Kicker KX700.5 No sub after low battery.

Just like the title says the amp lost its sub channel after battery got really low, too low to crank the car. The 1 channel works ok, and I don't use the 2 channel, but I get no sound from the sub channel. Swapped RCAs to confirm that the output is present from the head unit.

The amp is not going into protection. Red goes to green as powered on and green light stays lit. I've got +-52V on the class D rail. I've repaired a couple A/B amps but class D isn't my strong suit. Any ideas on where to start, common component failures displaying these symptoms, and any other ideas? Any help appreciated.
 
Here's the pics. In #4 transistor 704 had been pulled out years ago due to a problem with the temp sensor protect circuit. Amp isn't pushed hard and doesn't overheat so left it as is. :ashamed: Thanks for looking:cheers: EDIT: forgot to add, I have a crappy old oscilloscope that I could drag out if absolutely necessary.
 

Attachments

  • amp1.jpg
    amp1.jpg
    856.5 KB · Views: 338
  • amp2.jpg
    amp2.jpg
    766.3 KB · Views: 177
  • amp3.jpg
    amp3.jpg
    750.8 KB · Views: 202
  • amp4.jpg
    amp4.jpg
    694.2 KB · Views: 176
  • amp5.jpg
    amp5.jpg
    647.4 KB · Views: 167
  • amp6.jpg
    amp6.jpg
    413.3 KB · Views: 144
Last edited:
I did read through all the search results for this amp. There tends to be a lot of issues with the class D section of this amp. Mine seems unique among them. Amp not in protection with ~52V +- on the D rail and 30V+- on the A/B rail. Working A/B with no output from the class D section, no hum, nothing.
 
I did read through all the search results for this amp. There tends to be a lot of issues with the class D section of this amp. Mine seems unique among them. Amp not in protection with ~52V +- on the D rail and 30V+- on the A/B rail. Working A/B with no output from the class D section, no hum, nothing.


Well amplifiers typically lose the output transistors. If you have a scope, check out the gate drive or connections into the output power transistor gate drive, to see if the PWM has an active output with an input audio signal. Otherwise if it has power to the supply rails and is not in protection, mode, I would be looking at the output power transistors.
 
Post DC voltages for the points I show in the attachment.

If you have a scope check the waveforms at the sub out pin on preamp board, Also Pins 3,4,11 on U909-LM361. The Class D output drive should be present at the Gates and Drain of the IFR640 and IRF9640 sub output mosfets.
 
Must be the picture, those all measure out a smidge under 1 ohm. They're also for the two A/B sections of the amp that are working.


You measured the sub output mosfets? The Mosfets are Q210,211,213,214-IRF9640's and Q216,217-IRF640's. They should all read high ohms and between the outside legs will read 50K ohm. If they are less than 1 ohm the amp will protect itself.
 
From the diagram PapaZBill posted:

The header pins on the input board have + and - 12v and the v.c pin read 10.3V

The header of the class D board have + and - 12v on the respective pins. Simk has +5.6v

The IC of the class D board (numbered 1 at top left and 2 top right and so on going down)
pin 1 +12V, pin 2 +2.8V, pin 4 +2.8V, pin 8 +0.4V, pin 10 -1.8V, and pin 14 2.8V, all others 0V DC

The DC read across the outer leads of the sub outputs is 4.0V for the ones fed from the positive rail and 3.9V for the negative rail.
 
Okay, So what I'm seeing is the Class D board and preamp board have the proper voltages and you are seeing Drive at the sub channel mosfets.

So the audio is being interrupted somewhere between the RCA's and the Class D board.

You can use your voltmeter to signal trace with AC volts. Start with the Out pin on the preamp header, using a 40hz sine wave if available. If you need one you can download from Kicker.com on on the support page. There will be other sources, Perry Babin for instances.
 
Ok, so I had a chance to play with this again this morning. It appears my signal path is ok and the problem is somewhere in the output. I noticed that C211 was warm and a bit swollen so I subbed in another close value 100V cap. It popped pretty spectacularly once I turned up the gain. Before I go poking and prodding, I thought I'd run that past the experts and see what you guys think.

Another thing I noticed is that I get a bit of static-y hum similar to the power supply transformers near the output that correlates to the volume gain of the sub input. It doesn't seem like its from the large output torroid inductor, but honestly I'm not sure. It almost seems like its coming from under the preamp board but there isn't a lot under there aside from a smaller inductor and a few large blue caps.
 
I believe C211 should be a non polarized cap. If replacing with a polarized cap it would explode. I will check schematics.

I doubt that a swollen cap would cause no output. It's possible the relay may be bad. You may here it click but the contact are corroded.