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I need some help from the installers here...

Discussion in 'Interior' started by DaCubanSkillz, Jul 22, 2005.

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    DaCubanSkillz Active Member

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    I need some help from the installers here...

    So this month I had an issue with a dead battery. I thought nothing of it. I got a new one for free. Today i decided to check to see if my Bazooka bass tube (rs10a-hp) was the issue cause I reconnected it today.

    Well of course no lights on the built-in amp were on when the car was off. I turned on the car and turned the radio on. The tube worked fine. I go to check the tube AFTER i turn the car completely off and the green light (power still going to the amp) is still on!

    Any clue as to why the power is still going to the amp?

    I don't know if this will help but here is how its set up:

    Power wire from battery to the built-in Amp on the Tube.
    Ground to the body of the car.
    Remote wire to the blue wire behind the HU. (I followed the instructions that were posted on this board about hooking it up)

    and I tapped into the rear speakers for Hi-Level inputs.

    Could it be the ground? I can't see how the tube would turn on if the ground was not connected.

    *confused*
    DaCubanSkillz, Jul 22, 2005
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    Denver Rolla 98 impreza

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    it sounds like your deck isent sending the message to the amp that it needs to shut off... is the link cable installed properly... the single small wire that goes from the deck to the amp...
    Denver Rolla, Jul 22, 2005
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    teevee247 Well-Known Member

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    It sounds like a faulty remote wire... my deck did the same thing, wouldn't shut off my amp, ended up killing the battery :(
    teevee247, Jul 22, 2005
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    e_andree E

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    If you have power running directly from the battery to the source, the power will be constant....install a switch somewhere on your remote wire....or check to see if your remote wire is hooked up correctly.

    Do you have constant power running to your headunit?

    Also, are you sure that the power light on your amp actually does stay on? Sometimes it will stay on due to power within the power lines, and then shut off after a short time period.

    Easiest solution is to run the amp power to your cig lighter source, or ignition.

    No sense in running it directly to the battery.That power will stay in that line, sending a power source to your tube
    e_andree, Jul 22, 2005
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    DaCubanSkillz Active Member

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    The remote wire is correct (its the stock HU). I disconnected the wire when the car was off the and light remained on.

    How am I supposed to run the power wire from the amp to something other then the battery? I'm not being a smart ass..just confused as hell.

    or should I run the remote wire to the ignition? If I do that, which wire should I put it to? one that is constantly on when I put the car is on?
    DaCubanSkillz, Jul 22, 2005
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    e_andree E

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    Of course it would...your battery is constantly putting out power, so your amp would always be on.

    Tap into the ignition wire or the cig lighter wire if that isnt a constant power source.

    It sounds like your remote wire is hooked up to a power wire. Your remote wires purpose is to tell your amp to turn off, even when the power source is constant to the amp.

    Another problem could be that your amp is the problem.....the relay could be stuck open.

    Does your stock unit even HAVE a remote wire?? You sure you spliced into a blue/white wire on your stock headunit harness. It would have otherwise been unused. majority of stock headunits dont have remote wires.

    Here, check out this:

    The cheap and easy way is to run the amp's remote terminal off of a switched accessory wire. This is the wire that your radio uses. It is only powered when the key is in the accessory or run position of the ignition switch. When you shut the car off the wire loses power and the radio and amplifier will both turn off. Your amp will be on when your car is on and off when you car is off.

    There are also units that will sense the voltage on the factory speaker wires and then send a +12 volt signal to the remote wire. These units run about $12 and are an option for those who do not want their equipment on full time.

    Another issue you will run into is the lack of RCA outputs on factory head units. For this you will need either an adapter to convert the speaker output signal to an RCA signal or an amplifier with a built in adapter. These are often referred to as high level to low level adapters or speaker level to RCA adapters. They run $10-30 and are available at car audio shops and related businesses. For premium systems such as Bose, JBL, Infinity, etc. you will likely need a specialized adapter. Companies such as PAC, Peripheral Electronics, Soundgate, and Precision Interface Electronics all make these type of interfaces.
    e_andree, Jul 22, 2005
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    DaCubanSkillz Active Member

