I had my friend install my system about 3-4 weeks ago.

New Sub box, New speakers, New Amp Sub. Everything went very well. Took 10 hours to do. Though we tried raising the rear seats( for more room for the Subs to downfire), but one of the main bolts on the side of the truck that holds the seats was TOO rusted and he broke some of tools trying.

>>PROBLEM: The system keeps cutting out at very moderate volume. Day of the install, I could of blasted my system incredibly. I noticed 2-3 weeks after the install, it started cutting out. Cutting out meaning the speakers and subs will completely stop and shut off. Then they'll start up again after I turn the volume down a bit, after 3-4 seconds. This was at Volume 20 it starts to clip, Could of reached 35 day on install.

Nothing was touched till then. Tried having no bass, speakers still clip. So he took his voltage meter and measured the volts, when I was playing the system we noticed the 4 Channel Amp dropped down under 13Volts, then just cut out. Happened everytime. Even tried idling to 2000 RPMS. Thought of might of been a ground issue, though I think we tried changing that.
So he said 2 things. We checked the battery, low and behold theirs evidence of my battery leaking acid. Also he said it might not be big enough gauge wire for my subs.

Any ideas on how to know what the source of the problem is? Or is it JUST the battery? If you were to ask me, the subs don't sound as good as they used to. It seems like the subs are getting some type of "bad" signals, more of a slight flappy sound, doesn't sound as clean as it did before in my opinion.


[SIDE NOTE: Anybody thinking about a Sub box like that (Atrend) and wants pretty good bass needs to consider raising the seats. Literally.. like 1/4" space between sub and floor, yikes. One day I'll have the seats raised. I'll get some photos up soon]

 

What gauge power did you run and did you check your ground (where did and how did you ground)?

 

Think it's 4 gauge. I'll ask where my friend put the ground. I'll get back to that.

>>During the ride home today from the Gym... It clipped for a 2nd time during the ride back. Took 40 seconds or so for the amp to turn back on (turning volume to 0). Then it clipped again for a 3rd time. Amp didn't turn back on till I got home and shut off my truck, and then it started it up.

 

have you ever had this happen while sitting still?

have you felt the amp when it shuts off? Is it thermal?

 

what amp/subs are you running? Sounds like your running a 2 ohm stable amp at 1 ohm...

 

My installer friend says "Right side of dash behind kick panel for speakers and on center console stud for subs"

It has a mind of it's own. It shut off today when I started up the truck, and it came back on and clipped even on just volume 5 (outta like 60). This crap is frustrating.
Yeah the amp will shut off when trucks idle too. Same story seems like. Thermal like... getting too hot overheating?


Setup:
-AMPS
>>Audiobahn 4 Channel A4004T
>>Kicker ZX1000.1W Amp
-Speakers/Subs
>>Kicker KS502 Component Speaker (4)
>>Audiobahn 2- Ultra Excursions 10"

Thinking about ditching the A4004T and getting a Kicker 4 Channel amp to replace it. But that's for a later date. I already spent tons of money on this system already need to know first what's not working.

 

Are both amps cutting out, or just the sub?

When you say "clip" - can you describe this better?

Does it ever come back on without you turning the H/U down?

 

Both Amps cut out. It'll cut out again after 4 seconds if I leave it at the same volume, so I have to turn it down so it won't keep clipping.

In Clipping I mean the amps Clip the sound to a mute setting, I can't hear anything for 2-10 seconds. After that the Amps will turn back on, but only usually at a lesser volume after I turn it down.

I really think it has to do something with somewhere something isn't getting enough "juice" or power, or the amp or subs or something is getting "bad signals" from a slightly cut wire or something. I don't know, getting frustrated.

 

I would agree. My thoughts:

1. check the fuse under the hood.
2. Check the wire temp when it happens. Check near the amps, and near the battery, see if it is getting hot.

 

Wait, your grounds for your amps are in your kick panel and center console? Where the hell are your amps mounted and how long are your ground wires?

 

I'll check everything when my installer friend and I take everything apart. I think we just need to rip everything and retrace everything again and check any loose wires or check temps, make sure grounds are good, etc.

The Sub Amp (Kicker) is located underneath the Center console, INSIDE it - barely fit and a snug fit. We made for a custom install so it fit. That Ground is located right there, next to it.
The Internals Amp (Audiobahn) is underneath the passenger seat. That ground is fed thru the side and grounded on the passenger kick panel.

>>I swapped out my battery today, looks like I can turn it up a little bit more, but the system still seems like it clips. Now instead I can really hear what the bass sounds like, and it sounds like crap. I put up the subs so it's not vibrating the floor or anything else when I did this. It's making a 'flappy' noise when turned up slightly, like a 'BLAT' sound. It's not even loud.

I'm starting to think, uh, maybe a gauge problem? Maybe a slightly cut wire or need new ones or something....

 

It's getting worse; now the amps will take MINUTES until they turn back on. It stays in the red light of "PROTECTION" mode, and stays there. Sometimes won't even come back on until I turn the truck off for a minute.

I'm ready to junk the audiobahn amp, if somebody thinks it's an amp problem.

 

I called Kicker today. Spoke with Travis. Got some troubleshooting tips from him, thank god to finally finding somebody that has some deep knowledge on this type of stuff. Here's what I wrote down:

>Find out the resistance in ohms from the Chasis of the vehicle to the negative of the amp - double check the voltage back
>Double check speaker wire make sure there not goin below 2 ohm
>Check resistance on that ground

Not sure what this all means, but my installer have a lot better idea. I'll have more info in the coming days. I'll be buying a new Kicker ZX3504 4 Channel Amp soon anyway, but in the meantime I'll need to figure out this problem first.

 

Basically he thinks it is one of 2 things - bad ground or wired too low on the subs. Do you have a digital multi meter?

 

Travis told you the same thing we have all said but in a more techy way.

Check ground and/or remove it and reground. When ever you ground make sure you scrap the paint away and you make direct contact with metal.

Use this chart to make sure your subs are wired correct to the "stable" ohm your amp can support:

http://www.rockfordfosgate.com/rftech/woofer_wizard.asp