memory fuse shorting out

First off, I don't know that much about cars, so forgive me for my ignorance. I have a 1992 ford thunderbird, sony xplod head unit, 350w kenwood amp and 2 12" kenwood subs. I just finished installing this system today and the first time the subs kicked in, the head unit died. I finally found that it was the 5 amp memory fuse in the distribution box, and I'm told that fuse is for the computer. It didn't blow when it was mainly door speakers and no sub, but did when the subs kicked in. I made sure the extra wires from the harness were taped off. I used all factory wiring to the speakers. I don't think that this is a shorting problem because I made sure that all wires I spliced and connected are taped off. Anyone know as to why it's blowing the memory fuse?

Where did you connect the amplifiers power wire?

Was it the fuse under the hood...?M.E.C.P & First-Class

Go slow and drink lots of water...Procrastinators' Unite...Tomorrow!

I connected the amp directly to the battery and then grounded to metal in the trunk. And yes, it was a fuse under the hood, and not in the fuse box under the dash. I don't know why the head is pulling power from the memory fuse because there is a fuse specifically for the radio. Don't know if it would be this or not, but the key was turned to the accessory position and engine was not running.

There are 2 fuses that power your radio.  The one labeled radio powers the switched 12 volt wire.  The radio requires a constant voltage also.   The fuse that feeds memory power to the radio usually feeds the cigarette lighter or the horn.  Do either of those quit working when the radio quits.  Usually it is a 15 or 20 amp fuse in that slot.  Look in the owners manual and see if you can find out if the fuse is supposed to be larger than 5 amps.  If you can find no info about the fuse size, DO NOT PUT A LARGER FUSE IN THE SLOT.   If it calls for a 15 amp fuse in that slot, yut one.You may need to run a 12 Ga. wire to the battery, fuse it at 10 amps at the battery.  Connect the Yellow wire of the deck to the newly ran wire.

I think Mr I is spot on with the adding a 12 volt lead....Although my old install buddy would just upgrade the fuse on those cars... I dont know the repurcussions of this(other then the obvious)...But the cars never came back...Maybe because they just burned up where they sat...So...Running a new lead would be the safest bet...!M.E.C.P & First-Class

Go slow and drink lots of water...Procrastinators' Unite...Tomorrow!

It's been years since I've messed with one of those, but isn't that only a 5A fuse?Kevin Pierson

I looked through the manual and it showed the memory fuse to be 5 amp, but it did not say anything as to it powering the radio. When the fuse is blown, the horn and cigarette lighter still work , but the radio has no power even with the car running. I have replaced it 4 times now, most of the time it blows, but a couple times it ran fine with the volume maxed. The harness I bought had a ground wire coming from it, so I just connected the radio ground to that. Should I ground it to the car somewhere?

It was made for factory radio...Just run a new 12volt lead as Mr.I suggested...Fuse it and your good...! This is very common on these cars...My very,very,very first install was this very car...And had this very same problem...Again my senior tech just upgraded the fuse...And insisted that was more then sufficient...But lets just be safe and run a new fused lead...2 insulated female spades and a blade fuse will do the trick...!M.E.C.P & First-Class

Go slow and drink lots of water...Procrastinators' Unite...Tomorrow!