weird cut off problem, pls help

[ni9thwonder 10+ year member]

ok so i installed an alpine f240 bridged 100x2 to a set of infinity reference 6010cs components (90 watts rms, 270 peak). i have the gains set to about 3/8 of the way. everything was sounding good until i turned it up a bit higher when driving and it all cut off for a couple seconds, almost like the cd was skipping (but i know for sure it wasnt). so i turned it down a few notches and it continued playing. i discovered today when messing around with the connections that it also does this at loud volumes if my passenger door is closed (and only for a second), but not my drivers door.

can you guys help me out and tell me what the heck i might've done? i checked my ground and its still solid. i ran a 300 watt mono amp with this exact wiring less than 4 months and it was fine. but i did run new speaker wire from the amp to the x-overs, and x-overs to tweeters/mids. if it has anything to do with my other connections, my rca's and remote wire are run down the drivers side and my power wire is run down the passenger side.

also the amp is not fully installed yet (not mounted i guess you could say. but not sliding around either) as ive just been testing it out the past few days to get over this problem.

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[LAcruisin 10+ year member]

Check the connections for the power wire, especially as it enters and leaves your fuse holder. I've heard that wire that was tinned right before installation will shrink a little over a few weeks where it was tinned, so the connections need to be retightened.

 

[ni9thwonder 10+ year member]

alright thanks for the suggestion, ill definitely check that out tomorrow if what i just came across doesn't work....i upped the gains to halfway and tried the door thing and it didn't cut off. so im crossing my fingers now that this is a fix but ill be able to tell tomorrow on the drive to and from school. may the car audio gods be with me

 

[jrwalte 10+ year member]

You should get a DMM if you don't have one. It most likely sounds like your voltage is dropping too low and your amp is cutting off because of it. Your mono amp was probably class d whereas this amp is A/B so it is much less efficient in converting power, hence it takes more amperage to produce the same wattage as your old D class.

What size wiring are you using for your power and ground? And did you check all the ground connections under your hood? Make sure they're tight and not corroded.

 

[ni9thwonder 10+ year member]

im using an 8 gauge kit but will be upgrading to 4 gauge when i pick up a sub and hook up the mono amp, but not before i figure out this problem i suppose. i cleaned out the corrosion on the battery and everything but im still having the problem. im gonna try to borrow a dmm...what should i look for when im able to get one? thanks a ton

 

[Mike465 10+ year member]

I would check your ground wire from the amp as well. If it cuts off when you get up on it you could have a bad ground.

 

[ni9thwonder 10+ year member]

so i was scanning some other somewhat related threads and found the engine whine and ground loop fixes take two post (http://www.caraudio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=198477) and was wondering if the HU RCA grounds could have something to do with this since that is the only real thing i changed on my Pioneer headunit (changing RCA's from sub pre-out to front pre-out). i have a pioneer DEH-P4800MP, what do you guys think?

oh and i can get a hold of an Ohmmeter or Ohm reader whatever you call it very easily, would that help as much as a DMM or should i just go straight for the DMM? thanks

 

[ni9thwonder 10+ year member]

alright so i just picked up a JL 12w6v2, a box, and a JL 2 gauge amp kit that i plan on installing in the next couple days. do you guys think it would it be smart to do that and see if the new wiring fixes the issue of the speakers cutting out or should i do it one step at a time

 

[jrwalte 10+ year member]

The RCAs wouldn't cause the amp to cut off at high volume. For this test an ohm reader wouldn't help. You need a voltage meter to see what your volts are doing when you turn the volume up. It also helps to check your voltage at your battery and then at your amp to see how much of a difference there is. Using a test tone is the easiest way, this way your amp is getting a constant same level signal when you check the battery and amp.

If you have more than a .2 or so voltage drop between battery and amp, then you most likely have a bad ground between the amp/battery/alternator.

I'd figure out the issue before installing more equipment. It'll just strain your battery and alternator more.

 

[jeepkid]

ur not overloading ur amp?

the kid next door to me had that problem.

 

[boomzilla 10+ year member]

check to see if the speaker wires are shorting somewhere. my sub wires were touching one time and it would cut off at high volumes

 

[ni9thwonder 10+ year member]

well i think that solves it! i tried the L and R speakers independently and the L one allowed me to go up to full volume, but when i only connected the R one it cut out at 3/4 so i guess im gonna backtrack that R side wiring and look for the short, and hopefully that does it. thanks for your help everybody

 

[ni9thwonder 10+ year member]

alright, i have everything installed now and it sounds sweet (minus the fact im unsure what to do about setting the gains on the w6 because i havent been able to hear any clipping when i tried adjusting them by ear). i backtracked the wiring to the R door and the insulation was a little clipped at places and so i electrical taped those places up, however, the cut-out is still ongoing. and once again if i disconnect the R side im able to play at full unclipped volume with only the L speaker connected. i only backtracked the R side until the door hinge hoping i wouldnt need to investigate in the door panel. thanks for any more help

EDIT--so as of today everything is working perfectly after i cleaned up all wiring. hope this keeps up