Voltage drop - nothing works anymore

[orchidius]

Hi there,

After a long while without, I finally have a dedicated sub/amp combo again. Because of a lack of time, I initially quickly installed it without dealing with the remote-cable (I used a small switch for turning the amp on and off that I had at hand). After forgetting to turn the amp off a few times and finding my car with a dead battery, I opted to go ahead and install the remote-cable so that the amp would turn on when the radio turned on and off when the radio was turned off again.

Before the installation of the remote-cable, the whole system worked perfectly with the use of the switch. After installation of the remote-cable, nothing works anymore. Here is what I have already done/tested:

- I switched out the amp with one of a mate, to no avail

- I switched out the sub with one of a mate, to no avail

- I went back to the setup with the switch instead of remote-cable, to no avial

- I measured the current coming into the amp, it has the correct voltage (13,7V I think, the same as the battery itself)

- I checked all fuses in the system, none were blown

After trying all these things, I was puzzled. I got my friend to turn the radio on with the remote-cable installed and measured the current with a multi-meter as he did this. The voltage was normal until he turned it on, and the second he did, it dropped to 1,4V and veryvery slowly started climbing up again.

How in god's name is this possible and how do I fix it?

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[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

Are you using a factory radio?

What amp? What sub?

Most importantly, what vehicle?

 

[orchidius]

The radio does come out of a factory, but not out of the same one the car came out of //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif. Will check the model later and post here.

Car is a van; peugeot boxer from 2006. It's worth noting that the whole rig worked with the switch in place of the remote-cable and that it had a full sound-system that worked fine all summer long with that same little switch. Yet now, it refuses to work, even with the switch.

I will post the amp and sub details later as well; the sub is a small 8'' JBL sub, no idea about the amp

 

[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

I'm willing to bet something came undone/lose. Wiring or so.

 

[orchidius]

Where then? When I put my multimeter to the terminals, I measure the correct voltage until the radio is turned on and the remote-cable jumps into action...

Inside the amp? Then why does the problem presist when hooking up a different amp?

Inside the sub? Then why does the problem presist when hooking up a different sub?

Inside the radio? Then why does the problem presist when hooking up the switch instead of the remote-cable?

 

[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

Why are you using a switch rather than a remote wire to turn on/off the amp?

To me, that's very old school.....before remote was on amps, a toggle switch was used.

 

[orchidius]

The switch was used during summer so we were able to toggle on the soundsystem when not driving (it's a campervan). Due to a lack of time, I quickly hooked up the switch when I installed the new amp/sub combo as all the wiring was in place and the remote-cable still had to be installed.

This is completely irrellevant though. I did for convenience sake at the time, now I want to do it the proper way, but the amp/radio/sub refuses.

 

[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

Oh I c.

 

---------- Post added at 06:48 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:47 AM ----------

 

Need more info tho...