Why are my subs cutting out when I turn it up?

General
1

I just got my subs installed, and they were hitting super hard for the first 2-3 days with no problems. But now, whenever I turn the volume up, the subs cut out for a second and then come back. Could this be a loose ground?

2

It might be a loose wire or even the fuse in the holder. Another thing could be your amp going into protection mode because of a voltage drop or the gain being set too high.

Take a look at the amp while it’s running and see if the protect light comes on. Then, go through all the wiring to make sure nothing’s come loose.

Sometimes the wires inside the box jiggle just enough to touch for a second, and that can trigger the amp’s protection mode. If everything looks fine, try pulling the subs out to check if the wiring inside the box is touching anything it shouldn’t.

3

@Charlie
I’d check it now, but I don’t want to annoy the neighbors with the noise, lol. Thanks for the advice—I’ll take a look when I can.

4

Zion said:
@Charlie
I’d check it now, but I don’t want to annoy the neighbors with the noise, lol. Thanks for the advice—I’ll take a look when I can.

Yeah, I get it, lol. I hate being the guy blasting subs in the neighborhood. But it’s also a pain to drive somewhere else to test it and then come home to fix it!

5

@Charlie
Exactly! These are L7s, so they’re ridiculously loud. I’m not trying to be that person in the neighborhood. I’ve got an appointment at a shop tomorrow, though. Pretty sure it’s just a loose ground.

6

@Zion
Hopefully, it’s a quick fix. Those L7s are insane. Enjoy them once it’s sorted!

7

Watch the amp when it happens. Does it shut off or go into protection mode? If not, it could be a loose wire in the sub box or at the amp. If the ground is loose, the amp would turn off entirely. So if it’s powering off, check the ground first. Go over every connection from the battery to the amp and tighten anything that looks off.

8

@Kim
I’d check it now, but cranking it up would make the neighbors mad, lol. I have a shop appointment tomorrow to have them check it out. It works fine at low volumes, but once I get to 3/4 or higher, it cuts out for a second or two, then comes back. Sometimes it even sounds staticky, like it’s trying to cut out but doesn’t fully. I don’t think it’s the gain settings because it didn’t start until three days after the install. My guess is still a loose ground.