Amp getting Power but not dist to Subs

[w00tw00t111]

Hey you guys. I didn't search so if it's been mentioned like a thousand times I'm sorry. Just in a big panic! I have a 1000W amp that is 2-way bridgable. I then have 2 500W Subs. I wired everything like the instructions said to. I used 4guage wire from the battery to the amp and 8guage to ground the amp. Not sure what guage I'm using to go from the amp to the subs but, that's not the problem. The problem is that the amp is recieving power. I checked it with a multi-tester and the power light is on. The problem is that where you connect the wires that connect to your subs there is no power. I would assume that this is an amp problem. It recieves the power but, doesn't distrubute it. If anyone can help it would be great. Thanks

[Vanilla Sky]

common mistake, but are you sure the amp turn-on lead is getting power? if not, the amp won't actually switch on

[Mike's89AccordLX]

No where was mentioned about RCA's. I hope you have RCA's :) If you do have RCA cables then double check the +/- for the speaker hookups they might be flip flopped. Maybe your subs are a dud if all that is good. Test them on another system.

[w00tw00t111]

No where was mentioned about RCA's. I hope you have RCA's :) If you do have RCA cables then double check the +/- for the speaker hookups they might be flip flopped. Maybe your subs are a dud if all that is good. Test them on another system.
Right now I am trying them with RCA's but, it has the option to use something they give you in the box with the amp but, it is for higher pitches. I tried connecting a friends MTX subs to it that are working in his and his brothers cars and it didn't work. The problem as far as I know is the sub. It is the amp. The only reason why I think this is, is because the place where the power "exits" the amp to go to the sub, there is no power. I mean the place where you screw in the 12-14 guage into the actual amp where the "node" is there is no power at all. This was found by the multi-tester. I checked my pluses and minuses. The only thing that I can think of is that my subs have two positive and two negative terminls I only have the power running to one of each. I still though don't think that it is a problem with the actual sub I think that it is a problem with the amp. Don't know what else to do. Is there any way that internally something could be blown?(in the amp that is) Thanks

[Sabz5150]

Yeah, did you wire up the remote wire properly? You can cross the remote lead to your amp's +12 to test. If it comes on, then that's your prob.

I assume that the "higher pitches option" is the hi-input. You don't need that. Basically that's used to come straight off your headunit's speaker leads. Very crappy quality and used only as a last resort. Go with preouts, the RCA lines.

[w00tw00t111]

Yeah, did you wire up the remote wire properly? You can cross the remote lead to your amp's +12 to test. If it comes on, then that's your prob.

I assume that the "higher pitches option" is the hi-input. You don't need that. Basically that's used to come straight off your headunit's speaker leads. Very crappy quality and used only as a last resort. Go with preouts, the RCA lines.
What exactly is the remote wire? I didn't wire it because i thought that it had to do with a remote. I don't have a remote. Thanks

[Mike's89AccordLX]

The remote wire is the switched 12 volt wire that turns the amp on. Its usually blue in color. It should be on your wiring harness.

[Vanilla Sky]

on the back of any aftermarket radio, it's the solid blue wire, as per ISO standards...

[Sabz5150]

What exactly is the remote wire? I didn't wire it because i thought that it had to do with a remote. I don't have a remote. Thanks

It's the wire that cuts the amp on when your stereo is cut on. It's either labelled as remote or power antenna on your headunit. It's there so you don't have your amp on all the time and nuke your battery.

[Vanilla Sky]

wow, if only we could all jump on helping people like this all the time in here :werd:

[Mike's89AccordLX]

Well I think most of us can't sleep or are just bored :)

Plus its fun to help people figure stuff out, keeps your mind awake.

[w00tw00t111]

Hey guys I checked the remote cable and sure enough it was plugged in. The amp only turns on when the radio is turned on. So, it looks like that's not my problem either. Man I just don't know what it could be!!

[snow_man_20]

Check the head unit and see if the RCA's are on and the sub output levels are adjusted properly. turn it up so you can hear the mids. then try to adjust the amp. i hope this helps.

[HostileJava]

I didn't really read through the whole thread but here's a laundry list of things to check.
1. Make sure you are getting 12-14v across the +,- battery hookup on the amp.

2. Make sure you are getting 12-14v across the - battery hookup and the remote turn on hookup when the radio is on.

3. Make sure the RCA outputs on your headunit are turned on.

4. Make sure you are getting output across the RCA outputs by measuring the end of the cables. Outside ring is - and the pin in the center is +. You should be getting around 1-4 volts from most HU's.

5. If your headunit has a built in crossover make sure it's setup properly for whatever you are using the outputs for. If you are hooking up subs, make sure it's set to cutout the mids and highs and if you are using it for mid or high range components make sure it's setup accordingly.

6. If the amp has a built in crossover make sure it is setup properly as well. I've seen problems where the HU has a crossover and the amp has a crossover and one ends up cutting the mids and highs and the other is setup cut out the lows.

7. Test the output on the amp to make sure you have power going to the speakers.

8. Go over all your wiring and make sure you don't have any + or - reversed on not hooked up properly and check the amp for any errors. Some actually have LCD's that will report errors others just have an LED that will light a different color. For instance the LED on my sony will light up green when everything is ok and red when somthing is wrong.

[Sabz5150]

wow, if only we could all jump on helping people like this all the time in here :werd:

Yeah, it was 3 in the morning and my hentai google image searches were turning up nil.

Either way, at least we're addressing the issues in here.

[HostileJava]

Yeah, it was 3 in the morning and my hentai google image searches were turning up nil.

Either way, at least we're addressing the issues in here.

