Car Audio : Troubleshooting Car Audio Amplifiers

[TheSantiayo]

Hi! Next year i will probably get a land rover discovery 2, and i want to change the audio system, so all what you say will work for me?

thanks a lot!

[EverydayAvenged1]

i spent WEEKS trying to figure mine out but turns out wiring my turn on wire into the remote wasnt working so i wired into the main battery (+) wire from my radio and put in a toggle switch! worst few weeks ever!!!

[TheIsrael44]

my amp dosent turn on. everthing is conected the way it supposed to be ground good, rca good, v12 good, idk whats wrong nothing looks burn?? plz help.

[lillady931]

My amp light is red when its on but its says when the light is red its protected is their any way to unprotected it

[syncmaster710n14]

@lillady931 If your amp is protected it means that it has disconected its self from the speakers by not turning on the output relay, this is normal for the first 10secs after you turn on the amp, so that there is no pop when you trun on the amp. if it stays on it means that your speaker is shorted or there is to little resistance in the speaker circuit. other than that it may be an internal problem.

[Anthonyprice23]

ok so my car stereo Distorts at like 30 volume . only when the cars on and it didnt do this before i got my car tuned with new ignition wire and new spark plugs also had dash lights fixed ? ! doesnt distort when the cars on ? what could it be becuase i cant use my subs like this

[Kaeboost]

Hello, Great Video.

Everything checks out fine on my amp (RCA, power (batt and remote) and ground). When I connect my subwoofer to the amp, the subwoofer makes a "thud", but it will not play music. I have replaced the fuses on the Amp as well. Could my amp be internally damaged? Why would the subwoofer make a thud sound, but not produce any further sound? Thank you!

[TheHemlen]

hey man what amp got some noise

did u know what is the problem "help"

[RYLEYHOFER]

i have a a8002j amp and the red protection light is on. This amp has a voltage meter on it and it starts at 12.6 and then falls down to about 6.9 and opperating levels are from 11 to 14.4. i tried disconneting everything and plugging it all back in and still does the same thing. i tried just leaving the subs unhooked but the light still stayed on. and once i unhooked the subs and the rca cords and the light went off but the voltage still dropped on the meter... please help!

[ElCavilla69]

what happens if the amp turns on but nothing happens 2 channel 600w pioneer

[shangshokh1]

hey there,my amplifier has got a strange noise i don't know what is wrong with it. can anyone help me out with it please???

[frankster262]

@shangshokh1 what does it sound like

[shangshokh1]

@frankster262 it has got really strange noise, its worked for a few weeks and then it stop working. it sound like something had fused or i dnt know really,

[NOBELIUM115]

@shangshokh1 GROUND THE PROBLEM.

[spezow1234]

@TheAccordlx thanks man :)

[spezow1234]

@TheAccordlx well i dont think a vid is necessary, just want people to remember to BUY THE THICKEST WIRE YOU CAN POSSIBLY AFFORD WITH YOUR BUDGET. ITS A MUST!

[spezow1234]

@TheAccordlx Okay. I HAVE SOLVED ALL MY PROBLEMS LOL. TURNS OUT THE ORIGINAL WIRE I WAS USING WAS 14 GAGE!!!!!!!!!!

[spezow1234]

would 8 gage be ok for a rockford fosgate amp runnin at 800 watts?

[spezow1234]

@TheAccordlx okay i went to bestbuy today. i think the problem is that i need much larger power wires. i currently am running only 12 gage lol. i bought an 8 gage wiring kit today . i'll get back to you on how that goes

[spezow1234]

@TheAccordlx also i know theres power going to the amp because it turns on as long as i bridge power from the power input to the remote,and as long as i have the remote power connected. where would be a good place to run ground wire if the connection to the chassis has "lost its ground"?

[spezow1234]

@spezow1234 the kit i bought doesn't give a specific gage measurement but it says its good for up to 1000 watts.

[spezow1234]

@TheAccordlx well im only running 1 10" sub with an amp, so its not a huge job, but i cant see where there'd be a short because theres power going to the amp no problem, and i re-run new RCA's so they arent the issue either

[spezow1234]

@TheAccordlx i've tried 4 different amps, i had them all tested before purchase, and i had the same results

[spezow1234]

@TheAccordlx yeah everything is set up correctly and all the lights come on as long as i bridge power from the power input to the remote input. and my head unit is brand new and im having the same problems as with my old HU. i'll try running ground wire to the battery

[spezow1234]

im having lots of trouble with my amps. if anyone can help me that would be great. an amp, no matter what type, will not turn on in my car unless i brigde from the power input to the remote input. and once it turns on, no signal transfers to the sub. all connections are solid, i've checked them at least 5 times. is it possible the area of my car ive been using for ground has "lost its ground"? please help. it all worked fine until about a month ago, havnt been able to figure it out. please help?

[teddewitt]

Don't forget to test the fuses :P

[ArtworkofaDemise]

jimg0007 the 12 volt tester is a simple tool that can't do any damage when troubleshooting the most common issues of an amplifier. Especially the power wire and the ground. I've used my tester thousands of times on my amplifier and there have been no shorts and no issues. It's a simple tool, with no risk. Why not use it?

