Why is boat amplifier draining battery while sitting there?

[Testosterone boy]

Fiberglass boats have very few decent grounds so I grounded the large amp to a couple large 6 volt batteries. Ran the power cable and the blue "power up" cable to the batteries as well.

Within two weeks, the 6 volts were drained down to 8.5 volts.

Before you jump too quickly, a guy said this would work well. Don't want to take it to the shop and get my stuff stolen....again.

Is it running the ground there? Or is it the blue wire that only seems to work if wired together with the main power wire.

 

[HANSEL]

" I hate chatting with hobbyists "
-T-boy

 

[Testosterone boy]

" I hate chatting with hobbyists "
-T-boy

Quote me right. I said I hate talking to photography hobbyists. I get hammered by people almost every time I work. It gets really, really old.

He wasn't asking for advice on a problem either. Seemed to be bragging about his gear and putting down digital which I detest for several reasons.

 

[HANSEL]

Forgot the photography part

Just messing around man.

 

[Testosterone boy]

^

 

[BcQx4]

the blue cable that you are calling a power up wire is actually a remote turn on connection - basicly when positive (+) 12vdc is applied to that blue wire it throws a switch in the amp that makes it turn on and start drawing the real heavy current from the bigger power wire. Now what you need to do is either connect that to the 'remote' wire coming outta ur stereo or just put a switch (Single pole single throw) with one side of the switch goign to positive battery and the other going to your amp - then when you turn the switch off the amp is no longer sucking power.

I over simplified a few things here so if you got any ?'s ask..

 

[ZKaudio]

Are you saying you have 2 6 volts running in parallel for just one amp??? dude... lemme clarify here. You need to have your power lead coming from the deck(blue) grounded to the same source your amp is grounded to. If it's not, you face the possibility of your amp never turning off.... which will drain your battery. Every aspect of your electrical system should ground to a large block which is then properly dispersed among your power cells. Also remember, if your boat sits for any decent period of time, the charge in your batteries WILL dissipate. You should have an A-B/AB switch hooked up to your charging system anyway with an extra bat for starting. That way the the stereo will not discharge all of your bats. Have you had anyone with any knowledge of boat audio look at it at all? or did you do the whole system? This is hard to explain over the internet... your question is also vague. Clarify for clearer answers

 

[KAYNE]

HOW CAN SOMETHING DRAIN DOWN FROM 6 TO 8.5 VOLTS? I'M NOT UP ON MY ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING SO THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE CLARIFIED FOR ME.

 

[Testosterone boy]

jayne....I don't know why you continue to post on my threads.


Someone had said it is OK for the amp to be on all the time, i.e., red led light on. Only real power is sucked when the stereo is on. Obviously this did not work.

ZK.....this is Colorado money here, not California money. Most of the money here comes from NY, Chicago and California. Want a paycheck? Look at the mountains. It is only an 18' water skiing boat though Carlsons look cool and it is quick. This power block idea seems like overkill.

I wish I knew what wire from the stereo was supposed to connect to the amp but I don't and was not able to make anything work when I tried.

My last amp got stolen, fucker ripped my boat apart taking it. This one took two days to install where the sun does not shine. It is in there with Liquid Nails....it ain't coming out this time! I'm considering supplementing it with razor blades, a burglar alarm, and a .357 that kills any would be burglars.

OK....back to the problem. For now I will simply disconnect the ground wire from the battery when not in use until I install switch.

 

[KAYNE]

BUT YOU HAVENT ANSWERED HOW SOMETHING CAN BE DRAINED DOWN TO 8 VOLTS FROM 6.5 VOLTS. DICKFACE.

ITS A LEGITIMATE QUESTION. AND IF YOU WILL NOTICE (AGAIN), I HAVENT SAID SHIT TO YOU SINCE YOU TOOK MY NAME OUT OF YOUR SIG.

BESIDES, I THOUGHT YOU HAD ME ON IGNORE.

 

[Testosterone boy]

-

 

[KAYNE]

DIDNT THINK SO ASSFACE.

 

[2Thick]

the blue cable that you are calling a power up wire is actually a remote turn on connection - basicly when positive (+) 12vdc is applied to that blue wire it throws a switch in the amp that makes it turn on and start drawing the real heavy current from the bigger power wire. Now what you need to do is either connect that to the 'remote' wire coming outta ur stereo or just put a switch (Single pole single throw) with one side of the switch goign to positive battery and the other going to your amp - then when you turn the switch off the amp is no longer sucking power.

I over simplified a few things here so if you got any ?'s ask..

Excellent advice!

