Car Stereos: Amp troubles?, factory stereo, hello my friend

Question
Hello,

My friend and I hooked a single amp and sub up into a 2006 Ford Ranger with a factory stereo, so we had to use speaker-level inputs as we had no RCA outs from the stereo.  This is the first time I've ever been involved in connecting a stereo, but my friend has done it several times.  He connected everything correctly, and I followed behind him checking his work.

The system worked fine for about 3 weeks.  The remote is connected to a small switch that I use to turn the amp on and off as I want to power the system.  I used a voltmeter to test the voltage to the power on the top side of the switch and it reads just over 12 volts.  When I turn the system on and read the voltage across the bottom side of the switch going to the amp, the voltage drops to anywhere between 3 and 4 volts.

I have re-seated the ground wire and sanded the spot I'm grounding to very well.  I have checked all of my wires to make sure that none are grounding out or cut.  I replaced the switch, thinking this was the problem, but I then took the switch off and connected the wires together directly, which still gave me 3 to 4 volts.  Neither of the fuses are blown.  The amp has a "protected" light that will light up red if it senses anything wrong, but this light does not light up.  The green power light stays lit as if the amp is getting power, but instead of getting 11+ volts as the manual says it should receive, it gets 3 to 4.

Is there anything else at all I can check?  What could cause the voltage to drop that significantly?  The amp is mounted directly on top of the sub box.  I have read different opinions on whether this could have damaged the amp or not.  I can't return the amp because I purchased it off Ebay, so it's not covered under the manufacturer's warranty.  Also, it worked for 3 weeks so I feel like something must have happened to it since I got it and it worked.  The amp is a Hifonics TXi7506 currently wired to 2 ohms on a single 12" sub.

Please help!

Answer
Hi Steven,

thats a nice amp powerful 2 and 1ohm stable not bad for the price.


anyway
sound like you have a bad remote where did you get the power for that remote?.

Some newer vehicles have delayed powered fuses, if you got it off of the fuse box make sure that fuse has "ALWAYS" 12 volts. if it does you think it could be maybe a bad remote wire maybe it got damaged.

im almost positive that its not the amp that its damaged im pretty sure its gonna be that remote wire.

now u said that the amp actually turns on. when it shouldnt. Try and disconect the remote wire from the amp and see how much volts your getting if you get 3 or 4 like before then you know that there is actually a bad conection, somewhere and that should reduce the posibilities, if you get 12 Volts then there must be something wrong with the amp. on my experience ive never seen an amp doing that tho. thats why im pretty sure its the remote.

i hope this helps.

if everything else fails take it to a shop and have them check it or bench test it and that'll tell you for sure whats the problem. i think itll be worth your buck since thats a pretty good amp. thats what i would do anyway.

good luck!

Ed.

i wish there is more i could tell you but to check that remote wire,