Radio won’t power speakers, RCAs work

Hey everyone, I've been installing stereos for years, but this is the first time this has happened to me. I was asked to install a amp & subwoofers and the guy already had an aftermarket stereo installed with RCAs ran to the back. I hooked everything up and the subs were playing fine. So, he left and called me back about an hour later saying that the speakers hooked up to the radio worked a little while, then finally just stopped working. I can only think that the radio has a bad ground and is feeding off the antenna or something. Just trying to find possible answers before he comes back. Any thoughts?

Also, the only contact I made with the radio is the remote turn on wire & the RCA cables. As for the wiring on the amp, I am 100% certain that the ground & power connected & conducting current just fine.

test to see if it is the speakers or the radio, are u sure you hooked to the remote turn on wire, or could you have possibly hooked to the antenna wire?     what type of radio?

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2009 0-1000 Trunk WR 154.0DB 2009 1001+ Trunk WR
2007 USACI World Champion
2007 World Record
2006 USACI Finals 2nd Place

Sorry, I should note that it only has an antenna wire (no remote turn on seperate for amps). It isn't powering anything but that remote turn on for the amp. It's obviously working though, since the amp turns on fine.

I can't recall the radio brand, but it was an off brand for sure. Think I remember looking for a brand name on the faceplate and being suprised that it wasn't branded. I am suspect of the thing just being cheap, but I just can't believe that the speakers going out is a coincidince right after installing an amp.

Also, I can't believe that all 4 speakers blew.... wait a minute, it did have a seperate harness for the speakers and it wasn't the clip on type. Maybe it just slipped out of the harness. Have to remember that when I pull the thing out.

double check that... otherwise he may have smoked the outputs on the HU... this will usually only happen if there is a short in the speaker wiring or he played it so loud it self destructed...

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Kevin Gerry
Certified Electronics Technician
MECP First Class Installer

Owner/Installer
Classic Car Audio
since 1979

I need more info to be exact with you but guessing with little info I would say that now that there is a sub in the vehicle it is masking the distortion going to the highs and the radio is going into protect. Your RCA's will still work as it is the amp in the radio shutting down, not the radio. Putting 300HZ capacitors on the speakers should cure your problem unless the speakers are too far gone.

I would believe the protect thing, except that the radio won't go back on. Even after cycling the power on and off (both through the radio & the ignition key).

Again, I need more info, but  knowing now what you replied I would have to say possible poor ground on the amp. The amp is searching for a better ground and it is getting it from the deck through the rca's. I have seen this before. It shouldn't be the ground on the deck as it worked fine before the amp was installed, (so wer'e presuming), unless you changed the ground. Correct?

We'll see. The guy is showing up in a few minutes and I'll reground the amp (though it's grounded at a factory ground point.

Well, I knew it wasn't something I did (at least directly). It wasn't the ground wire, it wasn't the radio, it wasn't the amp wiring... it was a speaker wire connected to one of the 6x9s in the back that was twisted together and was making contact with the metal when I pushed the box back into the trunk. Never though of that, because I never touched any of the speaker wires. Go figure.

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What is normal anyway???

like i said.... "this will usually only happen if there is a short in the speaker wiring " !!!!

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Kevin Gerry
Certified Electronics Technician
MECP First Class Installer

Owner/Installer
Classic Car Audio
since 1979