Amplifier repair possible? Getting hot
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=42019
Printed Date: July 21, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Topic: Amplifier repair possible? Getting hot
Posted By: fierygt
Subject: Amplifier repair possible? Getting hot
Date Posted: October 31, 2004 at 11:27 PM
Hey guys, need an electronics genius out there. I have a Phoenix Gold M25 Amplifier, and after about 15 minutes or so, it gets hot and shuts down. Once it cools off, it turns itself back on. Other than that, it has no distortion or noise or anything in it, and i have checked the power, ground and remote wires, and the speaker wires to make sure nothing is wrong in the wiring. So can someone tell me what to look for? I am checking resistors, diodes, things like that, but could someone tell me if it might me a transistor thats mounted to the heat sink, or something like that? Oh, and I know it's an older amplifier, but I like that fact, and I like the quality. Any help is appreciated.
Replies:
Posted By: fierygt
Date Posted: October 31, 2004 at 11:29 PM
By the way, it is only pushing 2 4x6 speakers, not a sub or anything.
Posted By: audiopro111
Date Posted: November 01, 2004 at 9:23 AM
it could be a # of things like is there enough ventilation around your amp,is u'r ground screwed or bolted over a painted surface,are u'r gains too high and overloading the speaker that in turn backfeeds and shuts down amp,are one of your speaker or power wires kinked or grounding out somewhere,is the remote line giving out enough current or even the are you using the proper power and ground gauge wires .Is it fused at least 12-18 inches from battery? Also does this amp have fans check to see if there coming on.try these first before u start taking things apart it may save u a headache....
------------- AudioPro111
Posted By: Rushman
Date Posted: November 01, 2004 at 9:35 AM
Double check the grounds...........so many people overlook the grounds. Like mentioned above by Audiopro , make sure your not grounded to a painted surface. Use at least minimum 8 ga. ground. 4 ga. would be best.
------------- 99 F-one fitty
Pioneer Premier H/U
Alpine EQ
Kicker 1200 amp
4 Kicker comp 10s
6 kicker SS65.2 components
Posted By: lathan
Date Posted: November 01, 2004 at 11:34 AM
definitly the ground and or ventilation. take a dremel tool and grind away any paint where your ground is going, and even still add a star washer. cheap insurance. as far as ventilation is concerned, remember that energy does not just dissapear. it changes. even if u are just pushing a couple of 4x6's, an amp is an amp meaning the smallest amp in the world will not run properly if not stable in a resonable enviroment. good luck, and let us know how it works out.
------------- Lathan Hites
"I'm sorry, without a credit card I'll be requiring a stool sample"
Posted By: fierygt
Date Posted: November 01, 2004 at 3:22 PM
Ok guys, the ground wire I am using is 8 gauge, as is the positive wire. I am using a seat post, and I have already used the dremel to grind down to bare metal. Two things here...It gets extremely hot even when there are no speakers hooked up to it, only the power. It just has to come on for it to start getting hot. Also, I have a Phoenix Gold M50 (Same type of amp, just bigger) pushing a JL 8W6 and it is set up the same way, and it stays ice cold. I did notice that when I measure the power at the positive and negative terminals when the amp is on, it reads around 9.50 volts, so what could that be? When off at the same terminals it gives the usual 12.6volts While the M50 reads 12.6 both on and off. Keep the help coming guys, it's greatly appreciated!
Posted By: haemphyst
Date Posted: November 01, 2004 at 5:46 PM
I would send it back to PG. Sounds to me like there is something wrong in the power supply.
Have you tried connecting the KNOWN good power connections of the other amp to this one? If so, were your results the same? If so, there is ABSOLUTELY something wrong with the amp. If the results were not the same, then there is something wrong with the power distribution to that amp only. It IS POSSIBLE to have a bad connection to a ring terminal, a dirty post on the power supply input, etc. You mentioned that there is only 9.5 volts between the TERMINALS of the amp, but what about between the +12 and the chassis of the car? If it is the full 12 volts, then your ground is to blame.
Honestly, though, I vote for an issue in the amp, especially if it gets hot, even with no speakers connected to it.
------------- 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: haemphyst
Date Posted: November 01, 2004 at 5:49 PM
Or, check your fuses... If you have a slightly defective fuse, (one with an incomplete or improper connection in it) you could experience a voltage drop like that, and still not blow the fuse.
------------- 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: furflier
Date Posted: November 01, 2004 at 5:52 PM
Using the seat post is not a good ground. You need to relocate it to a part of the sheetmetal/ frame. Are both amps running off same power wire?
-------------
Posted By: lathan
Date Posted: November 01, 2004 at 7:04 PM
yea, seat posts definitly not what u want. If its a import ur not gonna want sheet metal in the trunk normally either due to foriegn cars are just spot welded to the chassis leaving "weld globs" having more metal in the upper section of the car than actual sheet metal.. and as much as I hate to say this, once in a while man- ya just need different equipment. hope ya get it going though. peace
------------- Lathan Hites
"I'm sorry, without a credit card I'll be requiring a stool sample"
Posted By: fierygt
Date Posted: November 01, 2004 at 7:08 PM
I have two 8 gauge wires, connected to a positive distribution block connecting the two amps together, running directly to the battery, so they are not really running of the same power wire, and I have tried installing the bad M25 where the good M50 is located, and it does the same thing. I am pretty sure that it is internal, and hoping someone could tell me what could be causing it. I am testing resistors, and diodes, but not too good with transisitors, and capacitors and such, and was just hoping someone could tell me what type of component on the circuit board could give this type of problem. It is apparently somewhere between the power supply and the transistors mounted to the heat sink, as the heat sink gets extremely hot, and looks like it has nothing to do with the speaker section of the amplifier. Keep the advice coming, thanks.
Posted By: furflier
Date Posted: November 01, 2004 at 7:23 PM
You either need to take the amp to a certified repair shop or replace it. There are to many things in the amp that could cause this. If you don't know what you are doing you could cause further damage to your system.
-------------
Posted By: audiopro111
Date Posted: November 01, 2004 at 7:53 PM
try hooking up the amp that is getting hot directly to the battery under hood connect your battery and remote line together and connect to positive post and ground to ground post if it still gets hot then u know it's definitly time to get it fixed if it doesn't then it's your wiring time to upgrade the gauge..or get a cap, first try the battery idea!
------------- AudioPro111
|