Phoenix Gold Phorum

is there a defect an amp can suffer from that would cause it to stay on when the car is completely off...and not even have a remote wire hooked to it? My sister has two mono amps running two dvc12's. One of the amps will go off with the car as it should while the other remains powered. The strange this is that it stays that way even with the remote wire pulled out. if the main power is connected, it comes on...and stays on...no matter what . The power wire is tabbed, so it's not touching the remote side. the setup is a 4ga power running to a dist. block on the box, then split into 2 8a. the ground is bolted to the trunk floor and dist the same way. the remote is run from the h/u to the properly working amp, then linked over to the other....wudda u guys think?...is the amp defective or am i missing something...it was all installed at a the local shop...oh yeah, there's a relocater in the mix if it makes any difference..thnx dudes

If the remote wire is used on to many components it might not have the voltage to go to all of them. Does that make sense?

but then wouldn't we have the opposite problem where the amp WONT power up?...this one stays on whether it has any remote or not..and whether the car is on or not, while the other one (the first in the chain) goes on and off as it should

Dunno, when power is strained like that it does strange things. Looks like it's time to get out yee old DMM and start taking some measurements.

well, the dude at the shop said that her altenator's voltage regulater might not be working properly by the readings he got from it.

Hmmm, well obviously we need someone smarter than us here. I'm not quite sure what the alt voltage regulator would have to do with the problem your describing.

yeah, me either...it's lookin like it must just be the amp since the other one isnt doing the same thing....bummer

I would check the remote terminal with a DMM and a power wire hooked up, if you have battery voltage at the remote terminal, then you must have something shorting the power to it.

I also don't see what a voltage regulator would have to do with that problem. I would think something is likely shorted inside the amp if you are sure that there is no way you are getting a stray wire to the remote terminal when hooking power to the amp.

I would take the cover off the amp and make sure there isn't a stray wire shorted accross it inside.

thnx ford...i was pretty much thinking just that, but i needed some confirmation from someone who knows amps better than me...someone like you!!....oh yeah...if there isnt a stray wire inside shorting the power to it, is there something else that could be?...luckily it's under warrenty.

Is the remote wire "daisy chained" to each amp? Try and switch the remote wires from problem amp to non problem amp. See if the problem still exists on the amp or if it switched with the wiring. This will tell you if it's the wiring or not. If so then just run a new wire, and or use a barrier strip to distribute the remote line.

yeah, it's daisy chained...the good amp is the one that gets the feed from the h/u, then runs it to the other...however, that's not even necessary in this case cuz the 2nd amp is already power up before a remote wire touches it...all it needs is the power wire wich suggests a short...however, i will give that a try cuz im sure stranger shit has happened

What are the amps? Who is the shop? And did you get the amp from that shop?

Is the amp really on? It's possible the amp is shutting down but the led is getting 12 volts from somewhere on the board. Leaky cap or something. I know most amps have power indicators that tap off the remote lead. Meaning even if the amp is blown the power indicator will still come on or go off with 12v at the remote lead.

It's either that, or as FordTough described. There is something shorting across the power terminals inside.

It definitely has nothing to do with the voltage regulator Don't let them screw you around. Bottom line is there is a problem with the amp and/or the install. Forget about the rest of the system. No outside influence would cause that to happen.

Make them take care of it. I could give you a few things to try but you shouldn't have to figure it out when you've paid a 'professional' to do this! I'm a professional and I wouldn't think twice about servicing or replacing the amp. The voltage regulator excuse is total BS! I will refrain from ranting on about BS shops and how they make us all look bad.

Betcha there's something like a small strand shorting out between the power and remote terminals.

AVICJR wrote:Is the remote wire "daisy chained" to each amp? Try and switch the remote wires from problem amp to non problem amp. See if the problem still exists on the amp or if it switched with the wiring. This will tell you if it's the wiring or not. If so then just run a new wire, and or use a barrier strip to distribute the remote line.

i was gonna suggest this also...word

Bfowler wrote:

AVICJR wrote:Is the remote wire "daisy chained" to each amp? Try and switch the remote wires from problem amp to non problem amp. See if the problem still exists on the amp or if it switched with the wiring. This will tell you if it's the wiring or not. If so then just run a new wire, and or use a barrier strip to distribute the remote line.

i was gonna suggest this also...word

Why not a relay?

Bfowler wrote:

AVICJR wrote:Is the remote wire "daisy chained" to each amp? Try and switch the remote wires from problem amp to non problem amp. See if the problem still exists on the amp or if it switched with the wiring. This will tell you if it's the wiring or not. If so then just run a new wire, and or use a barrier strip to distribute the remote line.

i was gonna suggest this also...word

But the problem is that the amp stays on without the remote wire in at all. I don't think it has anything to do with which remote line was hooked up before...

Or am I missing something that you guys are seeing?

maybe it was still getting currant from being daisy chained from the other amp

i didn't really think it through that far, it just seemed like an easy test to do to see if the problem moved.


edit - its sort of like in cannibal the musical when they are all standing there next to the river

"looks deep"

one throws a big rock in


they all look at him..."what the fuck did that prove"

rock guy..."ummm "


lol....it just seemed like a good idea

not to derail thread....in case you haven't seen Cannibal the musical

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=Cw_3wyVJbEI[/youtube]

unfortunately, i didnt buy the amp at the install shop, so he's not responsible for that. the amps are run from a dist block, so the remote and rca's are the only things daisy chained. the bad amp is the second one in the line and if the power wire is in, it goes on and stays on even with the car off and no remote wire even near it. i know that no power strands could be touching the remote side on the outer terminal, so it really does look like it must be shorting over on the inside...funny thing is that when i powered them up a month ago (brand new), this didnt occur...i'd open it up and take a look for myself, butthat'd void the warrenty...i'll just return it and hope for better luck with the replacement.

oh yeah...the amps are bazooka ba1300's (300rms @2ohms)....she orderd them from circuit city...they were installed at a local shop here in morris, IL called Tip Top.