My favourite people at the Volkswagon dealership spent a good 4 hours (@ ~$80/hour!!) trying to figure out why my car battery was running down, and finally they discovered that it was my monsoon amplifier. They told me that it had to be replaced, and a new unit would run me $700.
Now, it seems that thier solution to everything is to order expensive new parts. Im wondering if there is anyway to diagnose this problem, and possibly fix it, without resorting to buying a completely new amp.
I know a little bit about electronics, and am handy with a soldering iron, but I am no electrical engineer. If some of the experts at this forum could give me some ideas, or staring points, that would be awesome. It definately is the amp, because the car battery does not drain when I disconnect the unit.
Cheers,
Nate
Now, it seems that thier solution to everything is to order expensive new parts. Im wondering if there is anyway to diagnose this problem, and possibly fix it, without resorting to buying a completely new amp.
I know a little bit about electronics, and am handy with a soldering iron, but I am no electrical engineer. If some of the experts at this forum could give me some ideas, or staring points, that would be awesome. It definately is the amp, because the car battery does not drain when I disconnect the unit.
Cheers,
Nate
It looks like the following repair center services those amplifiers:
http://www.carstereohelp.com/
If you can't get it properly repaired and it works otherwise, you may consider installing a relay on the power wire. Connect the relay so that it disconnects power when the ignition is switched off.
http://www.carstereohelp.com/
If you can't get it properly repaired and it works otherwise, you may consider installing a relay on the power wire. Connect the relay so that it disconnects power when the ignition is switched off.
Car dealers *never* repair electronics, their "technicians" are just trained to keep replacing electronic modules by new ones until the problem is solved (sometimes, good modules are replaced too).
So if you don't want to expend a whole lot of money, you have to find some smart electronics technician willing to repair it. I do that kind of work sometimes and I would be glad to try to repair that amplifier, but unfortunately I live in the opposite side of the world
Try to find someone in your city.
So if you don't want to expend a whole lot of money, you have to find some smart electronics technician willing to repair it. I do that kind of work sometimes and I would be glad to try to repair that amplifier, but unfortunately I live in the opposite side of the world
Try to find someone in your city.
Well, I found a cheap replacement amp, and guess what? The problem still occurs.
It seems to me that perhaps the head unit is at fault for switching on the amp when it is not supposed to or not switching it off. Is there any way to tell if the amp is on?
The monsoon system on the jetta seems to be a strange beast. From what I understand, the amp turns on/off automatically (or is supposed to) when it senses a signal from the HU. Also, apparently the amp is more of an active crossover than an actual amp... I think the head unit is responsible for most of the amplification.
The fact is, when I disconnect the amp, the problem doesnt occur. So any ideas why the amp is draining the battery?
Thanks again.
It seems to me that perhaps the head unit is at fault for switching on the amp when it is not supposed to or not switching it off. Is there any way to tell if the amp is on?
The monsoon system on the jetta seems to be a strange beast. From what I understand, the amp turns on/off automatically (or is supposed to) when it senses a signal from the HU. Also, apparently the amp is more of an active crossover than an actual amp... I think the head unit is responsible for most of the amplification.
The fact is, when I disconnect the amp, the problem doesnt occur. So any ideas why the amp is draining the battery?
Thanks again.
Wires that go to any amplifier:
+12V
Ground
Input Signal(s)
Speaker Output
and the important one for you:
"Remote"
The remote lead from a head unit goes to a connector on the amplifier, usually near the power inputs. When the head unit turns on, the remote lead should have +12 volts on it. When the HU shuts off, the remote should go to ground potential. IF the head unit is switching the remote lead properly, the amplifier should turn on/off with the HU. Do NOT wire directly from +12V to the Remote input on an amplifier or you will....drain......the.......
+12V
Ground
Input Signal(s)
Speaker Output
and the important one for you:
"Remote"
The remote lead from a head unit goes to a connector on the amplifier, usually near the power inputs. When the head unit turns on, the remote lead should have +12 volts on it. When the HU shuts off, the remote should go to ground potential. IF the head unit is switching the remote lead properly, the amplifier should turn on/off with the HU. Do NOT wire directly from +12V to the Remote input on an amplifier or you will....drain......the.......
Banned
Joined 2002
Is there a aftermarket head unit in this car ? Does the stereo run fine when you are driving around ? I have fixed and see this issue. It is caused buy the deck not turning the power amp off when the igntion is turned on.. to me it sounds like this..
