Hello all.
I have a problem that I have been dealing with for the best part of two weeks and I'm literally at my wits end.
This is my setup:
I have a 2007 Honda Crossroad. It has a Pioneer Carrozzeria AVIC-RZ77 head unit. I have installed a Fusion CA-AM20350 Class AB 1000w 2 channel amplifier and a 400w 12" Fusion EN-SW12ES Subwoofer.
* I have run an 8 inch section of 4 gauge wire from the positive terminal on the battery to a barrel fuse holder with a 40amp fuse. From the fuse, the 4 gauge wire runs to the amplifier for power.
* I've run another piece of 4 gauge wire from a bolt under the seat connected to the chassis to the amplifier for ground.
* I ran the remote wire from the head unit to the amplifier.
* The head unit has one sub out RCA which I've connected a 1 female to 2 female, and then 2 male to 2 male RCA into the amplifier.
* The speaker wires run feom the amplifier to the terminal connector on the back of the subwoofer box and then inside to the subwoofer.
Okay, on to the problem:
The entire system runs beautifully, the bass is amazing - until I start the car. Once the engine is running, the amplifier has a 'Power Protect' light that goes red and the subwoofer plays nothing at all. The minute I switch the engine off, the light goes green and the subwoofer springs to life. Start it again, same problem, no subwoofer. What's weird is that the day I installed it all, it stopped when I started the car. As I drove, it started working again. When I braked at times, the sub cut out and it came back a while later, this repeated a few times. I thought I had a bad ground, so I adjusted the ground and now it does not work at all if the engine is running.
This is what I have tried:
* I have run the system with no RCA's connected to the amplifier.
* I have run the system with the subwoofer wires disconnected.
* I have bridged the power and remote wires.
* I have run the system with no remote wire
* I have run the system with no wires at all other than the power and ground.
* I installed a switch on the remote wire so that I could switch the amp on after the car starts in case of some kind of power surge while starting the engine
All of these result in the same, problem, green light when the engine is off, red light when the engine is running.
The voltage at the amplifier reads 12.35v while the engine is off and 14.63v when the engine is running.
What has me stumped is that it works fine when the engine is off, so the amplifier seems fine.
Any idea what could be giving me this problem or what I may try in order to find the problem? Your help would be amazing, thanks in advance.
I have a problem that I have been dealing with for the best part of two weeks and I'm literally at my wits end.
This is my setup:
I have a 2007 Honda Crossroad. It has a Pioneer Carrozzeria AVIC-RZ77 head unit. I have installed a Fusion CA-AM20350 Class AB 1000w 2 channel amplifier and a 400w 12" Fusion EN-SW12ES Subwoofer.
* I have run an 8 inch section of 4 gauge wire from the positive terminal on the battery to a barrel fuse holder with a 40amp fuse. From the fuse, the 4 gauge wire runs to the amplifier for power.
* I've run another piece of 4 gauge wire from a bolt under the seat connected to the chassis to the amplifier for ground.
* I ran the remote wire from the head unit to the amplifier.
* The head unit has one sub out RCA which I've connected a 1 female to 2 female, and then 2 male to 2 male RCA into the amplifier.
* The speaker wires run feom the amplifier to the terminal connector on the back of the subwoofer box and then inside to the subwoofer.
Okay, on to the problem:
The entire system runs beautifully, the bass is amazing - until I start the car. Once the engine is running, the amplifier has a 'Power Protect' light that goes red and the subwoofer plays nothing at all. The minute I switch the engine off, the light goes green and the subwoofer springs to life. Start it again, same problem, no subwoofer. What's weird is that the day I installed it all, it stopped when I started the car. As I drove, it started working again. When I braked at times, the sub cut out and it came back a while later, this repeated a few times. I thought I had a bad ground, so I adjusted the ground and now it does not work at all if the engine is running.
This is what I have tried:
* I have run the system with no RCA's connected to the amplifier.
* I have run the system with the subwoofer wires disconnected.
* I have bridged the power and remote wires.
* I have run the system with no remote wire
* I have run the system with no wires at all other than the power and ground.
* I installed a switch on the remote wire so that I could switch the amp on after the car starts in case of some kind of power surge while starting the engine
All of these result in the same, problem, green light when the engine is off, red light when the engine is running.
The voltage at the amplifier reads 12.35v while the engine is off and 14.63v when the engine is running.
