amp problems

[abdow]

i just installed 2 12 in subs and a Rockford Fosgate Punch amp.it gives out about 900 to 1000 watts. i checked it in my brothers honda and they work. but when i install it in my 1992 240sx. the amp doesnt have enough power. there is a cable from the amp going to the batter. then there is another one called rem cable that needs to go somewhere else that has power. thats what turns on the amp. but i need help.

[slik_s13]

ok so i did car audio install for a few years so im going to help you out. the remote wire has to go to a switched power source. theres a few ways of doing this. you can get a test light(auto store)go the fuse boxput the key in the ingnitionnow before you turn the key to the on position to figure out which fuse is going to be used as your switched power source for your remote wire. \you have to ground your test light(they come with a crimp at the end specificly for this reason) door jam post works fine to ground on.make sure its touching raw metal.now with the test light pointy end your gonna make contact to a fuse( on the back of fuse's there is a tiny peice of metal on both sides that you will be able to touch with your test light to indicated weather or not there is power going to the fuse). but you have to turn your ignition switch to on.so put the test light to the fuse(while ingnition off) then turn your ingnition to the on position. if the light turns "on" on the test light while you turned the ignition to on. that means that fuse as a switched power source.

thats where your remote wire will go to inorder to power your amp. hope this helps let me know...heres the a simpler way.use the remote power source from your deck. this what most people do.and with a 240sx it comes standard.

[abdow]

ok so i did car audio install for a few years so im going to help you out. the remote wire has to go to a switched power source. theres a few ways of doing this. you can get a test light(auto store)go the fuse boxput the key in the ingnitionnow before you turn the key to the on position to figure out which fuse is going to be used as your switched power source for your remote wire. \you have to ground your test light(they come with a crimp at the end specificly for this reason) door jam post works fine to ground on.make sure its touching raw metal.now with the test light pointy end your gonna make contact to a fuse( on the back of fuse's there is a tiny peice of metal on both sides that you will be able to touch with your test light to indicated weather or not there is power going to the fuse). but you have to turn your ignition switch to on.so put the test light to the fuse(while ingnition off) then turn your ingnition to the on position. if the light turns "on" on the test light while you turned the ignition to on. that means that fuse as a switched power source.

thats where your remote wire will go to inorder to power your amp. hope this helps let me know...heres the a simpler way.use the remote power source from your deck. this what most people do.and with a 240sx it comes standard.

i tried that.but the amp. there are lights on the amp. they are suppossed to be green.i tried all the fuses and they only light up yeloow i think. that means the fuse isn't giving enough power??

[GreGS15]

i think either

A. YOur car needs a grounding kitB. your amp need a cleaner groundc. what gauge wiring are you using to power the amp>?ensure that the ground is on baremetal

[pmkls2]

Technically speaking the remote wire is intended to be wired to the remote wire coming from the radio. All aftermarket radios and most factory radios including those in our cars have this wire. The remote wire is simply a signal wire that energizes the main power relay inside the amp to turn it on. The main reason to want to hook it up to the radio is so that the amps turn on and off with the radio as intended. Anyhow on an amp such as what you have if the LED on it lights up yellow it indicates there is a fault with the amp. Either it doesnt have sufficient power, ground, or something is shorted. BTW I have 2 12" kicker comp cvr subs and 2 hifonics amps in my car. the main amp is for the subs and is a mono channel amp rated at 1600 watts rms. The other amp is for the mids and highs and is a 4 channel amp rated at 400 watts rms (100x4). I only have a 5 gauge power wire running to both and the car still rocks even with no capacitor. Wire size definately impacts performance but the amplifier should at least turn on with 12 volts regardless of the size

[slik_s13]

check your grounds.. also do u have a multi-meter.. so u can check how much voltz is going to your amp. obviously not enough.
Modified by slik_s13 at 8:39 AM 3/5/2008

[moulton712]

definatly need a volt meter. preferably with a continuity checker.

then you can see if your amp is getting power, remote and groung at the amp. these three things turn the amp on. the amp probably has fuses on/in it check those aswell.

[red90hatch]

Everyone so far has been bang on, your remote wire needs to be run to behind the deck, on an aftermarket deck it will be a blue with a white tracer. This tells the amp when to power on and should only get 12 volts when the deck is turned on. Also, a major part of your problem could be your ground wire. I found it hard to get a good solid piece of sheet metal in my 240 to bolt to, but you MUST find a clean, solid piece of sheet, then take a grinder/file/sandpaper to it and clean ALL the paint from that area. Then you get yourself a big fat screw or better a bolt and nut, and screw your ground down tight. Your gauge of power wire will limit your maximum power, but no matter the size, you should be able to get it to turn on.

Good luck!!!RS

[abdow]

oh man thanks alot. it was a ground problem. damn man. this drove me crazy. i in the end of the cable. i had one of those ring connectors. and that had glue or some kind of clear coat or something. i just got rid of that and it worked.