Amp Problem
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=13088
Printed Date: July 13, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Topic: Amp Problem
Posted By: Devil_Boy
Subject: Amp Problem
Date Posted: May 02, 2003 at 6:32 PM
Hey there.
Lately i have been having problems with my amp for about the last month maybe 2 months it has been cutting out on me. Now since it FINALLY warmed up here. I got out there and tried to gfigure out whats wrong. But ihave no clue.
The amp is a Kenwood Kac-714 its a 200w amp running to mtx subs( i have no clue what type because there were all givin to me, but there older ones) This has worked for almost a year now. And now it seems to just cut out randomly. I first thought it was the ground so i switch where it was grounded to and it not that. When the amp cuts out both remote and constant power wires are still showing 12v. I just noticed today that when the subs cut out the power light still stays on. You can here it click when it turns off to.
Im not near as expirenced as some of the people on this board so im guessing it could be going into the protection mode??
So if anyone has any ideas of whats wrong please tell me cause im stumped.
Thanks
Replies:
Posted By: cyantist
Date Posted: May 02, 2003 at 8:10 PM
How many subs is it running to?
What gauge wire are you using?
How are the subs wired to the amp?
Where is the amp mounted?
Let's start there.. 
Posted By: esmith69
Date Posted: May 02, 2003 at 10:07 PM
Many amps have protection lights that will light up if a speaker short or unsupported impedence is detected. Sometimes it will be a separate light, and other times it will just make the power light turn red (or green if it's normally red). Does it cut out when you turn it up to a certain volume level? Or does it seem to be completely random? Without knowing the specs of your subs and how they were wired, there's not a whole lot else we can suggest to you. Try taking a sub out of the box and looking on the back of the magnet. Usually they will tell you what its impedence is. Also, how many speaker terminals are on the box itself? (assuming you have two subs and they're both in one box) Usually when a box has two subs in it, there will be separate external speaker terminals for each sub, but on a few manufacturer-matched boxes/subs they wire up the subs in parallel or series internally, and run it all to one external speaker terminal. ------------- Ethan
-----
"Patience, persistence, and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success"
Donate to the12volt.com
Posted By: bberman1
Date Posted: May 02, 2003 at 10:07 PM
I would try and disconnect one of the subs and see what happens. If it continues to happen reconnect the one you disconnected and disconnect the other one. It sounds to me like you could have a bad sub. Also dose it happen at high or low volumes or dose it not matter what the volumes at. And also how often dose it happen?
Posted By: AMOR
Date Posted: May 03, 2003 at 12:27 PM
check to see if the amp is running hot. you can add small fans. ------------- TONY
Posted By: Devil_Boy
Date Posted: May 03, 2003 at 12:29 PM
Hey there
sorry i missed alot. all wires are 4awg. There 2 10inch subs, wired in Parallel. and the amp is mounted behind the subs on the floor of my trunk on a board.
Actually, last night (very late) i had a thought that the light turned from green to red in protection mode. But it doesnt. Its always red.
I thought it was wierd that the subs cut out at ALL volume levels to. And at random one day it went out and dint come back on for about a day other times it clickes off and comes back on within minutes.
I will go pull my subs out and make sure everythings okay in the box. Ill get back to you guys in a bit.
Thanks so far.
I hope i can cure this.
Posted By: Big Purds
Date Posted: May 04, 2003 at 3:32 AM
when the amp cuts out, measure the power at the speaker leads on the amp...
amps have many different components and can die many different deaths on you...sometimes your input stage goes, sometimes your output stage goes...sometimes its not your amp, but your RCA leads from your deck...
its very hard to diagnose a problem without actually being there yourself and playing with it in person, so thank you for the patience with the ppl on this board...we will all try to help, but it can be a tedious step by step process...
Posted By: Devil_Boy
Date Posted: May 04, 2003 at 1:18 PM
Hey there
In the middle of trying many things i just had my amp going with no subs on it. And it still clicked off?? So i take it this means its the amp??? Is it on its last legs or is it something simple to fix.
I understand it is probaly hard to diagnose a problem without being there, its hard enough to figure out whats wrong BEING THERE. So thats okay.
Thanks again
Posted By: chkdsk
Date Posted: May 04, 2003 at 5:18 PM
Big Purds wrote:
when the amp cuts out, measure the power at the speaker leads on the amp...
Big Purds, Just for my own sake, what should the DMM reading typically be on the speaker leads? Sorry to off-topic this thread but might pertain to this issue also.
Posted By: esmith69
Date Posted: May 04, 2003 at 6:29 PM
Kinda sounds like you might have a bad ground. Make sure wherever the amp is grounded to, is a part of bare metal of the vehicle's chassis. If there's paint there, ALL of it must be scraped off before screwing in the ground cable. Also another possibility, check the power cable up at the battery, as well as the power cable's fuse. Make sure everything is good and tight and that you have a good fuse in there. Sometimes fuses can check out ok with a multimeter but behave sporadically once they're actually installed. Again both of these are kinda unlikely possibilities, but they're definitely things you should check on before concluding the amp is toast. ------------- Ethan
-----
"Patience, persistence, and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success"
Donate to the12volt.com
|