What has me stumped is that it works fine when the engine is off, so the amplifier seems fine.
Any idea what could be giving me this problem or what I may try in order to find the problem? Your help would be amazing, thanks in advance.
It sounds like it's tripping the over-voltage protection. Try turning on all electrical accessories to see if it will lower the voltage slightly to see if the amp will come on with the engine running.
14.6v on a 2007 car sounds more like an alternator (regulator) failure to me.
I would've expected closer to mid 13's at most.
I know newish cars can run higher alternator voltages due to 'modern' battery materials.
But even then I think your 14.6 (at the amp) is still excessive.
I would've expected closer to mid 13's at most.
I know newish cars can run higher alternator voltages due to 'modern' battery materials.
But even then I think your 14.6 (at the amp) is still excessive.
I think I would try to connect, via 4 gauge wire, the amplifier's ground to the battery negative terminal.
I went out to the car, started the engine, and I turned on the wipers, high beams, hazard lights, interior lights, air conditioner, radio and held down all 4 of the electric window switches and the voltage dropped to 13.2 and the amplifier switched on and the sub started. I let go of the electric window switches and the voltage went up to 13.7 and the amplifier shut off. I'm guessing it's around 13.5ish that it is cutting out. How can this be rectified?
Someone suggested installing another engine to chassis ground wire - would this accomplish anything? I'm not clued up with this kind of electrical work so I thought I'd ask.
@dotneck335 - would connecting the amplifier to the negative terminal on the battery reduced the voltage at the amplifier?
I'm willing to try almost anything in a process of elimination.
Someone suggested installing another engine to chassis ground wire - would this accomplish anything? I'm not clued up with this kind of electrical work so I thought I'd ask.
@dotneck335 - would connecting the amplifier to the negative terminal on the battery reduced the voltage at the amplifier?
I'm willing to try almost anything in a process of elimination.
I agree with post #3. 14.6v is hard on the battery and any incandescent lamps in the vehicle. The problem could be a defective regulator or a bad connection on the wire that sends the voltage signal back to the alternator.
I'd try to find a forum for your specific vehicle (or Honda in general) to see if they could tell you what the normal voltage is for you vehicle. They may have suggestions for troubleshooting it.
Post a photo of the component side of the entire main board and the component side of any driver boards if you find that 14.6v is normal. At one time, Ford alternators were running at high voltage so it's not out of the question.
I'd try to find a forum for your specific vehicle (or Honda in general) to see if they could tell you what the normal voltage is for you vehicle. They may have suggestions for troubleshooting it.
Post a photo of the component side of the entire main board and the component side of any driver boards if you find that 14.6v is normal. At one time, Ford alternators were running at high voltage so it's not out of the question.
For normal use, like a neon lighting kit inside, just to reduce the amount of available power to the amplifier?
On a separate note, I am actually looking to upgrade to a new amplifier and subwoofer in a ported box - do amplifiers not normally run at 14.6v or is this one just being difficult?
On a separate note, I am actually looking to upgrade to a new amplifier and subwoofer in a ported box - do amplifiers not normally run at 14.6v or is this one just being difficult?
Amplifiers are not all the same. I'd think that 14.6v would be a low threshold.
If the amp has a dedicated over-voltage circuit, it could be in either the remote or B+ circuit. It's not practical to try to drop the voltage on the B+ line for a large amp. If the over-voltage is on the remote line, you could insert a few diodes inline with it and that may allow normal operation.
Again, I'd look into the alternator voltage. That alone could have you trying to solve multiple problems when there is only the alternator at fault.
If the amp has a dedicated over-voltage circuit, it could be in either the remote or B+ circuit. It's not practical to try to drop the voltage on the B+ line for a large amp. If the over-voltage is on the remote line, you could insert a few diodes inline with it and that may allow normal operation.
Again, I'd look into the alternator voltage. That alone could have you trying to solve multiple problems when there is only the alternator at fault.
Do you use a band aid when you loose a leg.
Fix the cause of the problem.
Have an auto electrician test your alternator.
Best case is a new regulator.
Probably more in labour than the part cost.
Over voltage will as Perry said burn out lights and batteries faster.
It will also shorten the life of All the electronics in the car.
Fix the cause of the problem.
Have an auto electrician test your alternator.
Best case is a new regulator.
Probably more in labour than the part cost.
Over voltage will as Perry said burn out lights and batteries faster.
It will also shorten the life of All the electronics in the car.
