Okay so I am pretty new to the car audio thing, just picked up a 97' Accord ex with a full system in it. 2 12" JL W3's, Infinity 650 watt amp, Alpine headunit. So my problem is when my system is turned up to like 18-21 volume level everything cuts out subs and speakers. I have my bass and subs basically set to 0 so that I can get the volume up to this level. I have checked the ground on the sub and it is good, also I have an optima red top battery. When I got the car it was working just fine and sometimes it will work like it should which makes me believe that I don't need a cap or anything like that. I was told to maybe check the ground on the headunit but I am not sure which wire it is. Does anyone have any ideas?? Thanks

 

What size wiring are you using?
If you are asking for a lot of current and your wire is too small, you won't get it.
Also what is the model # of the amp?

 

I am not sure of the size of the wire without looking, but it is a thick red cable so I think it should work. I am not sure of the medel of the amp but I can find out in the morning. Thanks for the help

 

A few questions

-do you have a amp powering your highs or sub amp only?
-does the power to the deck shut off when it cuts out or just audio?

Kirk R

 

Okay so the model of my amp is an Infinity Reference 611A. I only have one amp powering everything. And the power on the deck and everything cuts out, then you'll here a pop from the sub and it will come right back.

 

Does the deck shut off or does the amp shut off?

Your posts are cryptic. We cannot assist you based on "my system cuts out".

Need specifics.

 

add a relay to the amp wire
problem solved

 

Like I said in the original post if you read it other then the title, everything cuts out subs, speakers, amp, deck...

What exactly is a relay? Sorry this is the first system I have ever had/worked on.
Thanks

 

sounds like your overloading your head unit. I used to have the same problem. The head unit has an auto protect mode to make sure it doesnt burn itself out. You should check all the grounds and connectors and make sure they are all good. Make sure have excellent ground, not just a wire loop around a screw.

 

O and by grounds, i mean the amp ground. make sure its connected to a grounding block thats connected to your frame where there is bare metal exposed.

 

I did read the original post. Your superior grasp of the English language made it difficult to ascertain what the hell you're talking about.

Let me rephrase my relatively specific question.

When the audio "cuts out", does the deck remain lit up & powered? How about the amp? Does the power light stay illuminated?

 

And just what do you think that's going to accomplish? Also, where do you suppose one should install a relay on the "amp wire"? Which wire?

 

what? that not going to do anything
does the amp stay on or shut off?

 

Okay sorry for the poor grammer but I am usually in a hurry. When the system cuts out, the subs cut out, the amp turns off, and the headunit goes blank. After about 2 seconds everything will come back. I feel as though there is some type of overload, but the protection light on the amp does not come on when this happens. If it is the protection on the headunit what should I check? I have the unit out with all the wires exposed, is there a specific ground wire or should I check the connection on them all? Also I have checked the ground to the amp, its attached to the frame under the seatbelt mount. And I made sure the ground for the battery under the hood was in good shape.

 

I'd be willing to bet that the deck is being starved for power. Some Alpine decks needed a high-current 12v signal to work properly, as well as a beefed-up ground.

While you've got the deck out, run the yellow wire from the deck directly to the battery. Also, ground the black wire to a good chassis ground or even the battery for this test.

You can run the wires temporarily for testing purposes. Start the car, and turn the radio up to the point where it normally shuts down. If the problem goes away, fuse your power wire to the deck and run it permanently. Ground the black wire to a good chassis ground. Cap off the existing yellow wire in the deck harness coming from the vehicle wiring, as it'll still be hot.

If the problem remains, let us know...

 

I usually do what B18C says on almost all of my deck installs. I run a 12g-14g for constant with a 15amp fuse from the ignition harness and 12g-14g ground straight to the back of the deck and bolt it in. But i still leave the constant and ground on the radio harness connected to factory wiring. With this done my Alpine 9815 never cuts out on me unless my battery is low then it starts cutting out like in your situation. The most volume I got my deck to was 28 on the Alpine never tried to find out what the max volume was but it never cuts out on me.

 

i had this problem...the power wire was to small

 

i thought it was either ur amp cant handle ur sub... or ur sub is too strong for ur amp.. my deck always shut off when i turn it upp! like over rated.. lol...

 

Okay I see what your saying. So for the testing I can run the yellow to the battery and the ground to the chasis. If it does work then I can just leave it like that permanetly or is that bad? Thanks for all your help I'll try this tommorow.

 

I'm pretty sure I told you to run it permanently if it fixes the problem, but yes, you can leave it like that, but you NEED to fuse the yellow wire within 12-18 inches of the battery.

 

The problem with running your yellow wire directly to the battery is that your head unit will never turn off. The yellow wire tells your head unit when you turn the key off. If you leave it hooked up like this, you can drain your battery. BAD IDEA, unless you run the head unit off a switch or wire up a relay to your ignition.

 

Say what??
The yellow lead on an Alpine HU, [and most HUs] is a constant power, wiring it to the batt. will still allow you to turn off the HU with the ign. switch, the red acc. wire will still be connected to the stock radio acc. lead.

 

sry, i mostly have worked with eclipse head units and red has been the constant, and yellow has been the acc. After this info, the yea i agree to attach your 12v constant to the battery directly.

 

Pauly321 Run the fused 12ga from the batt. to behind the HU and connect the HUs yellow to it, whether it is the problem or not, the Alpine HU can not get the current it needs from the stock radio harness constant power.
I always leave the HUs ground, [whatever the HU is] going to the stock radio harness ground and add a 12ga ground from the chassis of the HU to the cars chassis.
If you use, [as you should] a metal strap, ["L" bracket] off the back of the HU to the stock rear support brace you will not need to add the 12ga ground as the back brace will be the chassis to chassis ground. 94

 

I have a fuse in line with the power cable that is going from the amp to the battery. Can I just connect 12ga from here to the yellow on the HU? And will it make a big difference to just leave the chassis from the headunit to the harness on the stock radio? Thanks so much