amp, bad install?

Ok, so I installed my amp today to power my front speakers, and things definitely didn't go well. I followed all the guides people pointed me too and I'm fairly certian I hooked everything up correctly. I made sure to wrap all the connections with electrical tape, and that fuses were installed properly wherever they were needed. Before mounting the amp and putting the dash back together I decided to test the setup. I turned the key to ACC and turned on the cd player. The amp turned on as it should and sound came out of the speakers. Success, or so I thought... When I turned the key back to off I heard pop/crackle sound come from the speakers. I then smelled something and took a look at the amp. There was defintely smoke coming out of the vents on the side and top of the amp. I immediately unhooked the battery and unhooked all the wires going into the amp. I've been afraid to do anything since. What confuses me is that I checked all of the fuses and none of them blew. I thought the fuses were supposed to protect something like this from happening. My biggest concern right now is knowing whether or not I could of damaged anything other than the amp. The amp was cheap and I can return it anyway, but if I did anything to my new HU or speakers I would be very upset. I went back out tonight and rehooked up the speakers directly to the HU, and it seems to be working ok, but I'm still paranoid that something could be wrong that I just haven't noticed yet.

Your speakers should be fine, but your amp is definately dead. As someone on the site has in their sig, "Electronics work on smoke, when you let it out, they stop working" or something to that effect. My question to you is, did the fuse on the power wire for the amp fry? If it didn't, it was a bad amp. Paul

ur speakers and hu should be fine. You may have had some lose connections, like the power making contact with the chasis of the amplifier, event just a little fray wire, will cause the amplifier to become part of the circuit and it will heat up rapidly causing damage. Another posiblity is that is was simply a cheap amp. I quit buying anything knock-off or cheap after an 1200 watt amp I bought for $60 caught on fire for no aparent reson. My suggestion would be to spend a few extra bucks for a real name brand amplifier."Shiny chrome when used in conjunction with bikini models is particularly effective in inducing brain deficit disorder"

02 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Monster System on its way.

the fuse on the power wire for the amp was fine, literally none of the fuses blew.

To me it sounds just like a fault amp from factory, no big deal, it happens. Dont let a piece of blown equipment make you scared to work with this stuff. sh*t happens, move on. What kinda amp was it. I do have to agree with above that buying the cheap stuff generally isnt worth it, but you also have to work within the confines of your budget.double-secret reverse-osmosis speaker-cone-induced high-level interference distortion, Its a killer

you may still want to triple check all of your wiring... you'd sure hate to get the amp replaced only to smoke another almost immediately... most dealers will not replace a product twice in one week for a guy....Kevin Gerry

Certified Electronics Technician

MECP First Class Installer

Owner/Installer

Classic Car Audio

since 1979

kgerry wrote: ... most dealers will not replace a product twice in one week for a guy...

Take it from me, they won't. I've done this . Check the wiring. Paul

kgerry wrote: ... most dealers will not replace a product twice in one week for a guy...

Take it from me, they won't. I've done this . Check the wiring. Paul

Umm... how did the doubble post happen?? Oh well. Sorry. Paul