Need Help; AMP draining battery

 

New member
Username: Blizz

Post Number: 1
Registered: Apr-04
I'm new to this forum and I'm GLAD I found it. Maybe someone can help me out here. Here's the problem in a nutshell. I have an old 4 channel AMP from Radio Shack that's always worked GREAT for me but about a year ago I noticed something was killing my battery every 3/4 days. I checked everything with the AMP being last because it still worked. I was always under the assumption that if the AMP worked then there was nothing wrong with it. Long story short, with some troubleshooting we found out it was the AMP that was drawing the power while the truck was off. I had it professionally installed and for 3 years it all worked fine so it's not that it's wired wrong, I evven took it back and had the ppl who installed it take a look and they couldn't find anything. I KNOW it's the amp because I took the fuse out and the battery has been ok for a few months now. The problem is, I have no $$ right now for a new one and I don't have any sound now :-(. Is there any way to work around this or any way to fix this? I was told it could be the circuitry inside the AMP itself. What I'd like to do is put some sort of toggle switch on the power so that I can kill all power to the AMP while the truck is off. Is there anything like this out there or is there any harm in doing it? Where could I get a switch like that?
 

Bronze Member
Username: Vipersbyms

Post Number: 65
Registered: Apr-04
your amp would drain your battery only if you had the stereo on while the car was shut off. not sure of the watts of the amp, but it could be that your alternator was overworked and the electrical system in your car was harmed over time. could also be that there is something wrong with the alternator, and that the battery is not being recharged.

Glasswolf could give you more info, so stay tuned.
 

New member
Username: Blizz

Post Number: 2
Registered: Apr-04
New battery and new alternator and the car stereo is off. Trust me, I've gone through all the steps and I know for a fact that for some reason the AMP is the culprit and there is nothing wrong with how it's connected or the electrical system.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Vipersbyms

Post Number: 66
Registered: Apr-04
how many amps is the alternator...a new one would only make a difference if it were a ho alternator
 

Gold Member
Username: Glasswolf

NorthWest, Michigan USA

Post Number: 2530
Registered: Dec-03
make sure the amp's remote trigger is connected to a 12v source that's only energized when the keys are in the ignition
sounds like the amp is on 24/7

otherwise the battery may just be old and failing, with bad cells.. depending on how old it is
 

Bronze Member
Username: Vipersbyms

Post Number: 68
Registered: Apr-04
yea at first i was thinkin that too wolf, but then again why wouldnt this happen in the previous years. so it sounds like somethin that has accumualted over the years. and he also said he has a new battery.
 

New member
Username: Blizz

Post Number: 3
Registered: Apr-04
Brand new battery and alternator...I couldn't tell ya a thing bout the amp cept that it's a stock replacement for what comes on a '96 Tahoe. Like I said, everything is connected the way it should be. I've had more than one person look at it as well as having taken it back to the ppl that did it and it had worked fine for about 3+ years before all this started. The AMP doesn't "LOOK" on when the truck is off, IE lights and such. When we were troubleshooting it we used one of those testing lights and a multimeter and did the pulling of the fuses and relays and all that jazz. Is there some sort of switch I can put on it? The only option I have right now is to go under the hood and disconnect the inline fuse after I use it and connect it back up when I'm gonna use it.
 

New member
Username: Blizz

Post Number: 4
Registered: Apr-04
ooops....i meant i couldn't tell ya any thing about the alternator...cept that it's.....
 

New member
Username: Blizz

Post Number: 5
Registered: Apr-04
does anyone have any suggestions as far as putting some sort of switch in there to kill power going to the battery?
 

Gold Member
Username: Glasswolf

NorthWest, Michigan USA

Post Number: 2541
Registered: Dec-03
in that case it sounds like the amp itself is teh problem.
cheap amp (sorry) probably finally failed on ya.
maybe time for a new one.
 

New member
Username: Blizz

Post Number: 6
Registered: Apr-04
well yeah i know it's the amp, i'm lookin for a work around to this problem without having to buy a new one...ie a SWITCH or something that no one has yet to counsel me on.
 

