blown fuse 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=4221
Printed Date: August 21, 2025 at 4:52 AM
Topic: blown fuse problem
Posted By: khoat6
Subject: blown fuse problem
Date Posted: October 06, 2002 at 6:45 AM
i have a jenson mp3310 head unit which is 45x4.......a menace 200 watt amp.......and a polk audio 10 inch sub with a wedge box. everytime i turn the bass up too high......one of my fuses in the fuse box keeps blowing.....the fuse that blows is the interier lights fuse. i wired everything to the head units' power, ground, and remote wires. i even turned down the bass on the amp itself........it is only turned up like 10 percent and when i put the bass up on my head unit........or if i turn the volume up too high.......the fuse blows!!! does anyone kno how to fix this problem? thanks and please help..... ------------- brian
Replies:
Posted By: mobiletoys2002
Date Posted: October 06, 2002 at 7:07 AM
when you say you wired everything to the head units power ground do you meen amps are there too??????? if so they need there own wire run from the amps to the battery at least an 8 guage wire .post back and tell us if you wired evrything including amp to radio wire .
Posted By: khoat6
Date Posted: October 06, 2002 at 8:01 AM
behind the hed unit was 3 wires : power ground and remote....... i wired the head unit to that and split those 3 wires out to my amp. and i am not using 8 guage wire.......more like 16 or somethin......very small
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brian
Posted By: mobiletoys2002
Date Posted: October 06, 2002 at 8:15 AM
this is your problem you need one dedicated 8 guage wire from the battery to your amps. what you have is no good at all and needs to be changed verry soon .make the amps ground wire close to the amp use an 8 guage wire. Fuse your power lead 10 inches from the battery with the same value fuse thats on the amp. The remote lead is fine to connect to the radio that can stay the same.
Posted By: khoat6
Date Posted: October 06, 2002 at 8:20 AM
lemme get this straight.......i will need to have an 8 guage wire from the battery itself to the amp and a ground of its own? i cant use the head units' power and ground? so this will stop my interier lights fuse from blowing riote? and i will be able to use my amp at full power? i will get on this project today and let u guys kno if it wrks......thanks. by the way.......wut do u mean by "fuse your power lead 10 inches from the battery with the same value fuse thats on the amp". my amp has a 20amp fuse on it. ------------- brian
Posted By: AW1208Q
Date Posted: October 06, 2002 at 10:16 AM
that means you need an inline fuse on the 8guage power wire coming from the battery. if your amp only has one 20amp fuse that means you need a 20amp fuse 10 inches from the battery. the ground wire for your amp needs to be within 3feet of your amp.
Posted By: mobiletoys2002
Date Posted: October 06, 2002 at 12:10 PM
yes you will need a wire on its own going to the amp,and keep the ground wire as short as possible making sure to clean any paint off the surface before screwing down so it has a less resistive connection to the body of the car. 2-no you can not use a head units power and ground! 3- yes This should stop the fuse from blowing for your lights! 4- the power wire of an amp must be fused to protect the wire from starting a fire if ever shorted on metal or something.(Note that the fuse on the amp only protects the amp not the wire so this is why we need to put fuses near the battery in the event of a short circuit.)