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    that makes sense. When I get time, I'll put the car into the ACC spot and then check to see which wire turns on and off. I went by the instructions that every other owner used on the tC from another board. but maybe it could be me. but this time i'll take a meter to it to find out when it cuts out and what not. Thanks for the info. that lil paragraph made alot of sense. i was getting confused with the actual power wire and the remote wire. (my bad.) thanks again.
    DaCubanSkillz, Jul 22, 2005
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    laz Member

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    Let me backtrack here, is your battery still getting drained? Most subs with built in amps, and even regular amps will have the light on for a few seconds to a minute until the capacitors in the amp discharge. This happen to some amps, but not all. If the amp is off when you get to it in the mornings then it is working correctly, and if it only stays on for a few seconds to a minute the it is ok as well. Once it turns on because the remote wire has received power, and if the remote wire switches off when you turn off the car, or the radio then the amp will turn off.

    There is only one caveat and that is if the relay/circuitry inside the amp is becoming faulty and it is getting stuck when the remote power is turned off. There are a few reasons why this could happen, and it all depends on the amp design. If it is a mechanical relay, then the mechanish itself may be faulty, if it is a circuit switch, then it may be due to heat shorting something out, or melting a soder point due to heat that it may be not turning off.

    One sure way to make sure your remote is working ok is go to autozone, pep boys, etc. and get yourself a cheap 12 V DC test light, if you have not done so already. Then test the remote power. If you followed the instructions of many tC websites, chances are that you did it correctly. There is no need to start tapping into cigarrete lighters or ignition wires, if your pioneer radio has a remote out, that is what you should use, nothing else.

    I say turn off the car, and wait like 5 minutes and see if the amp went off, also it would be helpful if you can find the manual for the sub. I have never ever seen an amp not turn off, just not want to turn on. It is very strage for that circuit to fail.

    Get back to us and let us know your findings.

    X
    laz, Jul 22, 2005
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    DaCubanSkillz Active Member

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    i plan on testing it out when I get home. the bleeding of the power makes sense. so i'm gonna go home, let it sit outside for a while and then go check it out. if its still on then something is wrong. then i'll start testing things out with a tester to see if the wire i got the remote wire hooked to is the problem.

    hopefully i'm just overthinking things. but i rather be safe then sorry. this setup is the exact same setup as my old one with the exception of the extra amp for the interior speakers. and i never had an issue with the rolla. owell..we shall see tonight what happens. once i figure out what the problem is, then i'll post it. but i rather test thigns out before i start splicing things up and taking apart the car again.

    thanks again!
    DaCubanSkillz, Jul 22, 2005
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    Rolla95 Rollin' Out y0

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    i tapped my remote wire into my cig lighter fuse in the fuse box, i also ran a switch on it so im not draining my battery on start up
    Rolla95, Jul 22, 2005
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    TurismoDreamin ΓΡΗΓΟΡΟΣ ΟΔΗΓΟΣ

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    hmm....when i had a system, i connected the remote wire from my deck to my amp....then to power it, i connected it directly to the battery without any type of switch so it was drawing power from the battery consistantly but when i turned off my car, the deck would send a signal to me amp to shut it off....and of course the ground wire was properly grounded to the chassis....i didnt have ne problems....im guessing that if you have one of those security blinking light things on ur deck, ur amp is probably sensing that the deck is still on or something....either that or quite frankly, either ur amp or ur deck is cheap....but double check ur wiring n make sure nothings touching n all the basic stuff...
    TurismoDreamin, Jul 22, 2005
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    DaCubanSkillz Active Member

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    ok..so I did a lil test.

    I came home and I let the car sit alone for a good 5 minutes. when I checked the green light on the tube was still on. so I disconnected the remote wire and 2 seconds later the green light turned off. so guess what my issue is...the remote wire!

    So now I gotta take the remote wire and rewire it to the ignition wire. Once I get time I will do it. until then the fuse will remain out of the power wire so the tube doesn't drain my battery.

    Thanks again to those who helped!
    DaCubanSkillz, Jul 22, 2005
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    laz Member

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    That is good that you found out what it was, but what are all the other people that you read about on the tc websites doing? Can they all be wrong with their info, or did yur car change somehow from pervious models.

    GL

    X
    laz, Jul 23, 2005
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    DaCubanSkillz Active Member

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    dunno. i aked everyone and they all said they had no issues. so I don't know. either they're lying or its soon about to happen to them..lol. my car is the first model..the '06 is the next model up and its almost the same..
    DaCubanSkillz, Jul 23, 2005
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