Silver Member
Username: Its_bacon12

Post Number: 512
Registered: Dec-03
if you connected a switch to the remote on of the amp, or the power source, flick it on everytime you get in the car, flick it off everytime you leave the car..

id say hook splice it through the power cable for it but not sure if that would work totally...heh
 

Gold Member
Username: Glasswolf

NorthWest, Michigan USA

Post Number: 2570
Registered: Dec-03
well you're not going to be able to switch constant power since its heavy gauge cable.
the remote works so that won't help to switch.
you could pull the fuse from the inline holder..

or, just buy a decent used amp and replace that one, or get it serviced at a radio repair shop.

heck I just took in 4 units, two head units, two EQs to get serviced. All 15 years old, and all good units, but I didn't have the time or inclination, nor the access to parts to do the work myself just now.
 

New member
Username: Blizz

Post Number: 7
Registered: Apr-04
hmm....you just gave me an idea....i think i'm gonna yank it and open 'er up...it's not of any use right now anyways....for now i'll do the fuse thing...thanks.
 

New member
Username: Mody

Kansas, Mo Usa

Post Number: 3
Registered: Apr-04
Hi Guys, please i need your help on this, I have two 10" Infinity subs 1000w
with 250 RMS, but I need your help to know how many watts or RMS the
Amp that I need to buy should have to beat them?? Is the 800max kenwood amp enough or what do u recomand ?
 

New member
Username: Blizz

Post Number: 8
Registered: Apr-04
well i tookit apart and there was a blown mosfet chip along with some blown resistors so i replaced them all. we'llsee what happens when i get back in there with the testing light.
 

Gold Member
Username: Glasswolf

NorthWest, Michigan USA

Post Number: 2663
Registered: Dec-03
sweet! good work.
sounds like it got shorted a bit at some point.

mody, please open your own thread instead of hijacking someone else's.
you need an amp rated for 500wRMS x 1 channel @ 2 ohms. look at the JL Audio 500/1 as a good solution.
 

Unregistered guest
THIS IS AN EASY ONE... FOLLOW THIS DIAGNOSTIC TREE: 1ST-THE AMP SHOULD BE WIRED DIRECTLY TO THE + AND - TERMINALS OF YOUR BATTERY BECAUSE OF THE
CURRENT DRAW (AMPERES) AN AMPLIFIER REQUIRES. THE AMP IS SWITCHED ON AND OFF VIA A (USUALLY) SOLID BLUE WIRE FROM YOUR STEREO DECK. THIS IS NORMALLY REFERED TO AS THE "REMOTE ON" WIRE IN YOUR CAR STEREO MANUAL. DO NOT (UNDERLINED) USE THE POWER ANTENNA WIRE (USUALLY BLUE W/ A WHITE STRIPE) TO
SWITCH YOUR AMP! THIS WOULD BE VERY BAD. IF FOR SOME REASON, LIKE MAYBE AN OLDER, OR LESS EXPENSIVE DECK, YOU DO NOT HAVE A "REMOTE ON" BLUE WIRE RUNNING TO YOUR AMP, A SIMPLE 2 POSITION
ON-OFF TOGGLE SWITCH COULD BE USED TO INTERRUPT THE GROUND WIRE TO THE BATTERY. THIS MUST BE DONE ON THE NEGATIVE WIRE, NOT THE POSITIVE SIDE. ELECTRICITY FLOWS FROM NEGATIVE TO POSITIVE, CON-
TRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF. ANYONE ELSE THAT HAS BEEN FORMALLY EDUCATED ON THE THEORY OF ELECTROMOTIVE FORCE, OHM'S LAW, ETC. WILL BACK ME UP ON THIS. ANOTHER POSSIBILITY IS THAT BY STRANGE COINCICDENCE YOU ALTERNATOR BLEW A DIODE RIGHT ABOUT THE TIME YOU INSTALLED YOUR AMP (NO WIRING MISTAKES YOU MAY HAVE MADE COULD CAUSE THIS, IT JUST HAPPENS...). THE RECTIFIER PLATE OF YOUR ALTERNATOR USES A DIODE TRIO TO INSULATE THE STATOR FROM YOUR BATTERY WHEN THE CAR IS SHUT OFF.
THINK OF A DIODE AS A ONE-WAY ELECRICAL GATE. IF 1 OF THESE DIODES "POPS" YOUR ALTERNATOR WILL STILL SHOW A CHARGE ( NO "CHARGE" LIGHT WILL COME ON IN YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL), BUT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS SHUT OFF THE WINDINGS IN YOUR ALTERNATOR WILL DRAIN YOUR BATTERY OVERNIGHT. THE TEST USED TO DETERMINE IF THIS IS YOUR PROBLEM IS VERY SIMPLE. IT IS CALLED AN AC RIPPLE TEST AND CAN BE DONE WITH ANY COMMON VOLT METER. DO THIS:
SET YOUR MULTIMETER TO THE AC VOLTAGE POSITION (AGAIN-NOT DC!). SET THE RANGE TO WHATEVER IS CLOSEST TO BUT ABOVE 14-15 VOLTS. TAKE THE RED TEST LEAD AND PLACE IT ON THE CHARGE LEAD OF YOUR ALTERNATOR (USUALLY A SINGLE RED WIRE, LABELED "BATTERY",OF A THICKER GAUGE THAN ANY OF THE OTHERS) WHERE IT BOLTS TO THE REAR COVER OR CASE. PLACE THE BLACK TEST LEAD ONTO THE NEGATIVE POST OF YOUR BATTERY. IF YOUR DIODES ARE GOOD YOU WILL SEE ZERO VOLTAGE ON THE METER. IF YOU HAVE A BAD DIODE YOU WILL SEE A STEADY PULSE OF VOLTAGE ON THE METER. THIS IS ALSO CALLED AN AC RIPPLE. IF THIS HAPPENS IT MEANS YOU HAVE A BAD ALTERNATOR THAT IS DRAINING YOUR BATTERY WHEN THE CAR SITS FOR SEVERAL HOURS. SOME (OR MOST) PEOPLE HAVE NEVER SEEN OR EVEN HEARD OF THIS TEST, SO DON'T BE SUPRISED IF YOU HAVE IT TESTED (WITH THE CAR RUNNING) AND IT'S PRONOUNCED "GOOD" BECAUSE IT IS STILL CHARGING. TRUST IN THE IMMUTABLE LAWS OF PHYSICS. ONCE AGAIN- ANY FORMALLY EDUCATED ELECTRICAL TECHNICIAN WILL BACK ME UP UN THIS, SO DON'T EXPECT THE 19-YEAR-OLD COUNTERPERSON AT YOUR LOCAL PARTS STORE TO KNOW THIS KIND OF ADVANCED ELECTRICAL THEORY AND/OR DIAGNOSIS. SORRY FOR BEING SO LONG-WINDED, BUT COMPLEX PROBLEMS SOMETIMES REQUIRE COMPLEX ANSWERS. IF ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE ANSWERS TO THEIR OWN PERSONAL CAR AUDIO "MYSTERIES", I WOULD BE HAPPY TO TRY MY HAND AT SOLVING THEM, BUT ONLY THE REALLY TOUGH QUESTIONS THAT NOBODY ELSE CAN SEEM TO ANSWER. MY E-MAIL ADDRESS IS TOMDABOM007@yahoo.COM. PLEASE INCLUDE A RETURN ADDRESS. HOPE I HELPED IN SOME SMALL WAY...
 

