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Help! Weird Amplifier Troubles!

Birds

By Birds,
in Car Audio & Electrical

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Birds Grand Master

Birds

Posted
Posted

Got a boot install done recently - I supplied the amp and sub, which are a few years old. Everything was working great until about 2-3 weeks after the install. I was driving along and heard a random "pop" sound every few seconds. I thought it was my exhaust popping, but when I got home and switched off the engine I could still hear it.

Opened the boot and my sub is lightly "doofing" every 5 seconds...even with car completely switched off. Only way to get it to stop was to pull the fuse on my Kicker monoblock. Took my car to the place who did the boot install and he blames the amp, says I need to replace it.

I guess what I'm asking is, what could cause this? I don't want to spend $250 on another amp if it won't solve the issue or if there's an underlying issue that could ruin the replacement amp. All wiring looks secure...and it seems odd that the system should work fine for a couple weeks and suddenly crap itself. The amp and sub are still functional so to speak, as I can still get bass from music...but it will also do it's pulse every 5 seconds while music is playing.

The only thing I could put it down to, is that it did rain heavily the night it started doing this, so maybe a bit of water got inside the boot and shorted something?

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https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/411606-help-weird-amplifier-troubles/
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def_jamz112 Collaborator

def_jamz112

Posted
Posted

Get a spare amp and test it.

If you don't have one find someone who does or ask where you got it installed if they can hook it up to a spare amp to see if it will fix it. Hope it wasn't the rain, don't it happening again :(

Carbon 34 Grand Master

Carbon 34

Posted
Posted

What is the amp doing ? Lights blinking ??

Does the sub move free with amp off or feel like it grinds when pushed smooth and gentle ?

Amp blue trigger wire crossed with power wire ?

Which is why its stuck on or below

Those kicker amps had issues and failed a fair bit but water entry is instant problem on any amp

And the short is internal

Birds Grand Master

Birds

Posted
  • Author
Posted

What is the amp doing ? Lights blinking ??

Does the sub move free with amp off or feel like it grinds when pushed smooth and gentle ?

Amp blue trigger wire crossed with power wire ?

Which is why its stuck on or below

Those kicker amps had issues and failed a fair bit but water entry is instant problem on any amp

And the short is internal

Okay I put the fuse back in so I could do some more diagnosis based on your questions. It is actually a ZX200.2 amp bridged into a single channel. Subwoofer cone moves freely and smoothly. Here's what happens:

Car completely off:

- No amp light on

- Subwoofer pulses every 5 seconds

Turned to accessories:

- Amp light dimly lit as per first picture

- Subwoofer pulses every 5 seconds

- Amp light brightens on pulse, as per second picture, then fades slowly back to dim

AP5WnE5j_original.png

87yTn9N5_original.png

Also, contrary to what I said before...music bass is NOT coming through the sub at all.

Carbon 34 Grand Master

Carbon 34

Posted
Posted (edited)

Disconnect all sub wires and rcas

Remove power wires use care the wires will have power still unless you pull the fuse first

Hook up power and ground only

What happens now?

nothing ? Good thats what it should do

Now take a small trigger wire and jump it from power on amp to trigger on connection

Amp should come on ? Yes ? Is it fluctuating at all

like before ? no ? Good now reconnect the radio trigger wire like before , turn on deck does it turn on ok and behave like proper ? yes good , turn off everything and hook up rcas , turn on again , all good still? Good , turn off and rewire up the sub ,

Retest ? Any changes ?

Also check the bolt on amp ground it should be tight , paint free

Didnt need amp model I know those are bad models lol sorry , high failure rates on those

Your amp shouldnt come on without radio on ? Is that what its doing ? its fried if so

Or wired wrong

With sub speaker wires off the amp take a 1.5 v aa battery and put power to the sub speaker wires , it should move in and out if not its disconnected or fried too

Warning

Do not put a bigger battery then 1.5 v unless you know what your doing , a 12v battery could launch your speaker cone depending on model

If you have access to a multimeter that could be used as well

Edited by Carbon 34
  • 2 months later...
Birds Grand Master

Birds

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks for your help with this one guys. I took my car past the place that did the boot install, who were adamant it must be an amp issue. So I finally got around to getting a replacement amp - picked up a Kicker ZX300.1 for $110, which was a bargain (it had two blown fuses, so I'm guessing seller thought it was stuffed lol) and more than enough power for my 12" Type S. After some quick electrical work and finger crossing, I now have bass!

Which means my old Kicker amp was most likely farked...

Bass sounds much better than before too - either a much better amp or I've just gone too long without my doof!

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