What causes an amp to cut out?

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May 8, 2005 | 12:14 AM

87 rag

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Drifting

Joined: May 2004

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From: Port McNicoll Ontario

What causes an amp to cut out?

The amp I just installed keeps clipping or cutting out.
All the other speakers not hooked to this amp keep playing but this one amp keeps jumping in and out.
This is happening at fairly low volumes, if I turn it right down it stops. As I turn it up it does it more often until they just stay off.

Thanks

May 8, 2005 | 01:19 AM

vette-rookie

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Make sure you have a good ground for the amp. As the volume is turned up more current is flowing and more power is needed. Also what guage wire did you run to the amp? Also some amps have low voltage protection. If your battery is low it will shut down at high draw. After playing with mine during the install my low voltage light was flashing on my amp. One last question, does the amp power light turn off or does it just quit feeding sound?

May 8, 2005 | 02:52 AM

bogus

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From: San Pedro CA

I am curious, what brand and model amp?

May 8, 2005 | 03:07 AM

vette-rookie

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In one of his other post I think he said its a "Rockford Fosgate Punch 400S".

May 8, 2005 | 10:31 AM

87 rag

Thread Starter

Drifting

Joined: May 2004

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From: Port McNicoll Ontario

Thanks for the responses guys.

Yes the amp is the Rockford Fosgate Punch 400s 2 channel.
I bought it used off ebay and this is the first time I have hooked it up so....who knows.
I originally wanted to hook it up to my 2 dash speakers and my 2 door speakers. I had too much trouble getting the dash back on with the dash speakers attached so out they came.
Then I tried hooking it up to just the doors but the sound kept cutting in and out.
Now all 4 speakers (rears as well) are running off the deck and honestly the system doesn't sound as good as the bose did.

Last night after everything was back together my left door speaker decided to quit too.
This install is from hell.

I don't know if the light goes on and off on the amp when the sound cuts out. I will have a look today when I try to figure out why the door speaker quit.
I would assume if the light is going out it is a bad ground, if it is not going out the amp is shutting down.
The battery in the car was low, we could be on to something here.
The ground...I thought it would be good. it is attached to the metal where the seatbelt shoulder strap is bolted to the car.
Okay. I'll get back to it after breakfast and let you know.

Thanks

May 8, 2005 | 01:20 PM

vette-rookie

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Let us know what you find. As far as the door speaker, There is a little **** that stick out off the window track. If you dont have the speaker wire tucked away close to the bottom or door panel the **** will hook the speaker wire and pull it up as the window goes up and unhook the speaker. I had this happen on mine after about 10 times of going up and down with the window, All my connections were soldered so it just pulled on things and made a noise, so I caught it before I installed the door panel.

May 8, 2005 | 05:18 PM

87 rag

Thread Starter

Drifting

Joined: May 2004

Posts: 1,747

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From: Port McNicoll Ontario

Everything is back together and running well now.

Amp is hooked back up, new ground and battery fully charged.

Don't know what was causing it but it's fixed.

The speaker had one wire unhooked. It's done up now but it sounds like it will hook again. Thanks for that tip.

Best part is it now sounds like it should. I can barely hear the rear speakers.

Thanks again.