Stereo shutting off

During 75% volume my stereo shuts off and will not turn back on. Only the music shuts off, no output at all. Only way to get music to play again is to restart the vehicle.

I have a 5 channel american bass amp with all american bass speakers and 10" sub. I am still using the stock HU, perhaps that is the issue. What do you guys think? It gets pretty annoying listening to music at half volume when the STOCK stereo I could listen at MAX

 

First question, is this a recent install? How old are the aftermarket pieces?

Next, I think you have to determine if the amp is shutting off. Have you checked if it is in protect mode? Pulled the fuses?

In and of itself the stock HU I don't automatically blame. However, please tell me how you hooked the amp to it.

 

It is a recent install, yes. The pieces were purchased 6 months ago. I didn't see if the amp shut off or any lights on it changed, but it was still powered, the blue LED light I can see was still on, just seen it in my mirror. The amp was hooked up through the line level converter and I used the stock amp for communication to the HU and the 5 channel amp for the output.

It is installed on my 2008 tacoma that previously had the stock JBL system

 

Has it always done this since the install?

Check the amp next time..you may be going into protect mode. If so it could be an issue with the amp. Some amps have a separate light for the protect mode..if you can post a link to your amp that will help.

What are you grounded to?

I'm not familiar with the stock amp, but it might be that that is your issue. Most people I've seen with that just remove it or don't run wire to it. You could be getting resistance from it that's causing this.

 

In order to keep the stock HU, the stock amp must be used (so I've read, I couldn't get any comm to the HU to the aftermarket amp no matter what I tried)

It is grounded with 4 guage wire to the bottom side of the seat bracket. I ground all the paint off the bracket and the floor which it bolts too for a proper connection.

I'll make it a note to check the amp next time!

This is the amp http://www.americanbassusa.com/product.detail/product_id/183

 

On the side with your RCA jacks, the amp seems to have 2 lights that say "Alarm" and "Run". Check those next time it trips.

Double check the ground..sounds like you got it right but can't hurt anything.

 

If it goes into alarm mode, what do I proceed with then?

This issue occured from the beginning I believe. I didn't listen to the music too loud, but now that I found the perfect pre-gym music I turn it up haha. But still once it hits 75% it shuts off.

 

Not sure, at that point you could have a bad ground..not enough power..junk amplifier, just to name a few. Next time it does this, don't shut the truck off and check that out..also see if the amp feels hotter than it should.

 

Okay so it happened to me again last night. The alarm light lit up and the amp wasn't abnormally hot. My grounds are fine. The whole system is built for each other so I don't think power is the issue? Maybe it is a bad amp, but it would be weird since it still works great under 75% load

 

Bump

 

What model speakers and sub do you have? Are you running the sub channel at a 1 ohm load? If you are, you could be running the sub on the hairy edge of a component's tolerance. Like a power supply or voltage regulator. It may not be able to supply the required current at such a high volume that it's going into protect mode.

Try disconnecting your sub and play your other speakers at full volume. Based on your symptoms I'm thinking it's a faulty amp.

 

These are the speakers http://www.americanbassusa.com/product.detail/product_id/17

Sub http://www.americanbassusa.com/product.detail/product_id/29

Amp http://www.americanbassusa.com/product.detail/product_id/183

I do not know if they are at a 1 ohm load, how do I verify? I will shut the sub off and try from there.

Thanks

 

Looks like all of your speakers are 4 ohm speakers, which should be an easy load for the amp. You can try disconnecting the sub to see if it's something on the sub's channel that is causing the shutdown. That channel will work harder than your other channels (subs require more powa!).

I'm still thinking it's a power supply or voltage regulator issue. Sounds like it's not providing enough voltage at high volumes that it's going into protect mode and shutting itself off.

Have you tried contacting the manufacturer?

 

I haven't contacted anyone, I suppose I should of started there... I'll let you know what they say.

 

I don't think you need to start with the manufacturer. They will almost always blame your install and say they can't help you. I think you've done enough research to say it's not the install, but rather something faulty with the amp. Just tell them you're running all 4 ohm speakers, installed with proper gauge wire, and everything works fine until you get up to 75% volume. Also mention the "alarm" light comes on, which obviously points to an amp issue.

Ask for a list of criteria that will cause the alarm light to come on. It may help you pinpoint exactly what is causing it and perhaps better prove that it's something wrong with the amp. In a long shot, ask if they can send you a replacement to verify if it's a faulty amp

 

Okay, so I called them and they said to adjust the line level converter, it was probably maxed out. Well it was set right in the middle so I turned it up reading that maybe not enough power output... Well the amp shut off earlier so today I am going to turn it back down maybe to 35% and see where that gets me.

I also have no idea what I am doing on amp adjustments and if anyone could show me better adjustment that'd be great.

 

You may have found your issue. I never thought to check your line level converter setting.

Do you have access to a volt meter? You should set the line level converter to provide about 4 volts with your volume at about 75%. Be sure to disconnect the RCA inputs to your amp first.

It's next to impossible to tell if your gains are set right by looking at a picture. You don't have anything maxed, which is good. Just play a track at 75% volume and adjust the gains up to the loudest you want it to be.

 

What do all the HZ settings mean/do? I do have a multimeter and I can check the output of them

 

Well I turned the line level converter down to 4 volts which it was almost at when it was in the middle setting. Still popped the amp. All it did when I turned down the LLC is make my music quieter...

I am beginning to think its the ground. I just have it grounded to the body and I forgot these stupid trucks have all rubber bushings on the body mounts. Is the body even grounded well enough? PROBABLY NOT... sigh

If the ground doesn't fix this bull shit then it's going into a shop to get looked at, if they can't do anything I will be SUPER fucking pissed... $900 system and it's WORSE than the fucking STOCK STEREO...

The guy I spoke to about this system told me it would fit my needs, clean, loud, and decent hitting.... All I got out of this fucking deal is a CLEAN radio, I will give it that, it's clean. But it doesn't fucking bump worth a fuck and nor does it even get LOUD because it blows up.

I cannot imagine the stock stereo is a better system than a $1,000 system you put in these trucks... I'm not going to completely knock this set up until I've 100% narrowed it down to this system is a fucking piece of white dog shit.