Author Topic: Sub Help! (Read 2383 times)

Nordie · « **on:** March 22, 2010, 08:43:54 PM »

so anyway after deciding to put a stereo in the ol tahiti i decided a sub and amp would help the situation...and since then i have had nothing but troubles...i mean dont get me wrong the stereo works great, but my damn amp cuts out like a mofo...when i crank the stereo up the sub shuts off, and straight up says no! lemme tell you what i have tried...i have tried 2 decks....3 amps "one of which is in my truck and works in my truck" and 2 subs! all the same result! also i have tried connecting the amp to one of my regualar speakers, and guess what same thing cut out...the amp is a briged 745 watt amp, and a single 12" sub...i am running a power and ground directly from the battery to the amp, and the guage wire is 8 guage, but after all the process it seems to be boiling down to the wiring, and i know my wiring is stout, but maybe not enough...i have talked to quite a few people some members some not, and am just damn curious to know what am i doing wrong? should i try a thicker guage wire? should i be running 2 batts? should i just say efff it?

Donjuan · « **Reply #1 on:** March 22, 2010, 09:10:01 PM »

Is your boat running when you are testing it out. If not it is clipping. It is not getting enough constant power from the battery. Trying firing the boat and seeing if that works. If you don't want ot fire the boat hook up a battery charger and crank it up and see if that lessens the clipping. It sounds like your amps are trying to pull to much at once.

SuperDuty · « **Reply #2 on:** March 22, 2010, 09:11:54 PM »

I had that problem with the system in my party barge. I had a 600 watt amp powering 1 Sony 12 and when I cranked it it would turn the amp off. Is your deck turning off or just the power to the amp? First it was my deck, I was drawing too many amps pushing the highs (didnt have the highs amplified) and that was causing it to turn off at higher volume then switch back on automatically. I fixed that then my amp was turning off. I ran a 4 awg ground wire for the amp, which I really thought was alot of overkill for a 600 watt'r, but that fixed the amp turning off problem. Boats are a new world for me compared to trucks with systems.. everythings weird!

Nordie · « **Reply #3 on:** March 22, 2010, 09:20:49 PM »

definately tryed it with the motor running, and a little better, but did not cure it! i fiugred my ground was not enough, but it has to be...the stereo never shuts off, just the sub! the light on the amp goes dim, and then bright...i really want to think my power wire sucks ass, and isne enough...i am running the amp under the bow because there just isnt anywhere else to put it! i did the battery charger thing as well, and no luck! in fact the boat is still on the charger i should probably take it off of it! dont worry it is on a low charge not on start...i did try this same scenerio on start setting on the charger, and the same result...i really think that i have to weak of a power wire, but could possibly be the ground, but the ground is 8 guage going directly to the batt...who knows! it's got me pulling my hair out, but everyday i am making progress! the rest of the stereo sounds really good BTW! i can hear the stereo at idle loud and clear...im sure that while cruising i am not going to hear it, but that is ok!

SuperDuty · « **Reply #4 on:** March 22, 2010, 09:34:00 PM »

Yah, if the light is just going dim then bright again when it cuts out.. Id say its your power wire or ground. I dont know why it would be though.. 8 awg should be fine. Stupid boat stereos!

Then again, 745 watt amp is pretty big, might just draw alot! Do either of the ground or power wires start to get warm after awhile?

Marcsrollin · « **Reply #5 on:** March 22, 2010, 09:53:15 PM »

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/capacitor.htm

AQUAHOLIC · « **Reply #6 on:** March 22, 2010, 10:04:31 PM »

do you have anyone you can borrow a 1 farad cap from. if you put that befoe your amp it will smooth out the draw on the battery when the subs needs the power.

just a thought.

other than that try either thicker cables or shorter cables. the longer the run the bigger wire you should use. i have 6ga in my boat and run the amp under the bow. my subs are also under the bow though.

Nordie · « **Reply #7 on:** March 22, 2010, 10:09:38 PM »

thanks tony for the talk earlier i think im running too small cable! im still on one battery too...a cap is probably a good idea, but that is one of them things i didnt have laying around! i used to have a bunch of 4 guage, but knowing me i gave it all away...thats what i am good at! just giving people shit! yeah im probably running 15-20 feet of power wire, and the same on ground, and once again everything is connected directly to my one battery! i remember you telling me to jump up voltage on the charger to see what happened, but it didnt improve...i think tomorrow i will run a 4 gauge to the amp and see what happens!

SuperDuty · « **Reply #8 on:** March 22, 2010, 10:22:32 PM »

If you want to borrow a Capacitor to see if that will help I can send one your way to test. Its a 1.5 farad Lanzar, works good to power my 2 2000 watt amps in my truck. Didnt even think about that! Stopped ALL headlight dimming in the truck. Im guessing shipping would be that bad, and its better than spendin 200 bucks to find out that it didnt help!

Ganz · « **Reply #9 on:** March 22, 2010, 11:34:37 PM »

Don't waste the money on a cap. Get bigger power and ground wire. 8 awg is to small for 600 watts not to mention your running about 15 feet or so. Another thing is to upgrade the size wire from your battery to the block and alternator. Try a google search for "Big 3 Car Audio". I seriously don't suggest wasting money on a cap.

Danger731 · « **Reply #10 on:** March 23, 2010, 04:09:02 AM »

could it be the baTTERY AS WELL ?

Nordie · « **Reply #11 on:** March 23, 2010, 06:07:56 AM »

I don't think my battery is the issue at all, and my ground to the block is effing huge! I think everyone is right that the 8 guage just ain't gonna cut it, and I can't mount the amp anywhere in the rear!

