I have a Pioneer GM-5200T amp with 760 watts hooked up to 3 JL audio 12" subs with a Pioneer head unit, and it was all working fine until today when i was driving and the amp suddenly lost power. I came home and checked the amp out, and it wasn't getting power and no connections were bad and no fuses were out so I figured it just overheated, since it is under the seat. Do I just wait a few hours and try again or am I missing something?
When an amp stops working suddenly like that (and it isn't overheated, connections are good etc.), it's best to just open it up and look for any physically damaged components. It's usually pretty easy to see if the mosfets are fried or if a diode popped.
I'm pretty sure it didn't overheat, it's been a few hours and it's still not getting power and it's cold to the touch, so if it's physically damaged should I just get a better amp?
I pulled the cover off the amp and I don't see anything that looks damaged, but I don't know what else it could be... If I do get a new amp, what would be good to use with the subs I have?
I figured it out, the inline fuse for the power line to the amp isn't conducting right... I'm getting power to the wire before the fuse, and if I put the wires together with no fuse, the amp works. Is that fuse really necessary, or would it be just fine to run the amp with no inline fuse? Wouldn't the fuses in the amp work just the same as that inline fuse?
If you don't care about your amp you can ditch the in-line fuse
Otherwise try getting a new fuse holder and fuse because the first surge you get to your amp could be it's last ... (queue funeral music)
The fuses on the amp are connected in a different way, the in-line fuse stops the current from reaching the amp if blown where as the ones built into or onto an amp stop the current once it is IN the amp. So you see the difference?
Better to have the in-line fuse. Just buy a new one, platinum plating or gold holder will work best with a high quality fuse. Don't skimp out of a dollar and buy cheap walmart fuses, get name branded.. something you can trust.