Deck is controling the amp remote turn on. It might be possible to remove the amp's remote turn on wire and see if it still drains the power if it does then change the remote turn on wire to the ign wire. See if this helps.
Deck is controling the amp remote turn on. It might be possible to remove the amp's remote turn on wire and see if it still drains the power if it does then change the remote turn on wire to the ign wire. See if this helps.
This is a shot in the dark.
IF your head unit is turning off the amp(s) correctly, using the remote 12volt lead from the HU to the amp(s), you may just have a weak worn-out battery.
I was having slow-turnover of the starter each morning and was frustrated as all hell about where an audio short-circuit could possibly be with all the wiring in the Jeep. I was certain I screwed-up somewhere and caused a short-circuit (no grommet where it should have been used, a seat crimped a wire while packing for a roadtrip, etc). I even went to a battery store and had them "test" my battery just to eliminate it from the cause. They used this very technical-looking device (haha...read on).
Well, since I could hear both amplifiers "click off" each time I turned-off the HU, I still thought either a short, the alternator, or the battery. Since the battery was from 1999 and relatively cheap to replace, I replaced that first. Living in a very cold winter weather location, it was smart to do anyway with it being that old.
The Jeep starts up like a champ even after two nights at negative degrees fahrenheit. It was the battery as far as I'm concerned. It couldn't hold a good charge. The alternator alone will keep the vehicle running but, if the battery cannot store a full charge from the alternator, it will fail you the next morning...
Also, I got the biggest most cold-cranking amp battery I could install just to make sure the Jeep starts for work!
IF your head unit is turning off the amp(s) correctly, using the remote 12volt lead from the HU to the amp(s), you may just have a weak worn-out battery.
I was having slow-turnover of the starter each morning and was frustrated as all hell about where an audio short-circuit could possibly be with all the wiring in the Jeep. I was certain I screwed-up somewhere and caused a short-circuit (no grommet where it should have been used, a seat crimped a wire while packing for a roadtrip, etc). I even went to a battery store and had them "test" my battery just to eliminate it from the cause. They used this very technical-looking device (haha...read on).
Well, since I could hear both amplifiers "click off" each time I turned-off the HU, I still thought either a short, the alternator, or the battery. Since the battery was from 1999 and relatively cheap to replace, I replaced that first. Living in a very cold winter weather location, it was smart to do anyway with it being that old.
The Jeep starts up like a champ even after two nights at negative degrees fahrenheit. It was the battery as far as I'm concerned. It couldn't hold a good charge. The alternator alone will keep the vehicle running but, if the battery cannot store a full charge from the alternator, it will fail you the next morning...
Also, I got the biggest most cold-cranking amp battery I could install just to make sure the Jeep starts for work!
cheap easy and simple solution.
You could always go buy a cheap switch, and put it between the headunits remot wire and the amp. When not using the amp, swith the switch to off. cuts the 12 volt reading the amp gets from the head unit, so then it wont turn one until you switch the switch to on..
You could always go buy a cheap switch, and put it between the headunits remot wire and the amp. When not using the amp, swith the switch to off. cuts the 12 volt reading the amp gets from the head unit, so then it wont turn one until you switch the switch to on
..Is this a completely stock system? any thing after market?
This does not sound like an alt or battery problem as the issues resolve them selfs when you disconnect the amp. I would also say the amp is OK as the second one gave the same results.
I would pin this on a faulty remote wire. buy a volt meter if you dont have one. test the connections with the car on and off on both remote leads going into the amp and out of the HU. The remote wire could be pinched/frayed into a 12v source so testing the HU separate would test your wiring.
the switch idea would work, but you will forget to turn the amp off everytime and you will come back to a dead battery. Use a relay triggered on the IGN wire. if the car is switched on, the amp will be too. You could add a switch to that wiring if you wanted extra control.
This does not sound like an alt or battery problem as the issues resolve them selfs when you disconnect the amp. I would also say the amp is OK as the second one gave the same results.
I would pin this on a faulty remote wire. buy a volt meter if you dont have one. test the connections with the car on and off on both remote leads going into the amp and out of the HU. The remote wire could be pinched/frayed into a 12v source so testing the HU separate would test your wiring.
the switch idea would work, but you will forget to turn the amp off everytime and you will come back to a dead battery. Use a relay triggered on the IGN wire. if the car is switched on, the amp will be too. You could add a switch to that wiring if you wanted extra control.
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