# Amp Power cuts in/out when driving only.



## HHRAmpCursed (May 4, 2010)

I've been dealing with this issue for some time now. All connections are good... But of course, while driving the amp power drops out then back in, (usually lasts a few seconds). Whats odd is, many other things set this off. It may be out for a sec, then as I touch my brakes...back on it comes. Or... hitting the window button, this also brings it back on. When the car is parked (running or not) the issue is non existent, it only happens while driving and usually a couple minutes into the ride. 

So... I was told that grounding to the negative battery terminal isnt that great..Tonight I will move it to see if that fixes it, but i doubt it. 

Can anyone help me out.. thank you.


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## Greg S (Oct 21, 2009)

Try regrounding your head unit to a piece of metal. I'll bet you have it grounded to the stock wire harness and there is a bad ground path for the dash wiring. Most likely it is not enough to turn the head unit off but is enough for the turn-on signal to shut down briefly enough for the amp to sense it.


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## HHRAmpCursed (May 4, 2010)

I had an inverter with the stock radio that was grounded to metal before I bought a new deck..thinking that would fix it, but didnt. 

Any other suggestions?


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## freemind (Sep 11, 2008)

Have you fixed the Batt ground yet?


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## sqshoestring (Jun 19, 2007)

Take your palm and hit the amp...not very hard, just enough to jar it, see if that makes any difference. Then I'd look at the power wiring to it, move it see if it cuts out. Before you do that, you could jump the remote wire to the positive on the amp and take a drive...that would tell you if the issue was in the HU or remote wire.


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## HHRAmpCursed (May 4, 2010)

Would the length of the Power cable to the battery cause any issues? Whether it be this problem or any others? Mine is about 3 feet, and the excess is wrapped up.


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## HHRAmpCursed (May 4, 2010)

Oh, yes... I had class last night so I couldn't work on regrounding the amp ground to the car. =( Damn education getting in the way of priorities! lol


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## bboyvek (Dec 16, 2008)

What kind of amp your running? it could be a defective one, or a cheap one. lol
Did you ask this same question on bimmerfest?

gl


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## HHRAmpCursed (May 4, 2010)

i dont recall off the top of my head what kind... It isn't cheap though. ill get back most likly tomorrow with the details of my fix. Thanks! 

Oh ya.... how do I do the thing with the remote wire? " jump the remote wire to the positive on the amp"


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## ISTundra (Jan 3, 2009)

Check your inline fuse holder. I had this same problem before and it took me forever to figure out that the wiring into my fuse holder was loose.


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## rhystard (Apr 15, 2010)

sounds like a loose connection somewhere, probably ground.

do bumps in the road have any effect on the situation?


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## HHRAmpCursed (May 4, 2010)

Ok here's the skinny... I grounded the head unit... Checked all connections, nothing is working. It's not bumps in the road or over heating. It's loosing power for very short periods, the problem is a power issue. The amp is a fusion 800 watt. I paid 200 for it and it has been doing this forever! Someone has to know what's up.. No "professional audio techs" around here can figure it out. Someone help!!


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## rhystard (Apr 15, 2010)

it may very well be an internal problem in the HU. have you tried a different HU in the car?


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## tinctorus (Oct 5, 2009)

HHRAmpCursed said:


> Ok here's the skinny... I grounded the head unit... Checked all connections, nothing is working. It's not bumps in the road or over heating. It's loosing power for very short periods, the problem is a power issue. *The amp is a fusion 800 watt*. I paid 200 for it and it has been doing this forever! Someone has to know what's up.. No "professional audio techs" around here can figure it out. Someone help!!


That's your problem right there man....Seriously fusion makes NOTHING good AT ALL...


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## HHRAmpCursed (May 4, 2010)

It was a brand new amp, and has been doing this since the first day I had it. Does anyone have any other ideas that may be causing this? Thanks !


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## PorkCereal (Nov 24, 2009)

If it was bran new with warranty have it replaced.


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## MarkZ (Dec 5, 2005)

I'm late getting to this thread.

What does your battery voltage look like? Have a friend measure it while you step on the gas a bit (get it up above 1k rpms). If the amp has overvoltage protection, and your alternator is outputting too high a voltage, then it would explain everything.


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## HHRAmpCursed (May 4, 2010)

Ok so here is the product specs....

