Electrical/wiring question

Last week, my 93 SC stopped playing music through any/all of its speakers. I get no hiss, no hum, no buzz - nothing. The stereo has an equalizer-type display that indicates that it's getting a signal (and the tuner has radio-text capability and I'm able to see what song the radio thinks it's playing).

The stereo and the amp are both aftermarket (stereo: Pioneer DEH-P835R; amp: Sherwood SCP-1002 240w).

So I'm thinking that I've got a problem with the amp. The amp has two fuses in it (that is in the amp itself), both of which are good.

Soooo:

Is there any easy way to test the amp ?
-and-
Is there a way to tell which circuit the amp is on to see if there's a wiring problem at the car's fuse box ?

Thanx,
bauble

I really doubt that anyone worth their salt would power the amp through the fuse box, but stranger things have happened. Do you have power at the fuses at the amp? Did you check under the hood for a fuse at the battery?

Jeff

I wasn't thinking that the amp was powered through the fuse box (not that I know anything about wiring; it just hadn't occured to me), but that, as far as I know, the amp should be drawing power from *something* that's eventually connected to the fuse box.

Haven't checked for a fuse at the battery and I'll get the amp's power checked either tomorrow or wed (I don't have a voltmeter (or an ampmeter or an ohmmeter) ).

Feel free to correct and/or ridicule as needed. ;-]


...and thanks for any and all replies.

bauble

I have an extra fuse in the engine compartment for my amp power wire. It is a special fuse for amps, but I hid it away out of sight. I installed it because if anything cut into my wire from the engine compartment to the trunk, I would want it to start my car on fire. This might be a possible problem.

Ok your amp will have 3 power connections.

Ground or -, should be as short as possible and connected directly to the chassis. The connection point should be free of all paint and should be bare metal. It should not be a seat bolt or any other "extra" bolt on the car.

B+ should run from the battery with a fuse no more than 18" from the terminal. Should be in your case at least 12 gauge wire. If it doesn't get one, or risk the car burning to the ground. For sure.

Remote terminal. This is usually connected to a terminal from the radio so that when the power is turned on the amp will turn on.

So as you can see there is not really a connection to the fuse box. Teh reason that you do not connect amplifers to the fuse box os because the wires feeding it have to feed everything else on that branch. What is needed is another limb, if you see what I am saying.


Hell without looking you will never know. Why not pop the hood and take a look. Chances are that you will find a wire connected to the Starter solenoid or the battery that looks "out of place". Like translucent red wire or a gold terminal. Look for a fuse.

Do you have a test light?

Jeff