[tbird2340]

So I've been running two amps for about 6 months now. One for my door speakers and one for my sub.. Last night was the first night I noticed I didn't have any bass..

Today I popped the hood and checked the fuse to see if it was blown.. It was good.. I then went to the store.. Bothered that I didn't have any bass I decided to check it out when I pulled into the store parking lot..

When I got out and towards the back I started to smell electrical burning..

I started to freak and pulled the seat back to see my amp SMOKING!!! I hurried and pulled the fuses to the power lines and I was seriously thinking it was going to catch fire.. Luckily, it didn't..

Anyone have any idea as to how this could have happened? Also, why didn't a fuse blow or anything instead of letting it smoke and appear to catch fire?

Thanks!

 

[AudioNutz]

It would be almost impossible to tell without being there, but I'll give it a shot...

Five questions about the wiring:

1. How many fuses were up front?
2. What size are the fuse(s) up front?
3. How many power cables are there?
4. How many fuses are there in the back at the amplifiers?
5. What size are the fuse(s) in the back?

 

[DJEAZIE]

Is this the Kicker amp you bought from me? What was smoking the inside of the amp, or the wiring?


Man, I feel bad I hope your not mad at me.

 

[AudioNutz]

He said it worked for 6 months. That's longer than the factory warranty, right? Why would he be mad?

 

[nocturnalsst]

I had the same thing happen to my Hifonics amp about 2 months ago. No shorts anywhere, correct ohm load, and it never ran hot. One day it started arcing and smoked a bit out of nowhere after about 2 weeks of use. fuses never blew either.
Anyway i just got around to sending it back and a new one is on its way.

I have determined it was caused by one of 2 things:
1. defective amp
2. me using the wrong guage power/ground wires. i ran 8 guage and it recommends 4.

either way ive got new amp and wires on the way so im happy. :rck:

 

[tbird2340]

Is this the Kicker amp you bought from me? What was smoking the inside of the amp, or the wiring?


Man, I feel bad I hope your not mad at me.

Yup, it's that kicker amp and I'm not mad at you at all.. It's worked for MONTHS and this is out of the blue...

I ran separate power and ground wires to each amp. I believe 8 gauge but not 100% but I can check tomorrow. I had a 50 amp fuse and a 40 amp fuse within 6" of the battery and I can't remember which fuse went to which amp as I pulled them both so quickly when it happened.. I think the 50 amp went to the kicker.

Smoke was coming from INSIDE the amp.. Nothing coming from the wires.. I also coulda sworn I seen it lighting up orange inside the amp and I was litterally about to crap my pants thinking it was going to catch the truck on fire.. Thank GOD I did the jump seat mod or it would have taken me 30 minutes just to get the back of the seat down..

 

[AudioNutz]

Since you don't mention any fuses in the back near the amplifier, then my guess is that you didn't have any there?

 

[tbird2340]

Woops sorry.. Yes, it had two 25 amp fuses on the amp and neither were blown.

 

[AudioNutz]

Then it's a mystery why the fuses didn't blow. The fuse up front is to protect the wire, the fuse in the back is to protect the amp. (This is why you need to add an additional fuse in the rear with some amps, because they don't have their own fuses built in.)

 

[tbird2340]

Well that totally blows.. I'm scared to put another one in because I hate to think it could have caught the truck on fire and my daughter is in the back seat...

 

[AudioNutz]

From the description of the wiring, your wiring was correct. To put your mind at ease, check the continuity of the power cable with ground. (There should be zero continuity with ground)

Then make sure your fuse holders, and fuses are in good condition up front.

 

[DJEAZIE]

Man this sucks!

Your amp didnt get wet by any chance did it?

 

[tbird2340]

I doubt that it got wet.. Don't see how it could have and it wasn't raining at the time..

Yes.. It does suck!

I still have the other amp running fine, fyi.

 

[DJEAZIE]

Id tell the wife "I dont know hunny I think it was underpowered, I should probably buy a more powerful amp now just so this doesnt happen again." I think she really starting to catch on.

This really bothers me that this amp failed. Ive used Kicker amps for years and never had problems. I only used that amp for maybe 6 months and you havent had that long either. Its just makes me weary about buying Kicker equipment now. Sorry again that this happened to you.

 

[nocturnalsst]

Rip it open and take a gander and what blew up.. it could be pretty cool looking

 

[tbird2340]

I'll open it and take some pics.. It more bothers me that the fuses didn't blow.. It doesn't bother me much that it blew but that it could have caught my truck on fire (it looked like it could have anyways)..

I'm going to contact Kicker and see what they say.. I mean the thing supposedly has some type of protection build in I thought.. No fuses blew and the thing starts smoking and glowing amber orange on the inside!! WTH!?

 

[sebringdroptop]

The protections built into the amp do not cover every possibility. What caused it to start smoking and arching could be a hundred differant things, but most likely something shorted out after the circuit protection systems. My guess would be a capacitor blew up on the amp board. When they go the put on a nice little light and smoke show. It doesn't happen often, but it does happen.

If the amp was purchased through a authorized Kicker dealer, it should have a 3 year warranty.

 

[DJEAZIE]

Tbird, Your inbox is full. It wont let me send you anything.

 

[tbird2340]

Sorry about that. Try now.

 

[brangus1111]

I gotta agree with Sebring on this one. It is likely that it was a capacitor, also guys I never run anything smaller than 4 guage on any amp regardless of recommendations or amp size. I will soon be running the Hifonics Brutus BXi-2006D(2000w) and will be runnin 0 guage on it. If I were a bettin man I would bet this was you're problem man. I know that crap is expensive but not as expensive as a new amp.