So here's my problem that started about two days ago. I went to start up the truck radio turned on fine, amp clicked on, and the sub played fine. After about 30 seconds the sub cut out and the amp clicked off. So I shut the truck off and started it back up and the amp clicked on and off about 3 times and then just stayed off. So I tried restarting it again and the amp won't turn on anymore.

So I figured I must have a loose connection to the battery, ground, or blew the inline fuse. So today I replaced the fuse and stripped fresh wire for both the battery and ground connection, but still nothing. Now when I start the truck the power light will flash once, then the protect light, then it goes off. However, here's the interesting part: When I unplug the rca cables from the amp so it has no input the amp will turn on and stay on.

At that point it just lost me, did I fry something internal inside the amp? Should I go ahead and replace the fuse on the amp too? Any ideas would greatly be apreciated!

Oh and the sub is a RE SeX 15" with a Hifonics Brutus BXI 1210d amp. And I tested the sub on my friends amp and it worked fine so I think I can rule out the sub being blown.

 

Anyone?

 

It could be a short on the sub or wiring. It soulds like a protective curciut to me. I used to do comp audio. Also OHMS to low will shut it down. Also.. if it was thumpin hard as hell check the lead to the sub. they have been know to come off. Bad ground on the amp could do it too. Let me know how it goes.

 

I reread your post> I had the same thing happen to me. leave one on at a time turn it on to see what happens. chances are one or both is shorted out. Replace the RCA cable. Keep it above the carpet for testing to make sure you got it. the connecters if tweeked can screw up real easy and cause a short.

 

I'll go check the grounds and pull the sub out tomorrow to see if anything came loose on the inside. As far as ohm load, it's running at 1ohm on a 1ohm stable amp (as far as I know) because the amp is rated for 1ohm and it never had a problem with the sub before it at 1ohm which I ran for about a year.

When you say check the leads are you talking about the ones that I ran from inside the box to the post's on the sub or the ones woven into the sub?

 

try checking the RCA's first. You said when you unplugged them it stayed on. Most likely a shorted RCA. Put one on at a time at the amp and see which one is causing it to shut down. if one doesnt shut it down you should be able to get music on one channel. If this is the case>>replace the RCA cable

 

Here is a way you could test it too. An IPOD with the right RCA adapter plugged into the RCA ports on the amp but be sure the volume on the IPOD is down low before you power the amp. If you get music the amp is fine>> replace the RCA's. there is all kinds of tricks to trouble shooting these are just a few. my Sub amp volume fluxed alot and it was because of an open condition on one of the RCA's. Hit a bump and it hid harder. My cables can be re-terminated so it was an easy fix.

 

Okay cool, I'll definitely try the ipod trick then and if not I have a extra set of rca's laying around that I'll try. I'm thinking that from where the rca's run under the door trim and them come back out it finally pinched them enough to short the connection so I'm gonna see about re-routing them better too while I have it torn down.

EDIT: Should I go ahead and unhook the power and ground from the amp too and discharge the cap's in it by bridging the power and ground on it?

 

Well just tries the iPod trick and it worked! So looks like I'm gonna be replacing the rca's. Thanks for the help!

 

No problem...anytime. As far as I know never bridge hot to ground on a Cap. use a small brake light bulb on it. I believe that cap discharged to ground could blow up or ruin it. Mine has a digital meter on it and I have alway done to light bulb method.

 

Well I got the amp to start working again thanks to new rca cables, however now I'm getting a whine from my door speakers that changes with acceleration but it's only when the amp is on. If I unplug the input's it goes away, any ideas?

 

It is picking up ignition noise from somewhere. Are the RCA's shielded? check grounds on amps and Cap. The amp that runs mids and high's. The sub amp won't play it thanks to the sub freqs are far lower than the HZ of ignition noise.

 

Your ignition turn on wire could be messing with the RCA's behind the head unit too

 

I'll check the ignition wire and replace the cable's with something better because I re-ran all the cables right down past the ignition by the brake pedal to under the carpet so that's probably it. I guess it's true you get what you pay for, I'm never buying $3 rca's again haha.

 

This is very true. Well I'm glad you nailed it. Play it loud for me and have a beer while your at it....lol