I am trying to hook up my amplifier and I have the red wire hooked up to the battery, I have the black wire to the ground, and everything is hooked up properly to the amplifier, however, every time I try to install a fuse, it blows the fuse. I am using the right size fuse (20A) and I have blown 4 fuses now. I have no idea what could be wrong. This is exactly how I have wired amplifiers before, and others have had no problem.

Any idea as to what could be causing the fuse to overload?

 

could be two reasons...
one, the output FET's are blown. usually caused by shorted speaker wires, or trying to hook up a blown speaker, as in a burned and shorted voice coil.
two, the power supply FET's are blown. often caused by hooking the power wires up wrong.
you dont mention the amp brand/model... some of the cheaper amps just seem to do this for no reason... some blow the FET's to protect the 15 cent fuse, and then blow the fuse.
good amps have good protection circuits...
got soldering iron and the skill to use it ? got digital camera ? can help you troubleshoot it and fix it right here... could be informative to others here.
dave

 

Check all grounds also. and when installing your new fuse make sure that the power supply is unpluged cause it will blow it on some cheaper brand of amps.

 

Alright, thanks so far guys..

By the way, my Amplifier is a "Ultimate T3 1260". I did have the amplifier on a sub that had it's voice coil blown, but only for the 2 seconds it took me to figure out that it was blown. haha.

I never had this problem, but if the FET is in fact blown, then I need to have it replaced. I have a 2 year replacement warranty for blowing, so I would just have to bring it back...

If I can fix it, I will be sure to post my results...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by infinity257 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Alright, thanks so far guys..

By the way, my Amplifier is a "Ultimate T3 1260". I did have the amplifier on a sub that had it's voice coil blown, but only for the 2 seconds it took me to figure out that it was blown. haha.

I never had this problem, but if the FET is in fact blown, then I need to have it replaced. I have a 2 year replacement warranty for blowing, so I would just have to bring it back...

If I can fix it, I will be sure to post my results...</TD></TR></TABLE> 2 seconds is all it takes, 2 year warranty. 94

 

yup... your 2 seconds with a shorted speaker is plenty enough time to take out the output FET's. they are now direct shorted.
which in turn causes a major current draw from the power supply section.
which in turn either takes out the power supply sections FET's, or blows the fuse... or in the case of an amp like an Ultimate Sound, both...
see if you can get it replaced. hopfully you can. some companies will not warranty amps if abused... like hooking up shorted speakers.
anyway, if it cant be replaced, it's a somewhat easy fix if you can handle a soldering iron. ( you will also need a multimeter and solder sucker )
dave

 

Alright guys, I got the amplifier to work. This was all caused by my stupidity! I had the + and the - cables hooked up backwards. Fuses were my friend in this case, as they probably saved my equipment. Both channels still work as well.

Thanks for everyones help so far!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by infinity257 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Alright guys, I got the amplifier to work. This was all caused by my stupidity! I had the + and the - cables hooked up backwards. Fuses were my friend in this case, as they probably saved my equipment. Both channels still work as well.

Thanks for everyones help so far!</TD></TR></TABLE> 94

 

hahaha thanks *rolls eyes*

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by infinity257 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">hahaha thanks *rolls eyes*</TD></TR></TABLE>

Sometimes things just work out ,and it doesn't cost you a dime. 94

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by infinity257 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Alright guys, I got the amplifier to work. This was all caused by my stupidity! I had the + and the - cables hooked up backwards. Fuses were my friend in this case, as they probably saved my equipment. Both channels still work as well.

Thanks for everyones help so far!</TD></TR></TABLE>

You got lucky, most amps have a diode inside them that will short the+/- if connected up backwards. This is to save the amps ***. Most amps have large caps on the input stage. Ever see what hapens to a capacitor when hooked up backwards?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nsxxtreme &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

You got lucky, most amps have a diode inside them that will short the+/- if connected up backwards. This is to save the amps ***. Most amps have large caps on the input stage. Ever see what hapens to a capacitor when hooked up backwards?</TD></TR></TABLE>

He had a problem, asks for help, [gets nothing from you], takes advice, and rechecks wireing, finds problem, tells us,admitting he made a mistake, thanks us for help, gets lucky,no damage. then you pop in and call him an ***.

Seems to me you are the ***.