remote reading 4 volts?

whats up y'all, I got a problem.  My amps are both reading 4.30 volts dc at the amps,  both are not turning on or playing any sound, and one my hifonics, the hifonics name on amp is bearly lighting up, probably because is not at 12 volts.  Anyway this has been occuring ever since yesterday, but previously ever since I hooked up my new hifonics amp the amp has been cutting out after about 20 minutes of play, and I know it is not the gains because I have been setting gains for a while now, with a dmm.  I am about to take apart the headunit to see if it is a problem with the remote wire connection seeing as I did have best buy install it, but does anyone know if it is something else?  Thanks for the help,

Cody

use a relay to increase the voltage

ok the remote is reading 4 volts not the power wire, I don't need a relay, and yes I said that the hifonics name on amp is dimming, and since it is reading 4 volts, some voltage is getting to the amp just not enough to turn it on.  Battery is reading 12.5 but I am going to check it again today, and my ground is fine, any other suggestions?

Also, when I was driving home right now I hit a bump and it turned on again for a second but when it hit a deep bass note it turned the amps off again, so I think it is a wiring problem, fun stuff.

Guys.. theres any easy solution, just use the ACC wire from your ignition and wire that to the remote wire, then you dont have to get a new Headunit, unless you really want one

--Skold

hey skold I have heard of people doing this but am still a little unsure, so the remote has to go to the ACC ignition wire, can't be the switched 12v+ at the head unit right?  Because I thought it was the switched 12v+ at the head unit and tried that today and still got the same problem, 12v where I spliced into the switched wire and in the trunk was reading 5-7v at the amp.  The switched should be the same as the ACC ignition wire right both receive 12 volts when the key is turned right?

I have no idea what is going on, it is like my amps are drawing too much voltage or something, maybe I need to change out the battery, even though it is 12.5volts, anyone?

your battery should be ok if the power wires are still reading 12 volts when your car is turned on try hooking it up to the red wire instead of the blue and white wire since your radio is still turning on it will work

Ok, having a stronger electrical background than i do specific car audio experience, im gonna through out a concept that might help with a solution.  TY, you said something about drawing a voltage.  You can't acctually draw a voltage but you draw current.  A dead battery can very easily read 12 volts.  Its not until you put a load on it and start drawing a current that you will read decreased voltage due to internal battery resistance.  That being said, if you have a high resistance ground or a dying batt., you wont see it on a volt meter until to system is drawing current.  I didnt read all the posts carfully enough, but i would try 2 things.  First test your battery.  Really, incomparison to a starter, a typical amp doesnt draw that much current and should run on a battery thats not quite "up to par".  But to test the battery, either check to see if your DMM has a spesific 12V batery tester -or- turn the key on and as many electrical systems as possible, lights, radio, vent fans, ect (dont acctually start the car) and THEN read the voltage on the batery.  if the batt is in good shape, move to the trunk.  If i understand correctly, you spliced into a wire (acsesory at the ignition?) that read 12V at the splice but 4V at the amp.  So somewhere you are droping 8V across a resistance somewhere.  If it was a  short, you'd most likely blow a fuse or your battery would be dead.  My guess is a bad connection.  If you have a single length of wire with no other splices all the way to the trunk, a good place to look is ground.  You said you thought your ground was good but you'll want to be sure.  Connecting an ohm meter all the way from the neg. batt. to the amp ground is the best way.  Use speaker wire or whatever, but you shouldnt have more than a few ohms.  OR ifyou can get your amp to turn on at all, from B+ to grd on the amp itself should drop the full 12V,  if your not droping 12 between those 2 terminals then there is a resistance in series some where in that circuit.

Whew!  sorry if that was too long and drawn out, but i kinda believe in good electrical concepts so people can start to understand what possible things could be going on before they rip their car apart.  Anyway, Good luck and feel free to ask any other questions 

Hey Ty,

Read my post labled "proper setup to boost audio performance", this kind of sounds like what my problem was. I currently am in the process of fixing the problem, via a thourough diagnostic check from a certified car stereo installer. If this sounds like your problem, then let me know and ill let you know what they did to solve the issue.

-Coyoteboy18

thanks for the insight jaydawg, I know now it is not the battery had kragen check my whole electrical system and everything is up to par.  So now I am moving onto my grounds, this is really weird because I have had the same grounds ever since I hooked up my system last year and no problems until recently.  I checked when I hooked up the grounds to make sure was a good connection no paint or anything that I can remember, but tomorrow I will check and make sure.  Oh well live and learn.

ty]

wrote:

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hanks for the insight jaydawg, I know now it is not the battery had kragen check my whole electrical system and everything is up to par.  So now I am moving onto my grounds, this is really weird because I have had the same grounds ever since I hooked up my system last year and no problems until recently.  I checked when I hooked up the grounds to make sure was a good connection no paint or anything that I can remember, but tomorrow I will check and make sure.  Oh well live and learn.

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Yep, no problem..Let me know how tings turn out for ya

well jaydog you were right, it was the ground.  I cannot believe I hooked up my amps with that ground, it was painted and there was all kinds of crap there I can't believe it ever made a good enough connection in the first place.  Wow, what was I thinking, oh well never make that mistake again, must have been smoking way too much.  Anyway thanks again for the insight, peace.

Cody

ty]

wrote:

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ell jaydog you were right, it was the ground.  I cannot believe I hooked up my amps with that ground, it was painted and there was all kinds of crap there I can't believe it ever made a good enough connection in the first place.  Wow, what was I thinking, oh well never make that mistake again, must have been smoking way too much.  Anyway thanks again for the insight, peace.

Cody

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Haha  Yeah, no problem dude.  Always helps to step back and look at what the possiblities could be for the symptoms.    And lay off the cheeb dawg!  : P  lates