Blew all three fuses.

[andrew.brandon]

I blew the 40A fuse on the power cable and the 2 25A fuses on my amp. Any Idea how that happened? I was going down the road listening to a bass CD when it happened. Should I be worried about the rest of the electrical stuff on the car? The radio shack here does not have any 40A fuses to replace it. They only have 30A fuses. Will that work OK?

[96firebird311]

Either

A:You have a short somewhere. My guess is that your power or ground wire is chaffing somewhere. It just wore through the wire's outer plastic and is now touching metal to metal.

B:Your amp was just drawing too much current. You said that you were playing a bass CD, so that's entirely possible. The fuses popped just as they should have. To keep that amp from melting down.

Being that the 40amp blew at the same time as the (2)25's, I'm leaning toward option A. :(

[nda0602v6]

Yeah like 96firebird mentioned, you may have a short somewhere. Usually if an amp is starved of power, it will just blow the fuse by your battery. But all 3? Must have been a good bass cd lol


Since you say your amp uses two 25-amp fuses (which means it can draw up to 50-amps) that also could be the reason why you blew the 40-amp fuse. If that's the case, the 30-amp fuse you got at R. Shack will blow even faster once the bass really starts kicking in. Use a 50-amp fuse by your battery

[96firebird311]

Nda is correct that if your amp has a 50 amp fuse, you should have a 50 amp fuse under the hood as well. No biggie for this situation though. That is neither here nor there right now. [img]smile.gif[/img] I find it a little too much coincidence that you were bumping on a bass CD when this happened.....that REALLY leans me towards option B....but BOTH fuses blew at the same time. The makes me think that a tremendous amount of current was being drawn through your power wire. Which would lead to option A.

Here's how you can tell.....replace the fuses in your amp and under the hood (you can use the 30 for now.) Play your system at lower volumes. If it even plays, you know you don't have a short. If it just blows the fuses right away, option A. Actaully, before you buy the fuses, touch something between the two sections of the fuse holder. (To complete the circuit) If it sparks, you have a short. No spark, you're probably good to go. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[nda0602v6]

I didn't word it right. Just meant that if an amp is trying to demand more amperage than what the fuse under the hood is rated at, it will blow. At least that's what I've experienced. I could be wrong though lol

[96firebird311]

Originally posted by nda0602v6:
Just meant that if an amp is trying to demand more amperage than what the fuse under the hood is rated at, it will blow.

That is correct. That's why it's there! [img]smile.gif[/img]

[casketcrewchick]

hey which bass cd. I was listening to Bass Mekanik Sonic Overload on the way to work today.

[96firebird311]

Originally posted by casketcrewchick:
Bass Mekanik Sonic Overload

I like the "greatest hits" CD the best. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[andrew.brandon]

All right, I replaced all the fuses and when I turned the amp on the 30A one blew but left the 2 25's alone. So for the heck of it I riged a 50A fuse and tried it and the 2 25's blew.

Isn't the amp draw for my amp less than 20A? I ask because I lost my first 40A when I first put it together so I used a 30A for a few months with no problems.

It was a neurodisk cd. It is bass hit-the greatest hits. #6-bass of gibraltar when it blew. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...glance&s=music

[96firebird311]

Got a multimeter at your dispose?

[nda0602v6]

Don't know for sure but it sounds like your amp may be bad. If your main power wire has a dead short then the fuse under the hood will blow instantly the second you install one. (Regardless of what size fuse is installed).

However, you said the 30-amp fuse under the hood blew "after" you turned on the amp. That's telling me the power wire is okay (not touching ground) and that the problem is more than likely with your amp somehow.

.....Hey 96firebird311, would a blown sub create a dead short to an amp?

Only other thing I know to suggest would be to disconnect all of your RCA's and subs(disconnect at the amp itself) so all that's left hooked up is your Positive, Ground and Remote. Turn the amp on and see if it pops the fuses again.

[andrew.brandon]

Oh, BTW, when I took the main power cable off to rig up the 50A, The battery went dead and took 15 minuets to get enough charge to start again. Was it something I did?

[nda0602v6]

Doubt disconnecting the battery for a few minutes would make it go dead

[andrew.brandon]

Well the problem isn't that it is grounding itself. I bought a new wiring kit and put it on. it has a 100A fuse in it and it dosen't blow but the 2 25' still do. Any Ideas? Could it be the amp?

[nda0602v6]

:( At this point I'd say your amp is prob no good. You know for sure now its not your power wire since you replaced it. If it keeps blowing the 25-amp fuses then that's definitely not a good sign.

Did you try completely disconnecting your subs and RCA's from the amp and then turn it on? If it still blows fuses then its time for a new amp. I honestly don't have any other ideas or suggestions for ya.