Alpine PDX4.1 and PDX5 amps short-circuited?

ergoyo · 08-28-2010, 12:58 AM

I have these two amps stacked on the cd changer bay in the trunk. While moving them around tonight, the round leg in the bottom amp touched the metal trim that borders the changer bay and a spark flew. Right then both amps completely died and would not turn back on.

I checked both outside fuses and those in the back of the amps and they're fine. I even tried them with a meter and continuity tester and they're fine. The amps have perfect 12v and ground in their backs and even running through the fuses attached in the back and still won't turn on!! The blue LED at the top merely "flickers" when I connect 12v to them with the remote also from the 12v, but goes off immediately.

Is there an internal circuit breaker that needs to reset itself after many hours or something? Could touching the car's ground have fried both amps at once?

I am going into crisis now...

TMR · 08-28-2010, 03:02 AM

Im going to Image Dynamics Tomorrow, call me and we can meet up there.

ergoyo · 08-28-2010, 04:16 AM

Problem fixed!! The short melted the harness, connectors and pins I use for ground, and apparently the ground that was passing through it was not right afterwards, that's why I was not able to turn the amps on again. I removed the harness and connected directly to the ground bolt on the fender and problem solved!!

Some crazy electrical mistery: the amp's chassis (bottom) which is 12v charged touched the car's chassis, sparks flew and the short was sent up through the amps' ground connectors and fried the harness upstream??

Thinking I will do a fuse on the ground JIC...

08-28-2010, 12:58 AM	#1
ergoyo First Lieutenant Drives: e70 x5d Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Miami Posts: 332 iTrader: (5)	Alpine PDX4.1 and PDX5 amps short-circuited? I have these two amps stacked on the cd changer bay in the trunk. While moving them around tonight, the round leg in the bottom amp touched the metal trim that borders the changer bay and a spark flew. Right then both amps completely died and would not turn back on. I checked both outside fuses and those in the back of the amps and they're fine. I even tried them with a meter and continuity tester and they're fine. The amps have perfect 12v and ground in their backs and even running through the fuses attached in the back and still won't turn on!! The blue LED at the top merely "flickers" when I connect 12v to them with the remote also from the 12v, but goes off immediately. Is there an internal circuit breaker that needs to reset itself after many hours or something? Could touching the car's ground have fried both amps at once? I am going into crisis now...
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08-28-2010, 03:02 AM	#2
TMR Colonel Drives: M3 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Torrance Posts: 2,640 iTrader: (11)	Im going to Image Dynamics Tomorrow, call me and we can meet up there. __________________ 2011 E92 M3 : Slek Wide Body, BPM Tuned, Activeauto Coilovers, Savini Wheels, 345/285 of Nitto rubber, Litespeed Racing Titanium Exhaust www.tmrmzine.com/m3/slek SOLD E92 335i Stage 3+ with all the toys www.tmrmzine.com/335/ SOLD E39 M5 Modded, What a great car! www.tmrmzine.com/m5/
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08-28-2010, 04:16 AM	#3
ergoyo First Lieutenant Drives: e70 x5d Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Miami Posts: 332 iTrader: (5)	Problem fixed!! The short melted the harness, connectors and pins I use for ground, and apparently the ground that was passing through it was not right afterwards, that's why I was not able to turn the amps on again. I removed the harness and connected directly to the ground bolt on the fender and problem solved!! Some crazy electrical mistery: the amp's chassis (bottom) which is 12v charged touched the car's chassis, sparks flew and the short was sent up through the amps' ground connectors and fried the harness upstream?? Thinking I will do a fuse on the ground JIC...
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