New member
Username: Donutevolved

Appleton, WI USA

Post Number: 1
Registered: May-04
Hey...
I registered to post a similiar problem, and then found this thread...

I have a 2000 Saturn SC1, and I recently bought a Volfenhag 1600w amp to drive my two 1200w Infinity 12" subs. It sounded great, but then I had to take my subs out for a bit, so I just had the amp hooked up in the trunk with nothing attached to it. I put a switch on the 12v lead when I installed the amp, so I could turn my subs off with the stereo on. I lost my licence, and the car sits for a week at a time now (only until this friday :-)
The car was completly dead after sitting for 3-4 days. I had the battery tested, and it no longer held a charge. (Fine, cause it was the original battery from the factory.) However, 3-4 days after putting the new battery in, it was dead again. No headlights, nothing. I took the 12 gauge lead to the amp off of the battery, and I noticed the end was corroded, or something...it had all this white stuff on it. Right after I took it off, the car started with a little difficulty. I trickle charged the battery and it's been sitting with the amp off since then without a problem.

I'm fairly confident I installed the amp correctly. Is it my alternator? Why?!?
 

New member
Username: Mody

Kansas, Mo Usa

Post Number: 4
Registered: Apr-04
Sorry Guys I didnt know it would be a hijacking if i posted a problem on this site because I dont really know how to start a thread. And thank you "Wolf" for givin me the a recomandation for my problem thou.
 

Gold Member
Username: Glasswolf

NorthWest, Michigan USA

Post Number: 2690
Registered: Dec-03
go into the forum you want, like amplifiers, and look at the bottom of the thread list. you'll see a link for "start new thread"
hope that helps
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