There are 3 reasons your amplifier will go into protect mode.
1. Short circuit - blown speaker, power wire or strand touching ground, poor chassis ground on amplifier
2. Thermal/Overimpedence shutdown - a speaker connected is below the minimum inpedence of the amplifier.... or the amplifier is overheated.
3. The amplifier has a blown channel, power supply, or other internal failure. If this is the case, your amplifier will need repair by a professional with access to an oscilloscope, and proficiency in repairing amplifiers.
Audiobahn is no longer in business - however MOST of the FETs, diodes etc. are off the shelf and available to most repair shops... the problem will be obtaining the repair schematic because Audiobahn is no longer in business - you will need to find a shop in your area that repairs mainly Car Amplifiers so he knows what he's doing and looking for.
The only End User check is to...
Remove all wires and RCAs from the amplifier.
Attach ONLY the power and ground wires.
Jumper the Remote wire to the + terminal of the amplifier with a short piece of wire.
(IF the fault remians at this point - there is an internal circuitry problem)
If the amplifier powers on - and does not go into protection, remove the jumper and attach the normal remote wire.
If the amplifier STILL powers on properly - attach the RCAs.
If still operating without fault - power down, and check the output with a different known working speaker.
Be sure your subwoofer is wired to the proper impedence for the amplifier's rating (most are 1 or 2 ohm mono minimum).
Also check that your voicecoil(s) read the proper impedence.
If you reply, using the "Continue with this expert" option, with your Amplifier model # and Subwoofer - I can tell you the minimum impedence and if it is hooked up properly.
I have been in car audio for over 17 years and own my own shop.
Take the cap out and just wire the amp to the battery (fused of course!). Disconnect the speakers and see if it does it. It sounds like a speaker wire could be shorting. Also checking power and ground is a good idea.
Answers & Comments
There are 3 reasons your amplifier will go into protect mode.
1. Short circuit - blown speaker, power wire or strand touching ground, poor chassis ground on amplifier
2. Thermal/Overimpedence shutdown - a speaker connected is below the minimum inpedence of the amplifier.... or the amplifier is overheated.
3. The amplifier has a blown channel, power supply, or other internal failure. If this is the case, your amplifier will need repair by a professional with access to an oscilloscope, and proficiency in repairing amplifiers.
Audiobahn is no longer in business - however MOST of the FETs, diodes etc. are off the shelf and available to most repair shops... the problem will be obtaining the repair schematic because Audiobahn is no longer in business - you will need to find a shop in your area that repairs mainly Car Amplifiers so he knows what he's doing and looking for.
The only End User check is to...
Remove all wires and RCAs from the amplifier.
Attach ONLY the power and ground wires.
Jumper the Remote wire to the + terminal of the amplifier with a short piece of wire.
(IF the fault remians at this point - there is an internal circuitry problem)
If the amplifier powers on - and does not go into protection, remove the jumper and attach the normal remote wire.
If the amplifier STILL powers on properly - attach the RCAs.
If still operating without fault - power down, and check the output with a different known working speaker.
Be sure your subwoofer is wired to the proper impedence for the amplifier's rating (most are 1 or 2 ohm mono minimum).
Also check that your voicecoil(s) read the proper impedence.
If you reply, using the "Continue with this expert" option, with your Amplifier model # and Subwoofer - I can tell you the minimum impedence and if it is hooked up properly.
I have been in car audio for over 17 years and own my own shop.
Thanks!!
Take the cap out and just wire the amp to the battery (fused of course!). Disconnect the speakers and see if it does it. It sounds like a speaker wire could be shorting. Also checking power and ground is a good idea.