 

[ZKaudio]

KAYNE, he has 6 six volt batteries running in parallel.. thus yeilding a 12 volt net charge.

bcqx4 was right, when that blue lead has power flowing through it..(mind you your amp must be grounded to the same battery source that your turn-on lead is coming from) it will turn the amplifier to the on position. This is usually wired to an accessory power wire so that when the key is in accessory position, you will get power to teh amplifier. On a boat, I would agree that wiring this directly to the battery with a switch may make more sense. Your boat may have other obligatory devices that are powered up when the key is turned.. so with the switch you could run your stereo with the key not even in the ignition... given that your deck has its own power lead as well...

 

[Big Johnson]

Just run the ground right to the battery.

 

[Testosterone boy]

The rest of the boat runs off of a regular 12 volt.

Big amps suck battery juice pretty hard and a dead battery means dead in the water....so I installed the auxiliary barreries.

I just can't get the amp to work unless both power wires go to the same battery. Ran the ground there as well Big J.

The switch is the way to go....piece of cake.

 

[KAYNE]

KAYNE, he has 6 six volt batteries running in parallel.. thus yeilding a 12 volt net charge.

GOOD JOB ON THE CLARIFICATION. I DONT THINK TEST BITCH KNOWS HOW TO ARTICULATE VERY WELL. SO ESSENTIALLY, EACH 6 VOLT WAS DRAINED DOWN TO 4.25 VOLTS (THEORETICALLY).

HE SAID THE 6 VOLTS WERE DRAINED DOWN TO 8.5 VOLTS (OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT).

 

[Testosterone boy]

So I take it out today. At 45 mph, you need a good amp for a concert type environment.

I jumped the batteries to my 12 volt so the motors alternator would keep the batteries charged. After maybe 1 hours, the amp started cutting out before quitting. 700 watt amp...it hits the batteries hard and I had it blasting all the way.

Figured the jump had a bad connection and the voltage got too low. But they measure 12.75 volts before the 10 amp charger started pumping 4 amps onto them so they were not fully charged. It pumps 10 amps into dead batteries though.

I'm jinxed with electrical shit.

 

[Testosterone boy]

Could it have an auto cut-off if it gets too hot? Its a Punch....good amp.

 

[ZKaudio]

You have a problem there... I have a shitload more power than you running off 4 batts and I can run it for days. If it's only cutting out when it hits, throw a couple of capacitors in there to minimize the current draw during peak amplitude. Also, your batteries take awhile to charge to full capacity. Rembember that amps and volts are completely different and although showing a steady 12 v's... you need to run it for awhile to let the alternator get those babies up to par. My system runs at a perfect 14.4 when the engine is on, 12.8 or so when off.. and the voltage rarely drops below that. Are they golf cart batteries? I usually swear by those things|!

 

[Testosterone boy]

Not sure what you mean "cutting out when it hits".

The batteries were charged for 1 1/2 days but they were still accepting 2 amps and were not fully charged.

I suspect the batteries bounced back to 12.75 after not being used for 1/2 hour.

Yes they are golf cart batteries.

Jumper cables is pretty cheesy....I'm going to hard wire them with a switch.

 

[KAYNE]

JUST BRING THE FUCKING THING TO SOMEONE WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE DOING. YOU OBVIOUSLY DONT CONSIDERING YOU DONT EVEN KNOW WHAT "CUTTING OFF WHEN IT HITS" MEANS.

DAMN, ITS SIMPLE. BRING IT TO AN AUDIO STORE AND HAVE THE INSTALLERS DO IT RIGHT.

 

[Testosterone boy]

jayne...you have posted 5 times on my thread knowing full well that I rarely stoop to reading your drivel. Very curious really.

 

[KAYNE]

YOU HAVE MANY OTHER THREADS UP. I AM POSTING ON THIS ONE CUZ I HAD SOMETHING TO SAY ON IT. YOURS OR NOT. I JUST CANT GET OVER YOUR STUPIDITY. THATS WHY I AM COMMENTING ON IT.

TAKE THE FUCKING SORRY ASS SLOW BOAT TO THE AUDIO SHOP IDIOT. OR, YOU CAN KEEP FUCKING IT UP YOURSELF.

 

[XBiker]

Looks like SOMEONE is post stalking someone else.

(Please, no gay comments JUNIOR. It will only reinforce the board's consensus that you are a FLAMING HOMO.)

 

[Testosterone boy]

Looks like SOMEONE is post stalking someone else.

(Please, no gay comments JUNIOR. It will only reinforce the board's consensus that you are a FLAMING HOMO.)

jayne is like the bulldog who got lock jaw. Could not let go if he wanted to, been going on since January. Shoot....my stalker will have his first anniversary in a few months.


Considering that ke knows he is on ignore, I can only assume that he has absolutely no porpose for his time and likes to look foolish whilst tugging on my jockeys.

 

[DcupSheepNipples]

I did'nt read any of this thread, but did you check the G wire?

 

[Testosterone boy]

I did'nt read any of this thread, but did you check the G wire?

Well....it is either grounded or not grounded. It is grounded.