Ok, that was way to much information sabz. BTW pass along anything good you find. :kekeke:

[Vanilla Sky]

woot, i wanna follow up on this... did you ever get this worked out?

[w00tw00t111]

I just got back today from playing at cargnie hall. I tried everything in Hostile Java's post. Like I sayed before the amp is getting power but the wires that go to the actual sub's are not. That is most likely where the problem is. Help I need my bass!! jk

[Vanilla Sky]

have you bench tested the amp with a power supply? if not, do that or have it done...

[HostileJava]

Do you have another amp you can throw in there to either rule the amp out as the problem or determine that it's not working?

[88tandx]

did he ever figure this out??

you should always run the same guage for your power and ground lines.

1000W?? i work at best buy and we always reccomend that once at 500W you should start using a capacitor of at least .5 farad. my system is a 1000W PowerAcoustik Amp and i got a 1.2 farad cap for it and my lights never dim. i got a 600W 5 channel amp thats run straight to the battery but im gunna put a .5 farad cap in there as soon as i get it back from the shop.

I bought an no name amp from a cheap knockoff store and i had the same problem. you may have blown the fuses that are on the amp. just bring it back and get a new amp.

when you do the install for the new amp, get a 4 guage ground, get at least a .5 farad cap, disconnect your battery when working, and make sure you ground it good to the chassis w/ less than 18" of wire.

-joe

[mouchyn]

i hope you know that the 1.2 farad cap you have also assists your 5 channel amp. the cap isn't isolated to a specific amp. it's attached to the positive electrical system, so it's really connected to everything. That is, unless, you have your amps diode isolated for some reason...

you shouldn't need any more than a 1.2F cap in an accord. If you do, then you need to look into upgrading the alternator. A cap isn't a solution to a problem. It's a band-aid. If you NEED a cap to keep your lights from dimming, your charging system isn't strong enough for your setup. since most people are lazy, they just leave a cap in there or keep putting more and more to compensate. In the long run, it's better for your equipment and your checking account to just find an upgraded alt.

[Vanilla Sky]

yeah, i hate people that use caps instead of fixing the real problem... i mean, would you use a band-aid on a compound fracture?

oh, and when i put my amp in, it will have a half farad cap, but not because i have dimming lights, but more because i already have it and it does serve well as a half-assed power conditioner

[88tandx]

jeez, dont underestimate juss cuz im a "3geez Newbie" the car has a bosch HO alternator and is probably the main reason that my lights dont dim. The caps also help with audio quality and how hard you can really push your system. as far as the one cap helping the whole system yes i do realize this but im a perfectionist when it comes my audio and i can tell the difference in the audio quality when i put in a friend's .5 farad cap. so theres no "bandaid" here. and i think i once did actually put a bandaid on a compound fracture. highschool football really fucks with your sense of pain and how serious injuries really are.

-joe

[mouchyn]

how much did that bosch alternator cost? how much is it putting out?

[w00tw00t111]

Hey guys I never updated this thread because it was so old. I got it all hooked up and man it bangs so frecking hard!!! It shook the whole house and made my dog cry. Now I just need some frecking dynamat. I don't wanna look like those ghetto guys that have their trunks all ratteling because they don't have any sound dampening.
It's sooo loud though.

[Vanilla Sky]

88tandx... most people around here run stock electical systems with caps and expect it to work... i'm just trying to set a general trend that caps shouldn't be thought of as the only way to upgrade your power system... i for one am glad that you're not one of these people that uses stock wiring and expects it to work well... in saying that, thanks for setting a good example... please do as i and try to keep anybody from adding caps before at least making sure that thier alternator is working properly and puiing out sufficient voltage, and that they've got sufficient wiring between the battery and fusepanel, the alt and the fusepanel, and from battery ground to chassis ground...

[snow_man_20]

Ummm. HO bosch alt?! more info please

[snow_man_20]

this is all i could find.

http://www.boschusa.com/AutoParts/PartFinder/partfinderResults.asp

Never heard of any HO alt. for our cars. My alternator is going out and i have been looking for any company that makes a HO alternator and can't seem to find one that makes more then 65amps.

[Vanilla Sky]

i remember seeing one soemwhere online that put out 140 amps... i'm more than willing to bet it was just a rewind, though...

and yes, that was one for our cars

[mouchyn]

on my 3G prelude, i just used an alternator from a mid 90's accord sedan. The tag attached to the reman alternator i got from the parts store had the bench test results on it. average output 127 amps. still over 100 amps at idle. it worked VERY well.

I haven't spent enough time under my accords yet to see what other alternators will work. The 3G accord kinda has a goofy alternator setup. It's like up-side-down from most other hondas.

[88tandx]

The HO alternator came with my sedan when my uncle gave it to me cuz he's an audio freak. he had 3 10" infinity kappa perfects with 3 seperate infinity amps powering each one and all 6.5" kappa perfect components with the fronts in kick panels. only thing was he only listened to jazz and classical, but his car sounded like a damn concert hall. so i juss put it in the next one i got. its dirty as hell and is old as hell but when i got my car jumped by AAA the readout said it was putting out 107. which i guess for a 1500W system that is run at full volume all the time is more than enough.

also, not meaning to jack the thread or nething, but does nebody have info or can direct me to info pertaining to installations of a second battery.

-joe

[mouchyn]

also, not meaning to jack the thread or nething, but does nebody have info or can direct me to info pertaining to installations of a second battery.

-joe

there's nothing specific to the accord you need to know, really. that's just common electrical know-how. try hitting up some car audio sites and discussion boards. sites like crutchfield, rockford fosgate, and other brand-name sites have FAQ sections with good diagrams and stuff.

www.the12volt.com is another GREAT site for enthusiasts.