Posted By: khoat6
Date Posted: October 06, 2002 at 4:19 PM
ok guys.......i went to the store got some 8 guage wire but i was confused bout the amp. i saw two types of fuse holders for 8 guage wires..........cylindrical.......or blade type. they can both handle up to 30 amps. i asked the worker ther and he sed ther basically the same but the cylindrical one is more for looks. i bought the blade type cuz it was only 6 bucks while the cylindrical one was around 20. does it really matter if its blade or cylindrical? thanks guys........and how do i connect the 8 guage to the battery? i didnt buy any special connectors.....do i need one? or can i just jam it in ther? thanks for all the help..........im a noobie to this......always lernin ------------- brian
Posted By: djfearny2
Date Posted: October 06, 2002 at 5:32 PM
WELL YOU SHOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM THIS IS WHAT YOU DO AND THIS IS EASY ONCE YOU DO IT YOU WILL ALWAYS KNOW HOW TO DO IT. USING A CONNECTOR CONECT ONE SIDE OF BLADE FUSE TO BATTERY POWER WIRE, THE RED ONE. CONNECT THE 8 GUAGE WIRE TO THE SECOND SIDE OF THE BLADE FUSE, PUT AT LEAST A 30 AMP FUSE IN THE FUSE HOLDER. RUN THE 8 GUAGE WIRE THROUGH THE FIRE WALL(METAL PLATE ABOVE PEDALS) FIND A RUBBER COVER OR SOME TYPE OF HOLE THAT GOES ALL THE WAY THROUGH FROM THE ENGINE TO THE GAS BRAKE PEDAL RUN THAT WIRE UNDER DASH OR UNDERNEATH SIDE MOLDINGS TO REACH THE BACK IF YOU AMP IS IN THE BACK I AM SURE YOU HAVE DONE THIS WITH THE RCA CABLES. DISCONNECT THE POWER AND GROUND WIRE YOU CONNECTED IN THE FIRST PLACE. LEAVE THE REMOTE WIRE THIS AS YOU KNOW , YOU WILL NEED. CONNECT THE POWER WIRE (8GUAGE WIRE FROM BATT) TO THE POSSITIVE TERMINAL OF AMP. IF YOU HAVE LEFT OVER 8 GUAGE WIRE FROM POWER WIRE USE THAT FOR GROUND I KNOW THAT MAY BE RED BUT THATS OK IT WIRE. CONNECT IT TO GROUND TERMINAL ON AMP. AND USE A TAPPING SCREW TO SCREW INTO A METAL SURFACE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF GROUND WIRE . AFTER THAT PLACE FUSE IN FUSE HOLDER CONNECTING TO BATT AND TURN THE CAR ON TEST OUT ANY PROBLEM EMAIL OR POST.. PS MAKE SURE WHEN RUNNING THE POWER WIRE BY STEERING WHEEL NOT TO PUT IT UNDER PEDALS OR BY STEERING WHEEL BECAUSE YOU DONT WANT WIRE GETTING CAUGHT AND BRAKING ON SOMETHING. I AM SURE YOU NOT DUMB SO DONT DO IT. ------------- Jon
Installer/Help Technician
---coral springs florida---
mecp certification is not always needed. I have it and it has not helped me out at all. my experience out shines it.
Posted By: djfearny2
Date Posted: October 06, 2002 at 5:33 PM
YOU PROBLEM IS CAUSE YOUR AMP IS DEMANDING TO MUCH CURRENT AFTER YOU DO THIS AND GET IT TO WORK YOU WILL BE ABLE TO TURN YOU AMP UP A LOT HIGHER AND GET BETTER BASE OUT OF IT.
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Jon
Installer/Help Technician
---coral springs florida---
mecp certification is not always needed. I have it and it has not helped me out at all. my experience out shines it.
Posted By: mobiletoys2002
Date Posted: October 06, 2002 at 6:25 PM
as well as the increased bass expect a much cleaner sound too  especially if you have fronts off the amp too. And now your amp will run a lot cooler and much more stable your amp was crying before.. lol its ok now its all going to be good.
Posted By: khoat6
Date Posted: October 06, 2002 at 9:57 PM
hey guys........juss finished the project........system sounds great now.......i can turn up the bass now.......and its all good.......thanks for the help and knowledge!!!
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brian
Posted By: jeffchilcott
Date Posted: October 07, 2002 at 10:14 AM
THis is why you go to a certified installer......you are lucky you didnt set your car on fire.....I witnessed someone do close to the same thing as you, but he ran 16 gauge ire to the battery and didnt fuse it at all........lets just say he has a 1999 mustang GT that is trash now......it caught on fire in the trunk and he didnt know till the fire and smoke came into the back seat.....by the time the fire department got there his whole interior was cooked If you dont know what your doing seek help first its better to be safe then have a crispy car....or a crispy u ------------- 2009 0-1000 Trunk WR 154.0DB 2009 1001+ Trunk WR
2007 USACI World Champion
2007 World Record
2006 USACI Finals 2nd Place
Posted By: khoat6
Date Posted: October 07, 2002 at 11:10 AM
hey........theres nothin wrong with saving money
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brian
Posted By: SnomanF150
Date Posted: October 07, 2002 at 8:07 PM
but saving $45 can eventually cost you about $20,000
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George
David's Car Stereo
Baton Rouge, LA
Posted By: kraigwood
Date Posted: October 07, 2002 at 10:49 PM
that is very True
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My Name is Rockey and I'm an alcholic!!
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