fuse blows during amp install

Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=115204
Printed Date: May 20, 2024 at 6:30 AM

Topic: fuse blows during amp install

Posted By: skahide
Subject: fuse blows during amp install
Date Posted: July 20, 2009 at 9:23 PM

I am installing a NEW Cuspid AM-4310 Amp in my cousins 91 Chevy. I have a 8 gauge wire running from battery to a 80 amp in-line fuse, then through firewall to amp. Same 8 Gauge wire grounded to the seat frame. then the remote wire, RCA cables to HU. BUT when i put the 15 amp fuse in the amp (same size came with it), and turn car on it blows the amp fuse. something i noticed too is that the amps power light comes on when the car is started no matter if the amps fuse is installed or not. I have yet to connect the speakers. thanks for the help.

Replies:

Posted By: skahide
Date Posted: July 20, 2009 at 9:24 PM

and by the way, i know the amp is crap but he bought it and im just helping him out.

Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: July 20, 2009 at 9:34 PM

Disconnect the remote wire from the amp. Does it still blow the fuse? If not, there is a problem with the amplifier. Probably has one or more shorted output transistors. Or if it is a chip amp, it has a bad output chip.

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Let's Go Brandon Brown. Congratulations on your first Xfinity Series Win. LGBFJB

Posted By: skahide
Date Posted: July 20, 2009 at 9:37 PM

Yes

Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: July 20, 2009 at 9:46 PM

It does not blow the fuse until you turn the car on. But when you disconnect the remote wire, it still blows the fuse, but only when you turn the car on?

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Let's Go Brandon Brown. Congratulations on your first Xfinity Series Win. LGBFJB

Posted By: skahide
Date Posted: July 20, 2009 at 9:50 PM

yes and no, originally i had a 4 gauge wire from battery, and a 8 gauge ground, and i blew once i put the wire to the battery. then switched all of the wires to 8 gauge, and no it only blows when i turn the car on.

Posted By: haemphyst
Date Posted: July 20, 2009 at 9:54 PM

The power light on that amp (and you're right it IS a huge POS) does not indicate whether the power supply within (if even equipped with a power supply) is functioning - it will only tell you that the remote lead is "hot".

If you can, pull the bottom off the amp... I'll be dollars to doughnuts that there is no power supply... I'll wager there are two big ol' STK chips in there, with nothing but battery voltage on the power pins... posted_image

A single 15A fuse? That's the same size fuse that most decks have in them... 50x4 MAX!

I know, so far I have not answered your question, but from all appearances, I'm also betting that your amp is pooched.

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It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."

Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: July 20, 2009 at 10:00 PM

Did you disconnect the remote wire from the amp?

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Let's Go Brandon Brown. Congratulations on your first Xfinity Series Win. LGBFJB

Posted By: skahide
Date Posted: July 20, 2009 at 10:38 PM

yes it is disconnected and does not blow with ground and +12 ONLY.

Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: July 20, 2009 at 10:45 PM

There is a shorted output device in the amp. Either a transistor or and output IC. You need a new amp. I haven't even researched your amp, but I agree with Haem, I would not spend any money getting that one repaired.

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Let's Go Brandon Brown. Congratulations on your first Xfinity Series Win. LGBFJB

Posted By: skahide
Date Posted: July 20, 2009 at 11:00 PM

amp isnt worth looking into. i think he got it off ebay WITH 2-12's for $70 TOTAL. So just to make sure, for the ground, i unscrewed a bolt from the seat frame, sanded it down to the metal, cleaned it off, and then put it back together with the ground attached. Is this good enough? i don't know why this thing didn't work out of the box, or could it have been the fact that the original ground wire wasn't large enough?

Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: July 20, 2009 at 11:11 PM

No a bad ground will not cause the problem you are experiencing. The only thing that could have caused it, (If it was not broken when you got it) would be running it into too low of an Ohm load, or a speaker wire touched ground or another speaker wire.

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Let's Go Brandon Brown. Congratulations on your first Xfinity Series Win. LGBFJB

Posted By: skahide
Date Posted: July 20, 2009 at 11:15 PM

Thanks, All of you, for your help