Donjuan · « **Reply #12 on:** March 23, 2010, 12:21:00 PM »

I say cap as well. try larger wire at first but I don't think that is it. I have a 6 gauge powering almost 1000 watts in my truck and have no issues. Boats/trucks are the same. Motor, battery, alternator. I am running almost 15 ft from my batt in my truck to my amps in back cab.

Nordie · « **Reply #13 on:** March 23, 2010, 07:12:14 PM »

if i run a cap it would half to be close to the amp under the bow how would i connect it properly cause you need a seperate ground for it...the amp worked better today running 4 gauge wire to it, but it is still cutting out...the amp is not shutting off, but just quits working the sub, and i tried it with a seperate speaker and same thing...it's gotta be something stupid that is affecting me...maybe it is just a low voltage thing! im going to borrow a cap, but my question i guess is can i get away with running my 8 gauge back to the block and be ok with the 4 gauge on the positive side...the amp itself is grounded with 4 gauge...it cant be that difficult, and even using my amp out of my truck it does the same thing!

AQUAHOLIC · « **Reply #14 on:** March 23, 2010, 07:30:51 PM »

are you running the speakers briged? if not try that. if you are try the other way. make sure the connections are all clean. even though they are screwed down current will stop under a load if there is corrosion present. dont worry we will get to the bottom of this. even if we both have to drive to a lake some where with a cooler full of beer to figure it out.

Nordie · « **Reply #15 on:** March 23, 2010, 07:38:15 PM »

sounds good tony...i'll leave the jager at home this time! all wires are new! most everything i pulled off the spool from previous amp instalations! a stupid question i think i know the answer to is if i hook up a cap can i use the ground that is going to the amp? or should i ground it independently? or should i use a distribution block? the reason i ask is i would really hate to run to long ass grounds from the battery to the bow! still would like to know if it would be ok to ground the cap with 8 guage and of course the positive would still be 4 gauge...i never had stereo issues like this...

Ganz · « **Reply #16 on:** March 23, 2010, 07:55:18 PM »

Always run same size power and grounds. Check out this website it has a ton of information also see what they say about caps

. http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/ . I used to install at a local audio shop. The cap will just mask the real problem.

Nordie · « **Reply #17 on:** March 23, 2010, 08:09:27 PM »

yeah right now amp and power wire are 4 gauge... no cap installed right now

this thing has got me

propless · « **Reply #18 on:** March 24, 2010, 09:23:36 AM »

Nordie, let me get this straight. You have 4 gauge power and ground, direct from the batt to the amp now and its still shutting off. The light on the amp dims but does not go completely off. and the deck has no issues (no dimming ect).

Heres what I want you to try, take a volt meter and check the voltage at the amps power/ground terminals when its playing/shutting off. See what its showing then do the same thing at the batt, if theres a big difference the problem is in the wires (doubtful with 4ga).

Also check the voltage on the remote wire (the wire from the deck that turns the amp on). I know it doesn't really make sense but Ive seen some amps act weird like this when the remote voltage was to low. Its and easy thing to check by just temporarily jumping power from 12v at the amp to the remote terminal (disconnect the wire from the deck) and see if it helps. If it helps just put a relay on there to power up the amp.

The cap might help and you can use the same 4ga wire you have for the amp for the cap. The cap just stores power, so put it as close to the amp as possible on the amps power/ground wires. No separate wires running back to the batt for the cap. In sure you already know, but be sure to properly charge the cap before installing it, dont just connect it or it will make BIG spark thats not good for the cap.

Like AQUAHOLIC said, dont worry, we can figure this out.

It would just be so muck easier if I could get me hands on it.

CHROMEY · « **Reply #19 on:** March 24, 2010, 09:49:33 AM »

Quote

It would just be so muck easier if I could get me hands on it.

thats what i said..

Baja and Bust · « **Reply #20 on:** March 24, 2010, 11:28:54 AM »

Curious to see what the outcome of this thread is. I've been having the same problem with the deck in my boat and I'm not even running a sub/amp. Only two 6x9's and two 5 1/4's. The problem started after adding on the two 5 1/4's.

Nordie · « **Reply #21 on:** March 24, 2010, 02:36:11 PM »

well today trying to fix this thing i did a nice arc from ground to power now the amp wont turn on or the head unit....so with my temper as bad as it is this is what happened!

i have officially walked away from this for the day otherwise more shit will be broken...i also ripped the cover off for the stereo the water protector deal...when i lose it i just lose it....the deck got me one last time as i was throwing it to the ground it cut my damn finger open...a little super glue and i am all good, but i am so mad right now

CHROMEY · « **Reply #22 on:** March 24, 2010, 03:02:21 PM »

i heard craigs list has good stuff for sale......

now its gonna cost you more for me to look at it!!

bring it over!!!!!!!!!!!

Nordie · « **Reply #23 on:** March 24, 2010, 03:18:02 PM »

when you spend countless hours under the bow only to have this happen to you...well you tend to lose it! i been doing all of this shit since last friday!!!!!

Ganz · « **Reply #24 on:** March 24, 2010, 05:10:37 PM »

Well does not look like that head unit is gonna work anymore. Do what propless said to check voltages. You can get a mini to rca adapter and hook an Ipod, sat radio, or whatever straight to the amp. I pulled a wire off my ignition and thew a switch on it and hooked it up to the remote turn on solved the problem of turning the amp on and off (just remember to turn it off when not in use). Hope the finger is ok and you get it figured out.