+ posts]

ok. how long are the grounds? what are they mounted to? same guage as your power wire?

 

[Ridley 10+ year member]

They are the same guage as the power wire. I am not too sure where they are mounted to, but I believe it is mounted to the trunk somewhere under the mat.

Yeah that Neon guy is ignoring me. I ask him the question and then he goes away.

 

[GMCJimmyslt2000 10+ year member]

what equipment are u running. Give us all of the items in ur car.