Amplifier Won't Shut Off

philmeup1 · Post by **philmeup1** » Tue Feb 20, 2018 2:48 pm

Hi folks,

This is a bit of a generic question on my '93 L300. I've added a subwoffer & Amplifier right behind the drivers seat of my van. Lately I've noticed that the amp is always on and will no longer shut off with the stereo. I've poked around, but everything is as it was when originally installed.

Does anyone here have any experience with this stuff? For now I've just removed the positive cable from the battery until I get it sorted.

Any help is appreciated.

Cheers, Phil

Post by **Growlerbearnz** » Fri Feb 23, 2018 3:15 pm

Usually amplifiers have a main power feed which is connected directly to the battery, and a switched feed that tells the amplifier to turn on. With the main feed connected, does the amplifier stay on if you disconnect the smaller, switched wire?

If you're lucky, there's a stray wire between the terminals. Maybe check your wiring where the power feeds go into the amplifier?

If everything is tidy, then it's an internal fault. Something inside the amplifier has burnt out in the "on" state.

philmeup1 · Post by **philmeup1** » Fri Feb 23, 2018 3:32 pm

That makes sense Growlerbearnz. There is the large cable that runs directly from the battery to the amp. And I think there's a much smaller wire that's also connected to the amp. I'll check on that little wire as you've suggested tomorrow and see what's up. Hopefully it's not an internal issue:(

When I was disconnecting the main power wire (which is massive) from the battery, my wrench touched the body metal of the van. Man, you should have seen the spark show. It was incredible!! Luckily I was wearing a pair of rubber gardening gloves..... lol. And this is why I'm not a mechanic. I don't think anything happened, other than the light show.

Tomorrow I'll be more careful and have another look around. Thanks for the advice.

Cheers, Phil

Post by **Growlerbearnz** » Fri Feb 23, 2018 8:32 pm

LOL Just wait until you weld the spanner to the chassis and it gets too hot to hold! Very exciting.

It's safest to remove a battery's negative terminal first, that way if the spanner touches the body nothing happens. Once the negative is disconnected, the positive side isn't dangerous any more.