# help?? amplifier stopped working.



## Ammstratocaster (Feb 17, 2011)

I have an '86 Oldsmobile Toronado. It has always had electrical problems, but nothing related to the sound system since I have upgraded to aftermarket. Still, an odd thing happened to my amplifier and it won't play.

I disconnected the negative battery terminal like always when you work on your electrical system. I simply wanted to route my power cord through a different place into the trunk. Done. I connected the negative cable and listened to it for a while. The battery went low since I listened to it too long with the car off to save gas. Totally understandable.

Here's the sticky part. I have this old battery charger. I think it malfunctioned or something, because when I put it on my battery terminals it made an unusually loud humming noise and sparked MUCH more than usual. I took it off immediately. I got in the car and smelled a burnt electrical smell. Wouldn't you know the interior lights won't come on in the car, the AC/heater won't come on, and my amp works for a split second after receiving the signal and then dies, though the power light stays on. Everything else in the car works to my knowledge.

I'm sure it isn't the deck, because I tried it in another vehicle after the incident and it worked fine, though it did get reset from the shock. 

Did I fry my amp or something? I checked all the fuses in the car, power wire, and amplifier and they were all fine.

Here is my setup: Not the best, but better than factory!

Head unit: JVC KD-HDR60

Amplifier: Alpine MRP-T220 (20 amp. fuse)
- two channels
-50W RMS per channel @ 4 Ohms,
-70W RMS per channel @ 2 Ohms.

Front speakers: Polk db521 (x2)
-5 ¼”
-45W RMS
-location: the factory opening at the bottom of doors.

Rear speakers: Sony XS-V6942A (x2)
-6x9”
-80W RMS
-location: sealed wedge-style enclosures on rear deck

Other:
-bass blockers for both Polk speakers. 133uF for a 300hz roll off per octave.
-Scosche 8 gauge power/ground wire (50 amp fuse)

-Scosche 14 gauge speaker wire
-Scosche twisted RCA cable


both speakers in the front and back are wired in parallel going to one channel at 2 ohms total while the other side two speakers are also wired in parallel at 2 ohms total. (This is how I've always had it.)


It's an old Alpine amp I bought off a friend, so should I get a new amp, or try to get it fixed?


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## Ammstratocaster (Feb 17, 2011)

update, the 10A fuse was blown that controls the interior lights/AC. I missed it when I checked. 

If I was to blow out my amp, wouldn't the fuse in the amp blow instead?


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## lcurle (Oct 5, 2008)

not always, sometimes you can blow out the signal processor which is seperate from the power. Check your terminals, if you are getting 12v+ on the powr and remote then your amp is fubar, if not check your connections.


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