Amp Power/ Battery Question

My kicker amps turn off at times. I have 2 stinger fans to cool them down and they still turn off.

3 Kicker amps. ZX850.4 tower speakers, ZX650.4 cabin speakers and ZX750.1 sub. 3 Marine Batteries with pergo switch.

Since I have so much power from the amps being drawn when the amps are working hard due to the loud volume when turned up, should I buy another battery?
Should I up upgrade my Alternator?
Should I up upgrade to better amps?

The ZX650.4 amps are powering 2 pairs of 6x9 and 2 pairs of 6.5. Which makes that amp run even more.

The ZX850.4 powering a pair of Tyrant NVS tower speakers. Bridged for 425 watts to each speaker.

Both of these amps turn off at times.

Or should I buy another amp to split the work load to the cabin speakers. Which would probably make the batteries/Alternator strain even more.

What would you stereo guys do?

This is in a 2006 VLX 340 HP engine if that makes any difference.

Can you afford to do all of the above? If so do it right and get it all done. Oh yeah, if you upgrade your alternator quite a bit you may need to upgrade you cables as well.

Cut out or turn off? If it's cutting out you could be that your power or grounds are insufficient. The amps aren't the problem those are pretty nice, yes there are better but these are good. When do you notice it happening most? How often do you charge your batteries?
Is it only when the system is cranked?

If all 3 amps are turning off, then i'd say it may be the remote turn-on from the head unit. Where does the H/U draw it's PWR and GND from?

Also, what do you have your tower and cabin amps cross-overs set at - FULL or HIGH?

^ or a lack of 12V power from the batteries. In that case, you need more batter power and more charging ability.

I believe the Kicker amps have unregulated power supplies....

When this problem happens (cut off or turn off?) is the boat running, not running, idling? 1 amp at a time?

All of the above could be correct, but we need more info...

Are the amps mounted sideways or upside down?

If the amps are mounted in such a way that the heat gets trapped they will overheat and shut down, fans help but mounting position is critical.

I also second tigemike's Q. Enable those HP crossovers at around 100hz

Do the amps just shut down while running on battery or do they shut down while the alternator is charging too?

Do you have a digital voltmeter for your battery bank? If not, it's a great inexpensive investment. Kind of like a gas gauge for your stereo.

(Message edited by mikeski on January 02, 2009)

The amps are mounted horizonally and I have them on 1/2" tall rubber spacers so air gets behind them. Then I have a thermastat that stinger makes that turns on when the amp gets over 100 degrees and it runs two stinger cylinder fans that pusher air under and around all the amps. The fans push some good air.

I charge all three batteries before I take my boat out each time. It is just a habit. My boat sits in my garage so it make it easy to do the day before.

It is only one amp at a time when they go out and it is either the 850 or the 650 it is never the 750 sub amp. They do not turn off completely I guess. The Green light on the amp turns off and I think a red light turns on the amp that has the issue.

The power and Ground are huge gage wire and they are the same size. Not sure on the gage, but each one has a fuse attached to each power to each amp.

Salinas Valley Marine had it installed for me when I bought the boat. Main Street Stereo in Salinas did the install. Except I added the fans, and place the rubber spacers under each amp for better air flow and to keep them off the carpet walls.

Head unit is Pioneer. I don't know ohms, but the 650.4 is running 8 speakers. 2(6x9) and 2(6.5.) 4Ohm speakers. So doesn't that make the amp run at 2ohms per each right and left.

The NVS sucks some major power from that 850 too. That is why I think that one turns off.

See this has been going on since I had the stereo installed and that is why I added the fan system to deal with the over heating I thought was happening.

Oh the boat is running when it happens. I don't think it has ever happened when it is not running, but I don't usually have it cranked up when the boat is not running.

You have 4 6x9's and 4 6.5's on the 4-channel? That is 2 ohm/channel. So this has been happening since it was installed? A speaker wire somewhere could be pinched causing the wire to short out. Also, a blown speaker shows a dead short to the amp, so if you have one blown that could cause it. I'd say unhook 1 speaker wire at a time from the amp to see if that cures it.

"Head unit is Pioneer. I don't know ohms, but the 650.4 is running 8 speakers. 2(6x9) and 2(6.5.) 4Ohm speakers"

What are the other 4 speakers running on the 650.4? Are you sure the 6x9's are 4ohm.

Are they dropping out at higher volume? Make sure the 4 switches on the side each amp is set to HI-Pass! Gains may be set too high as well.

Sorry Mike meant to write. 2 pairs of 6x9 and 2 pairs of 6.5. to the ZX650.4. I will have to check if they are set on Hi-Pass. I am pretty sure they are. The gains are about 3/4 of the way.

It turns off when I have the volume cranked up and usually when I am pulling a boarder or shooting across the lake.

As for the Kicker speakers being 4 ohms I don't know for sure. I guess I better look.

Are they Kicker 6x9's (I think they are all 4ohm) and are all the cabin speakers wired 1 speaker per chnl?

If wired 1 p/chnl, then internal impedance wont matter.

(Message edited by chpthril on January 02, 2009)

"It turns off when I have the volume cranked up and usually when I am pulling a boarder or shooting across the lake."

It's actually normal for the signal to clip when the H/U hit 75%-80% volume level. A line driver can help to boost the voltage from the H/U to the amps.

My EQ has a seperate volume control. Im pretty sure this bypasses the head unit. Maybe someone would know if adding one would stop clipping from the head unit if thats the problem.

Mike they are all Kicker speakers in the cabin. 2006 KS series. The ZX650.4 runs 4(6x9)and 4(6.5"). 2 6.5" in the bow, 2 6.5" in the dash, 4(6x9) in the seating around arena seating. One more pair of 6.5" is ran off the head unit that I forgot to mention.

Sorry if I am confussing everyone. I am at work and I am trying to type fast so I don't get busted being online on company time....


What is a line driver?

A line driver boosts the pre-out voltage from the head unit to the amps. The more signal you have, the more efficient the amps will be.

How high do you have the head unit turned up when the amps shut off?

Okay no pinched wires, the deck is a pioneer DEH-P680MP with 4.0v High Volt preouts. Amps Horizontal mounted.

ZX654.4 gains were at about 85%. I turned it down to about 60%. The xover was set on Hi for both channels. The fader button is not pushed in, should it be? The X-over freq. (hZ) both were set at 150 (hz) I turned that down to 100 (hz) WHat should that be?
Bass Boost was turned up to 15 out of an 18 setting. I turned that down to a 9.

Okay for the 850.4 that runs my NVS tryants. The fade button was not pushed in, should that be? The gain dial was turned up 85% for both channels, I turned it down to 60%. The bass boost was set on 12 out of 18. I turned it down to 9. The x-over was set to 150 hz I turned it down to 100 hz. The xover setting was on off for both so I turned that to Hi. That could of been the problem on that one.

Speakers are 4ohm speakers. Recap ZX650.4 has 4(6.5")two way, two speakers per channel (r,l side) and 4(6x9) three way, two per channel (r,l side).

Pair of NVS tower speakers are ran off of the ZX850.4 and are bridged.

Thank you guys for the info I think it helped. On the 650.4 amp the gains were up pretty high and i turned it down and all the other settings were turned up pretty high.

On the 850.4 the xover settings were turned off and I put them on Hi and the gains and other setting were turned up and I turned them all down.

I hope this will all help.

Thanks again.