Car Stereos: AMP Problem, digital multimeter, fuse holder

Question
My SSL Force 1600 f2 is giving me trouble. I got it installed about 6 months ago and has been working fine up until last week. The power light comes on and slowly turns off. I've checked the wires and fuses and all are fine. The Amplifier is receiving power but not staying on. What is your suggestion?

Answer
Hi Ryan,

My best guess is that you have a voltage drop at some point on the power line, or possibly a bad ground connection.  When there's a point of high resistance in the power circuit, it causes a drop in voltage.  The more current flows through the connection, the more voltage is lost.  I think that after the amplifier switches on, it draws more current through the resistance point until the voltage drops too low to keep it powered. It then shuts off again.  Most likely it will continue cycling on and off as the current draw rises and falls.

There are four points to check:  First, make sure the power and ground wires are connected securely at the amplifier terminals.  Next, check the other end of the ground wire; make sure it's securely fastened to chassis metal.  Then, check the connection at the battery; make sure it's tight, and free of corrosion.  Finally, inspect the fuse and fuse holder: look for loose, charred or corroded connections between the power wire and fuse holder, and inspect the points where the fuse fits in its sockets.  I'd also suggest replacing the fuse, even if it doesn't appear blown; some fuses (especially AGU glass-tube fuses) can fail without any visible damage to the filament.

If you aren't able to fix the problem with these steps, you'll need to use a digital multimeter to locate the voltage drop.

Hope this helps!

Brian