audio question

empty hooks

i have a 2004 232 open bow . it has a sony 52w x 4 marine radio , 6 polk audio 6 in speakers and a xplod 220 watt amp.only the front 2 speakers are hooked up to the amp . when I turn it up loud the radio turns off and will keep turning off and back on until I turn it down . ive been told I need a bigger amp or a better radio. im not sure what direction I need to go in . thanks for any help

LaRea

Sounds like your amp is either overheating or not getting enough current.  Where is it mounted?  Does it get hot when you crank it up?  

rinker312

When you say radio turning off do you mean the head unit is turning off or just the sound is coming and going. If just sound then I would lean toward an amp problem. If the whole radio turns off then I would think radio. 

Stodge

Agree with LaRea, either there is not heavy enough power wire going to the amp, or it's overheating.  I want to say my factory installed Kenwood Amp has #4 (or bigger) power wire feeding it.  You may want to watch any status lights on the amp itself to see if a clue pops up there.

explore7425

If the head unit is turning off you have a speaker wire problem. If just the amp is shutting down you have an amp problem. 

MarkB

When it turns off, how long before it turns back on? If it's overheating it will take at least 10 seconds to come back on (if not longer). If it's less than that, it probably is low amps, the solution is to put a bigger cable in, assuming the battery is okay, or if you are running too much off the one battery, put in a dedicated battery.

If it is a 220W PEAK amp though, that is not big, and likely it is overheating. If it is 220W RMS, that is more reasonable and should be pretty loud.

empty hooks

The amp is mounted in a storage spot infont on the dash area.The amp never really feels that hot . When it turns off the lights on it shut off .When the radio turns off it powers back up with in 5 seconds . The only other electronics I have in the boat are a GPS fish finder combo and a ship to shore .

JC290

What size wire is feeding power to it and from where?

MarkB

The other issue is that you could be using low ohm speakers. If the speakers in the front are not at least 8 ohm rated, than that could be causing the problem. Basically not enough resistance so the amplifier pushes out too many amps and circuit protection is kicking in.

Low resistance can also be caused by short circuiting the speaker wire. I don't think you have a direct + to - short because your amp wouldn't work at all then, but you may have one tiny + wire touching something semi-insulating in the boat.

Check out this link for more info:

http://denon.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/58/~/4-ohm-speakers-with-a/v-receivers-or-power-amps

cettialpha6

 6 polk audio 6 in speakers and a xplod 220 watt amp.only the front 2 speakers are hooked up to the amp . when I turn it up loud the radio turns off and will keep turning off and back on until I turn it down .

How are you shutting off the other 4 speakers? So you are using only 2 speakers and cranking the amp up full. I think MarkB is correct about amps and resistance in your system. The wattage maybe exceeding the limitations of your 2 speakers.
Art

explore7425

MarkB said:

The other issue is that you could be using low ohm speakers. If the speakers in the front are not at least 8 ohm rated, than that could be causing the problem. Basically not enough resistance so the amplifier pushes out too many amps and circuit protection is kicking in.

Low resistance can also be caused by short circuiting the speaker wire. I don't think you have a direct + to - short because your amp wouldn't work at all then, but you may have one tiny + wire touching something semi-insulating in the boat.

Check out this link for more info:

http://denon.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/58/~/4-ohm-speakers-with-a/v-receivers-or-power-amps

Most all car (boat) audio is 4ohm. It would be extremely rare to have an 8 ohm speaker in a 12volt system unless you were running two subs off one channel and I know you are not. You have a very basic audio system so I am sure your speakers are 4 ohm. I am also reasonably sure your amp is 2 ohm stable. If the head unit is shutting down then that is what is shutting down your amp via the remote wire. From what you describe I believe you have a speaker wiring problem. There is most likely a short or a bad speaker causing a short. It could be any speaker amped or not or anywhere on any of the speaker wires throughout. Factory wiring is cheap and small gauge.  Your amp is pretty small anyway. I would buy a 6 channel class D amplifier and run all new wiring.  You will be very happy and people will envy you on the water. It's the right way to do it. From what you describe your whole system is under powered. Don't be fooled by the power rating on that cheap stuff. They list everything in peak while the RMS is a third of that. RMS is the real power rating. Alot of that stuff doesn't even list an RMS rating because it's so pitiful.