zapco amp blowing fuses
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=124540
Printed Date: May 23, 2024 at 9:09 AM
Topic: zapco amp blowing fuses
Posted By: mike-e209
Subject: zapco amp blowing fuses
Date Posted: November 19, 2010 at 12:26 AM
i have a zapco AG200. every time i connect the 12v the fuse blows instantly. i do have a DMM and i am pretty good at soldering and replacing parts in small electronics. i just dont have much knowledge how to properly troubleshoot the amp or even have knowledge about what it could possibly be thats wrong. there are no amp repair shops near me. my only option is sending it to zapco but they want $70 just to look at it. thats insane, im sure my shipping on top of that will be about $20. can someone help me out by putting me in the right direction or point out what i should test and how. THANK YOU VERY MUCH IN ADVANCED.
 https://ampguts.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8216&title=zapco-ag-200-inside&cat=2073
Replies:
Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: November 19, 2010 at 3:20 AM
If it blows the fuse without the remote wire connected, the power supply has failed. If it does not blow the fuse with only power and ground applied, but it does blow when remote terminal is powered as well, the probelm lies on the audio section of the amp. Either situation is repairable, which of the above situations describes what you have going on?
Posted By: mike-e209
Date Posted: November 19, 2010 at 5:26 PM
when i connect only with the battery 12volt. the remote is fine. wher is the power supply in the picture? i have no idea wher it is. i would like to know so that i could remove it and order the part and replace it. THANKS FOR THE FAST RESPONSE TOO
Posted By: dodgeram10
Date Posted: November 19, 2010 at 7:51 PM
https://www.justrepairs.com/main.html They offer free repair estimates & have a very good reputation . Prices are reasonable too .
Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: November 19, 2010 at 8:04 PM
mike-e209 wrote:
when i connect only with the battery 12volt. the remote is fine.
I can not make heads or tails out of the above. With only the power and ground connections connected, does it blow the fuse?
The 6 clamps to the right of the picture hold the 4 power supply transistors along with the 2 rectifier diodes.
Do not unsolder anything until we determine if the parts are bad.
Posted By: mike-e209
Date Posted: November 19, 2010 at 10:26 PM
im sorry, just read what i replied and my wording really was confusing.
on the terminals for power. 12V - REMOTE- GROUND
this is whats happening.
step 1. i connect GROUND = everything ok
step 2. then i connect the REMOTE wire= everything is ok
step 3. connect 8AWG 12v constant power= POP FUSE IMMEDIATLY BLOWS.
@ i am an idiot - "With only the power and ground connections connected, does it blow the fuse?" - Answer: Yes
@ dodgeram10 - thanks ill look into that too
Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: November 19, 2010 at 10:34 PM
When I say power and ground, I mean only the 2 wires. The big power wire and the big ground wire. You stated that you connected the remote wire second in that order. I need to know with only 2 wires connected, does it blow the fuse.
Posted By: mike-e209
Date Posted: November 20, 2010 at 1:21 PM
@ i am an idiot - i did what you asked, only 2 big power cables. yes it did blow
Posted By: DYohn
Date Posted: November 20, 2010 at 2:08 PM
Then the amplifier's power supply is bad. ------------- Support the12volt.com
Posted By: mike-e209
Date Posted: November 20, 2010 at 3:48 PM
@DYohn - thanks. im sure this is a stupid question. but ther is only 1 power supply correct?
is it possible to test a power supply w DMM how would i test it?, i dont even know which one the power supply is. i feel stupid asking this question cuz i am familiar with electrical components (capacitors, diods, transistors, resistors, potentiomenters...) but i have no idea what the power supply looks like and ther for dont know wher it is located on this amp.
Posted By: DYohn
Date Posted: November 20, 2010 at 5:25 PM
The power supply is a circuit made up from the sorts of components you mention. I do not recommend that you start poking around under the hood unless you know what you are doing. Take the amp to a shop that can do repairs. ------------- Support the12volt.com
Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: November 20, 2010 at 8:26 PM
i am an idiot wrote:
The 6 clamps to the right of the picture hold the 4 power supply transistors along with the 2 rectifier diodes.
Do not unsolder anything until we determine if the parts are bad.
Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: November 20, 2010 at 8:48 PM
Remove the clamps off of the leftmost devices in the picture. Using an ohm meter set to the Diode test function, check from the middle leg to the rightmost leg of each of the devices. Post the numbers you get for each device.
Posted By: haemphyst
Date Posted: November 21, 2010 at 12:29 AM
Honestly... I admire your chutzpah, but even *if* you are familiar with the components, and can use a DMM, if you don't even know which end of the amplifier circuit board is the power supply, (and even with i am an idiot's help - I've seen him help people fix literal basket cases) PLEASE follow DYohn's advice, and pay the few dollars to have it fixed... If you wreck it, it can only cost you more.
Usually, the bench charge will go toward the cost of total repairs... that $70.00 will mostly pay for the total. Even sending it back to Zapco shouldn't cost more than $100.00 to $125.00, plus freight. By the time you get it back, i am an idiot will still be helping you diagnose the problems. Seriously, it's worth the money. If you decide to attempt the repairs yourself, I truly hope you are able to complete the repairs, but I have also seen it go WAY the other direction.
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