My Amp & The Big Three

[maxmite]

Right, my amp had blown, something to do with not enough current being supplied?!
this is what they said

"He has inspected the amplifier and can see that the main fuses and output stages of the amp are blown, this cannot happen due to an internal defect with the amp and can only be caused by external factors, the most likely cause is the vehicle power supply not providing enough current to the amplifier when being run at a higher volume."

i have to pay £50 to get it fixed, not the best of news.

car audio direct said about getting a better battery and doing the big three?!

any idea on what the big three is?
any recommendations on better more powerful batteries?!
a polo maybe? or a diesel version of the arosa?

any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[warren_cox]

The big three maybe a Power cap device which helps to store charge for when your amp draws more current when delivering big bass.

What amp was it, and whats it driving speakerwise?

 

[maxmite]

i have this

http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/dynamics-pack-p-6530.html?cadid=4db5r1n86q0sufcs9si12u7lg3

nah they said i need to change the cables in my car, no idea which cables though?

 

[Cupra Kev]

i have this

http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/dynamics-pack-p-6530.html?cadid=4db5r1n86q0sufcs9si12u7lg3

nah they said i need to change the cables in my car, no idea which cables though?

Alternator -> Battery
Battery -> Amp
Earthing Strap

???

 

[warren_cox]

I'm not so sure on the diagnosis of the failure. I would think you could only blow the output stages by incorrectly wiring the amplifier otherwise surely the fuse wouldn't have blown from underpowering it??? If there is enough current to keep the car running then the amp shouldn't blow. Did the lights dim much on the car (sometimes happens if the amp draws a lot of current from a week battery).

You could get a slightly bigger capacity battery, but it all seems a bt suspect to me.

Cupra Kev.... your suggestion sounds feasible.

 

[maxmite]

ive had it for a while and its worked fine (nearly a year),the whole amp just started smoking after a fuse blew!?!?
my amp does often make my lights dim when its up loud though

just want to make sure it doesnt happen again

 

[maxmite]

Alternator -> Battery
Battery -> Amp
Earthing Strap

???

cheeeers, ill make sure i upgrade them before i start using my amp again

 

[maxmite]

oh and any idea where i can get good quality wire?

 

[R3bb]

4 gauge cable would be an improvement, but I'm not sure you'd need it with that setup.
Did they sell you the sub and amp with that cabling?

If you were finding your lights were dimming, I'd recommend getting a power cap.

If the fault was the output stage, I would have thought that could only occur from a fault in the amp itself or the sub pulling on it. If it were input stages, then it could be external.

 

[maxmite]

4 gauge cable would be an improvement, but I'm not sure you'd need it with that setup.
Did they sell you the sub and amp with that cabling?

If you were finding your lights were dimming, I'd recommend getting a power cap.

If the fault was the output stage, I would have thought that could only occur from a fault in the amp itself or the sub pulling on it. If it were input stages, then it could be external.

whats a power cap?

and what do you mean it could be external if it was the input stages?

cheers

 

[R3bb]

A power cap is like a mini battery that goes in line with the power cable, giving extra power when required, making the drain on the battery more even.

and what do you mean it could be external if it was the input stages?

The 'external' part would be the car/battery, which goes into the amp input.
Given that it's not the input side thats damaged, and it was working fine for a while, I don't really see how external forces could damage it's output.
A screwed speaker can damage an amp output though.

 

[Poverty]

dont get a powercap. waste of money. TBH they have given you crap advice which is odd as they are sorta affiliated with TA and usually know their stuff. The amp is hardly powerful enough to require the big 3 unless your alternator is really really tiny!

What engine is in your car?

 

[maxmite]

dont get a powercap. waste of money. TBH they have given you crap advice which is odd as they are sorta affiliated with TA and usually know their stuff. The amp is hardly powerful enough to require the big 3 unless your alternator is really really tiny!

What engine is in your car?

a 1ltr haha

mmm maybe my battery is just ****ed?

 

[UncleFester]

a 1ltr haha

mmm maybe my battery is just ****ed?

Decent battery and the alternator off a Tdi Arosa if it's a bigger one than yours. Better cable will always help as will decent clean earth points.

 

[maxmite]

Decent battery and the alternator off a Tdi Arosa if it's a bigger one than yours. Better cable will always help as will decent clean earth points.

ok thanks for the advice, ill go hunting for a tdi that is being scrapped...

im going to pick the amp up today and going to get a better wiring kit too!

 

[UncleFester]

ok thanks for the advice, ill go hunting for a tdi that is being scrapped...

im going to pick the amp up today and going to get a better wiring kit too!

Have a check in vagcat to see what the output of your alternator / battery are then compare them to the tdi to make sure they are different.

I would have thought a 4AWG cable would be a better bet, then you can terminate it properly in the boot of the car. Earths need to be well secured and as SHORT as possible frmo the amp to the car body.

 

[maxmite]

ok, ill check it out.

thanks for your help its been really useful