[wersuss]

Hi.Question. where can i find remote wire? you mean behind head unit?

[dsmrocker]

@wersuss yes. 

[MandoCarAudio]

CLICK MY NAME TO LEARN HOW TO INSTALL CAR AUDIO! Its FREE!

[96Z24]

How do you know if your amp is burned out (blown)?

[bastec666]

@96Z24 it wont work at all even after everything is checked as shown in the video.

[RF15T1]

@96Z24 normally you can smell it.

[BIGGIEDEVIL]

@96Z24 if nothing turns on or take it apart and look for burnt parts on the board

[Dosalt]

@BIGGIEDEVIL Hi biggiedevil, just have a question. I had a dude fixing my car dvd, the sound comes isn't that quality despite of it being a clarion dvd. also the visuals don't play (yeah just the audio part) and he says the aftermarket harness is not the right one so have to buy another harness. could this be due to the wrong harness type?(I doubt it, maybe the player) Thanks

[BIGGIEDEVIL]

@Dosalt the visuals are linked to the e brake so you can't watch vids while you drive, it could be the harness but i'm positive that you can install it with a normal one you just have to tap into the wire that has power to the deck (red and yellow)

[thekingdonecome]

Afr126@ haha because they'll be blown.

[brutesword256]

my amp is making noises when car is on...and making the speakers cut in and out.... any ideas???

[afr126]

@brutesword256 install ur speakers in a house outlet for like 5 min and itll stop making noises.

[Bristol59Fifty]

any idea? when engine is not running sub and 6x9s work fine but asoon as i start the engine i get a humming sort of noise?

[illegalalien07]

@Bristol59Fifty are ur RCA cables basicly on top of your power cable? (both on the same side of the car) if so you might be getting static from your engine. try moving the RCA's to the opposite side of the car

[alkatrazrecords]

@Bristol59Fifty Could be too long of a ground. Be sure you have a solid ground and try to keep it as short as possible. Also, your ground wire should be at least he same gauge wire as your 12v lead. Also try, if possible, to keep power and audio wires away from each other as much as possible. Hopefully that helps. Good luck!

[BIGGIEDEVIL]

@Bristol59Fifty it's cuz of a bad ground make sure you have all the paint off the ground before installing, or try a different ground and not use the seat belt as a ground

[Metsatsu1]

i got an amp thats not working. i have power going to my 12v cable and once inserted to the 12v slot on my amp the amps decrees to about 5 or 6v's thats with ground connected ofcourse. and my remote wire is continuos 12v's going to it. what can be the pro?

[QUIX4U]

Test the 12volt tester.. across a good 12volt battery.

THEN fully insulte the tester's BARE_METAL_SHAFT

with 1,000 volt rated heat shrink

leaving JUST the barest minimum of bare netal exposed -at it's TIP

Next- check if the VEHICLE your amp is connected too- ACTUALLY HAS ENOUGH POWER- left in it's battery ..

(Amp will fail to "power" if vehicle battery is drained by running amp- with motor OFF)

Then check for POWER- after the inline fuse (beside the battery)

Then CHECK- at the amp

[QUIX4U]

Ok folks.. HERE is free service (fro a NZ fully registered INDUSTRIAL_ELECTRICIAN - with 45yrs electronics technician "service knowledge"

THE very 1st thing I test.. is my tools.

EVERY TIME.

As one never knows when a part fails - and thus displays an incorrect "test"

[QUIX4U]

AND ABSOLUTELY NO MENTION... use the 1st rule of thumb.

CHECK THE FUSES... there is generally ONE - if "not" two or more - on the BACK of that amp... NONE of your silly tests will be any use - if the fuses are blown.

[QUIX4U]

Wahoo ...

B_O_O_O_O_mmmmmm.!

By using your standard NON_ISULATED SHAFT tester scrwdriver - THAT CLOSE to earthed matal on your amp - you risk not ONLY your car battery, and ALL vehicle wiring BUT - with your un_protect6ed eyes... mere millimetres from the MASSIVE arc_blast site...

BLINDNESS will come quickly & very painfully to U - fool.

[scruffyempire]

Pussy

[QUIX4U]

@scruffyempire

Pussey eh? Well I am "glad" you think so... as YOU obviously HAVE NOT ever seen the devasting effects on FRIENDS & co-workers... whom have accidentally "dropped" a spanner of screwdriver etc.. across 3 phase 400 volt HI_TENSION electric switchboard BUS BARS.. and have excrutiatingly BURNT the 4k out of their eyes & faces.

[scruffyempire]

your right, and i just installed a 3 phase 400v hi tension electric strip in my car...... 1000 v tester for a 12 maybe 15v application (a car) is a little over kill. If you didn't like it make your own video.

[botiroti1]

i got a amp that powers on fine green lit but no sound from the speakers?

[213krew]

chek yo speakers or wire to amp,easy

[titanshockey17]

what kinda rca r those i like the rope kind?

[scruffyempire]

Stinger if i remember right, been a while since i bought them.

[surffiend757]

my amp wont power on. when i turn on the stereo it will tell me when i do or dont have a protected ground but the power light never comes on.

[StryctN9NE]

very helpful.