Audio Shorting Out
03-29-2008, 05:58 PM
#1
Audio Shorting Out
The problem started today, I had some music turned up loud as usual. Nothing that hasn't been done nearly everyday for the 2+ years I've had the system installed. Theres a noise from the speakers and all the music stops. It comes back on for a few seconds then does the same thing. I have to turn it down really low for a few minutes and then the sound comes back, however if I turn it up the process repeats itself. Fuses are all good, connection to battery is good, connections at amp are good nothing is touching metal system has worked flawlessly for 2 or so years with no problems and nothing has changed since then. When the short-out occurs the blue LED on both of the amps stays on. Any ideas? I have an older Alpine CDA-9833 with four alpine type-r speakers and two alpine amps powerin old ghetto 10" MTX subs. Don't think that will help at all but...
03-30-2008, 02:01 PM
#2
I haven't installed any audio equipment in a while and am not familiar with the new stuff out there. But your problem sounds like an over heating problem with an amp which could be as simple as blocked air vents or a weak or slow running cooling fan.
You can confirm the heating issue by re-creating the condition where it cuts off and then blowing some more air on the amp. If it doesn't cut off theres your problem. If it still does it it may be a wire getting too hot. But it most definitely sounds like a heat issue.
You can confirm the heating issue by re-creating the condition where it cuts off and then blowing some more air on the amp. If it doesn't cut off theres your problem. If it still does it it may be a wire getting too hot. But it most definitely sounds like a heat issue.
03-31-2008, 12:28 AM
#3
Did a little more checking on this issue I noticed two things.
1) When the system is behaving so that it shorts out when you turn it up - both of the blue power LEDs on the amps dim to the beat of the bass. They do this if I let the speakers put out the bass or the subs.
2) Amps will randomly snap out of this shorting out mode and then everything works fine, however it does not last long.
I seem to recall someone creating a thread on here about "protection mode" on the amps? Is this maybe what is happening? If so what causes this protection mode?
1) When the system is behaving so that it shorts out when you turn it up - both of the blue power LEDs on the amps dim to the beat of the bass. They do this if I let the speakers put out the bass or the subs.
2) Amps will randomly snap out of this shorting out mode and then everything works fine, however it does not last long.
I seem to recall someone creating a thread on here about "protection mode" on the amps? Is this maybe what is happening? If so what causes this protection mode?
03-31-2008, 06:35 AM
#4
Amps go into "protection mode" for the reasons I mentioned earlier and sometimes from a bad ground. Also double check your fuses to ensure they are the right amperage, you don't want a 30 amp in a 20 amp slot.
If none of this checks out do a google search at the amp makers website to see if anyone else has experienced this same problem.
Anyone else have any suggestions?
If none of this checks out do a google search at the amp makers website to see if anyone else has experienced this same problem.
Anyone else have any suggestions?
03-31-2008, 12:05 PM
#5
Yea, fuses are all ok, they are all Alpine fuses that came with the amp. Ground location is good because it has been hooked to the same ground for 2+ years with no problems. Also that cooling thing you mentioned, that sounds logical. Another interesting thing is right before the amp cuts out completely, the subs will come and go they are on a separate amp from the speakers. They will be on one second and then off the next. Any of this sound like deck issues? The really odd thing is that both amps cut out at the same time. Two bad cooling fans? The sub amp doesn't even really get warm when I have my music up, its just my speaker amp that does.
Last edited by cpuguy06; 03-31-2008 at 12:08 PM.
04-08-2008, 08:16 PM
#6
Inspected the main fuse on the wiring harness. The main 100A fuse, turns out its corroded, really badly. In the process of removing the fused I broke the wiring kit so now I have to get a new 4ga wiring kit. Also bought "rented" a new deck from best buy to see if it was my deck going bad. verified that the connections on the new deck are the same as the old one, used existing wiring harness. Now neither deck works and the "Speaker" and "Audio" fuses under the hood are both good. Any ideas? Does a corroded fuse sound like it could be the thing causing my problem?
04-08-2008, 11:48 PM
#7
UPDATE: Corroded fuse was the culprit. Fuse was so corroded that I couldn't get it out of fuse holder without breaking the fuse holder. Replaced with new Schoshe fuse holder and 80A fuse from wal-mart for $8 and some change and viola problem solved. Now to figure out wtf my fogs quit working in the process of diagnosing the amp issue...:-)
04-09-2008, 09:40 AM
#8
sounds like a similar problem i had in the old 3rd gen. everything would stop working at random times. turns out to be a faulty fuse. the middle portion of the fuse was still intact, but the prongs connecting it to the end caps corroded off...causing a crappy connection. new fuse and problem was solved.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
jmlee44
4th Generation Maxima (1995-1999)
8
10-02-2022 02:13 PM