•NEW Fusion EN-AM8001 Car Amplifier
•Power Ratings @ 14.4VDC

•262 Watts RMS x 1 Channel @ 4 Ohms and 1%THD+N

•368 Watts RMS x 1 Channel @ 2 Ohms and 1%THD+NClass A/B circuitry
•MAX Power Rating (Watts/Channel): 800W
•Frequency Response Hz (-3dB): 10Hz − 250Hz
•Signal To Noise: >90
•Variable High Pass Filters: -
•Variable Low Pass Filter: 6dB/Octave
•Bass Boost @ 45Hz: 0dB/6db/12dB
•Input Sensitivity: 0.2 − 8V
•Input Impedance: 20K
•Fuse Rating: 25A x 2 

•2 ohm stable MOSFET amplifier design

•Accurate stated amplifier ratings

•Nickel plated RCA input and output ports

•Variable LP and HP electronic x-over @ 6dB/octave

•3 way protection circuitry (short circuit, overcurrent, thermal)

•Power and protection LED indicator

•1 Year Streetstereo warranty 


Here is the link if you are curious....

NEW FUSION EN-AMP8001 MONO-CHANNEL 800W MAX AMPLIFIER - eBay (item 290343149124 end time May-21-10 14:11:29 PDT)


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## HHRAmpCursed (May 4, 2010)

rhystard said:


> it may very well be an internal problem in the HU. have you tried a different HU in the car?


I had the stock radio with a spliter, thinking it was getting interference I bought a brand new deck. Kinda wish i didnt now..


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## HHRAmpCursed (May 4, 2010)

HHRAmpCursed said:


> Ok so here is the product specs....
> 
> •NEW Fusion EN-AM8001 Car Amplifier
> •Power Ratings @ 14.4VDC
> ...


Could that be what your talking about??? volt protect? It doesnt make sense to me because even if it did have it... the protection light would come on.. right? It never does. The power turns off then on. (Racking my skull against wall very violently!)


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## rhystard (Apr 15, 2010)

sorry, i'm not about to re-read the thread, but have you checked the remote wire?

the original one i got in my kit had an internal break that caused it to act funky.

replaced with a run of 16ga speaker wire and it works great :laugh:


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## tinctorus (Oct 5, 2009)

How about this its a REALLY SIMPLE trouble shoot

Borrow an amp from a friend, Hook it up to all of YOUR wires and dont change ANYTHING else but them, That why it automatically narrows it done and tells you right away whether it is infact the amp OR your wiring....This should have been done from the very begining and would have saved you ALOT of work troubleshooting an amp that isnt really worth it IMHO


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## HHRAmpCursed (May 4, 2010)

tinctorus said:


> How about this its a REALLY SIMPLE trouble shoot
> 
> Borrow an amp from a friend, Hook it up to all of YOUR wires and dont change ANYTHING else but them, That why it automatically narrows it done and tells you right away whether it is infact the amp OR your wiring....This should have been done from the very begining and would have saved you ALOT of work troubleshooting an amp that isnt really worth it IMHO


initially that was the plan. Problem is.... no one I know has an amp. I think im the last of a dying (or aging) breed. Im thinking I should just replace the remote wire.. if that fails...its without a doubt a defective amp.

**Thanks to everyone for the help. Ill let everyone know how it ends up. Thanks again!**


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## MarkZ (Dec 5, 2005)

The remote wire doesn't explain why using the power windows makes it come back on. Have you looked at the alternator voltage yet?


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## HHRAmpCursed (May 4, 2010)

I have not, I dont think that would be an issue because its not at any specific rmp range does this happen... just randomly. Also, wouldn't the protect light come on if thats the case? The power to the amp drops out completely. Its either a power or defective amp issue. At this point since I bought the amp brand new, and it has been doing that ever since, Im leaning towards a junk remote wire.


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## MarkZ (Dec 5, 2005)

The protect light MIGHT come on. It depends on 1) whether overvoltage is part of the protection circuitry and 2) whether or not the circuit is designed to light the led.

The system voltage is the ONLY thing that connects the power windows to the amplifier. If the power window thing is a repeatable symptom, then I think the system voltage needs to be looked at.

Also, according to your first post, it IS rpm specific.


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## 94VG30DE (Nov 28, 2007)

MarkZ said:


> The remote wire doesn't explain why using the power windows makes it come back on. Have you looked at the alternator voltage yet?


Ditto this. I would take a look at the voltage input, and see what that is like as you are experiencing the cutouts while driving. You are going to have to actually do some testing.


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## Leedempster (8 mo ago)

Hey *I am dealing with the same .. I found this to be your amp is pulling to much power . There should be a little knob on it that says 0 amp or is 2 point amp turn that down a little bit and then it should help also getting a capacitor will also help fix this problem because I just hooked up a better amp in my system it sounded good I was hitting 129 decibels I decided to go to the store and when I start my car start to back up that's when it made my aunt stop go to a stop sign stop it works. I stopped my car completely and it still hits. So my guess would be to check your amp voltage your alternator voltage and also you might need to buy a capacitor to hook up that way it can draw power not only from the battery but from your internal battery that you're hooking up AKA capacitor*


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