Amplifier Keeps blowing fuse

Slangy

Slangy

Sgt. CulPepper
Location
Utah
Okay I know this isn't a 4x4 question but it is in the Jeep so I'll ask anyway. So I put on new battery cables last week. Before I did this my amp worked fine. Hook everything back up and the amp is not turning on. Checked the power to the amp - ok
Checked the remote wire to the amp when car is on - ok
Checked the ground - check.
Still not turning on. Fuse on the amp was blown. Okay that's the problem, I changed the fuse put a new one in, automatically blows when it touches the metal as I am pushing it in. Unhook it from the battery, put in the fuse and reconnect the battery and still nothing. Check the inline fuse for the lead going to the amp and it is blown now. Try to replace it and POP.
No matter how I try to hook it up it is blowing fuses. I am at a loss. What do you guys think, any suggestions. Could it be a short in the amp itself.
Thanks in advance for any ideas
 
First, I'd get a multimeter and check amps at the first fuse that blew. Or, just check voltage and find out the wires resistance, and calculate the current from that. Here is an idea based on that. Your old wires had more resistance than the new ones, and thus more current can be pulled through them. I don't know exactly how you have this wired up, but since that's all you changed, unless you hooked up something wrong, it's seems the only possible thing. How big are your fuses? For a test, you might put in a bigger one for a few seconds to see if you can get it to work; if so, then you're pulling more current than before.
 
But why would changing battery cables mess with the voltage going to the amplifier. It's the same battery, just new battery cables. The wires running to the amp are all the same.
I was thinking it could be that I am not grounded very well but it is the exact same ground I was using all last year. Nothing has changed.
 
OK here is what I would do,

1-Meter on VDC, ground lead of meter connected directly to battery ground even if you need a jumper wire to get to the negative of battery.

2-Take positive lead from meter and test the Amp ground terminal for voltage at the Amp, if it has voltage you have resistance to ground, or poor ground or no ground.

If there is no voltage on the ground terminal then proceed, that test indicates ground is good all the way to the negative terminal of battery.

3-Meter on ohms make sure you have the negative lead connected direct to battery negative terminal, Pull the Positive lead wire from the Amp and test the Amp power wire to ground, make sure when you disconnect the positive wire that the fuse is in the wire and be careful not to short the wire while testing.

4-Meter on ohms, with the power wire disconnected from the Amp, test the Positive terminal at the Amp to ground, if it is not open circuit, and has a some connection to ground that is why the fuse is blowing.

When you have voltage on the ground side it is called "Floating Voltage" that is simply poor ground connection to the negative terminal of the battery, it will cause all kinds of problems, good luck!!
 
Bobzilla said:
OK here is what I would do,

1-Meter on VDC, ground lead of meter connected directly to battery ground even if you need a jumper wire to get to the negative of battery.

2-Take positive lead from meter and test the Amp ground terminal for voltage at the Amp, if it has voltage you have resistance to ground, or poor ground or no ground.

If there is no voltage on the ground terminal then proceed, that test indicates ground is good all the way to the negative terminal of battery.

3-Meter on ohms make sure you have the negative lead connected direct to battery negative terminal, Pull the Positive lead wire from the Amp and test the Amp power wire to ground, make sure when you disconnect the positive wire that the fuse is in the wire and be careful not to short the wire while testing.

4-Meter on ohms, with the power wire disconnected from the Amp, test the Positive terminal at the Amp to ground, if it is not open circuit, and has a some connection to ground that is why the fuse is blowing.

When you have voltage on the ground side it is called "Floating Voltage" that is simply poor ground connection to the negative terminal of the battery, it will cause all kinds of problems, good luck!!
Click to expand...

Thanks. Sounds like a good plan to me, when I get home tonight I will give it a try.
 
With so much to do before we head to Moab I am starting to think I should just say to hell with it and just listen to the squeeky Jeep:)
 
MOAB

Yea that's the way it always is, we have had hell getting everything done and I was just finishing install amp & bass speakers ,working on the jeep after mid night and hooked the ground to a positive output on the amp and smoked the SOB!! :mad:

I was pissed at myself, should had never been doing that so late and tired, good lessen, wife was more pissed that I could get hurt working on the jeep with no one else around, she's right.

needless to say the wife was not real happy to hear the bad news, cause the stero is in her YJ, so I'm in the same boat also.

Hey that test will only take less than a 1/2 hour, so mabey you can do it? good luck on it anyway
 
Bobzilla said:
Yea that's the way it always is, we have had hell getting everything done and I was just finishing install amp & bass speakers ,working on the jeep after mid night and hooked the ground to a positive output on the amp and smoked the SOB!! :mad:

I was pissed at myself, should had never been doing that so late and tired, good lessen, wife was more pissed that I could get hurt working on the jeep with no one else around, she's right.

needless to say the wife was not real happy to hear the bad news, cause the stero is in her YJ, so I'm in the same boat also.

Hey that test will only take less than a 1/2 hour, so mabey you can do it? good luck on it anyway
Click to expand...

I have to get it fixed regardless. The ol' lady is a music nut and she likes her tunes.

She always asks me why I never start on the Jeep 6 months before, I have to keep telling her that it wouldn't be as exciting if I wasn't in the garage for a month straight before we leave. It makes it that more exciting to head down there after putting in all that work.

Good luck on getting all your stuff done. While your in the garage late at night just remember how many more of us poor saps are doing the exact same thing.:D
 
reejerey said:
to me if you're popping the internal amp fuse it sounds like a short within the amp itself.
Click to expand...

That's what I read on another website. Someone was having the same problem and it turned out being the amp itself. I hope not I just bought the stupid thing last year for EJS.
 
:mad::mad::mad: SO I had it hooked up wrong, I had the power to the ground and the ground to the power. Swapped them around and thought that will do it. Hooked it all up, went to put in the fuse and POP. Damn fuse blew again. The stupid thing worked fine the other day, I disconnect it to take my seats out and now it wont work. I must be retarded.
 
Well after messing with the P.O.S. I broke down and bought a new amp, Hooked it up, powered it up and not 1 fuse blew. Speakers work:D
Now all I have to do is tighten some bolts and load the Jeep on the trailer and I am on my way to Moab.:cool:
Thanks for all the advice guys
 
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