Last weekend i installed a Kicker ZX200.2 amp in the truck along with a 1 farad capcitor. Everything installed easy and worked as it should. Took the truck on a 2 hour road trip with no problems. Well today i got in the truck to move it and decided i wanted to listen to a couple of songs, so i put in my cd and turn the volume up pretty loud. The song played for about 30 seconds then all of a sudden i had no Bass. I thought that was strange, i looked at the kicker amp and it was in saftey mode, the Red light was on. It stayed on for about 5 seconds or so and then turned back green and played fine for another 15 seconds and then went back into saftey mode. I have 4 gauge wire running from the battery under the hood to the capcitor, then i have 8 gauge running off the capacitor to my JL Audio 300/4 amp and the Kicker 200.2 amp. The JL audio amp never acted up at all. It is strange the amp will only go into saftey mode on one particular song, (has alot of Bass). I tried a dozen other songs at the same volume level, not as much bass, but still a good amount and the system played great, not cut outs and no red lights on the amp. I am confused why one song would cause it to go into saftey mode but none of the other songs did. Could the amp be working to hard on that one song and getting to hot? I might return it and get another JL audio amp. The reason i got the Kicker is because it was at a good price and kicker was a good name so i thought. Thanks for your input

 

Play another song with at least as much bass, and if the amp goes out on thermal overload - you either have a bad one or you didn't spend enough $ on your sound...

 

First off why the cap?
Second was the grid heater cycling when you were cranking on it?
Third why the cap?
Seriously the cap isn't going to help you with the alt you have and the low draw you require and just go straight to the amps with the 4g. If at the amps you want to split and drop down to 8g that's cool. See my pics. Its possible that if you pushed the system to hard while the grids were on ( 8-10v) the amp may have been damaged but...? Some amps(I don't know a lot about Kicker) will go into protection if the input amperage is to low and you didn't say if you went and tried that song again?
The other thing I have seen is a amp gained to high and push a speaker to lose control enough that the resistance goes up and the amp sees to high of a load and goes into protection.

 

The cap is to prevent shock loading the electrical system when the bass hits, keeps a much steadier load on the alternator/voltage regulator/batteries. It also prevents the instrument lights and headlights from doing the dimming act in tune with the bass. The cap won't reduce the load on the electrical but it prevents spikes.

 

Well jrs....IMO show me a system that a cap actually helps and I will show you a system that has a charging deficiency/supply capability. With the current draw he has, and 4g supply from a 136amp charging system I don't care if he wrapped the truck twice with the wire(40') his cap was a waste of money. His amps will have all the caps they need built in. The other thing you stated is "It also prevents the instrument lights and headlights from doing the dimming act in tune with the bass." Not true it will only mask the problem for a few short notes but the fire is still going to happen. I too fell into the cap trap until doing much research and time in the game but hey you live and learn right. Spend your money on running the same size ground as you feed to the battery with a stop at the frame and cab and you will be way farther ahead. Then if you still feel the need for more run a larger feed wire from the alt to the battery and lastly upgrade the alt for more output. I can tell you from experience on a CDT you can run a honest 2-2.5k rms @ 12v and not need a cap in your system if its fed right. The system in question runs about 1/4 of that.

 

The only reason that i hooked up the capacitor was because i had it laying around the hosue from a system that i used to have about 5 years ago. I figured i would use it and make the install a little easier and not run onther power wire off the battery. I guess i could have used a distribution block, but i did not have one and instead of buying one, i figured i would just use the cap, cant hurt right? I have not tried another song that had as much bass, but i will try again. I have the gains mildly set, not cranked way up. My be returning it and going with another brand

 

I had about 2500watts crankin out of my truck........fed with 4 gauge from the battery to the amps....and 4 gauge for my ground wire.....and my lights where dimming like CRAZY!!! Threw in a full farad cap and no more dimming lights......ran it that way for almost 2 years and worked like a charm!!


~Nick

 

Well i have some more info on the issue. I just went out to the truck and played the same song that was giving me troubles, this time the truck was not running, i had the key in the aux. postion and i had it up just as loud as before. Well i had no problems, was able to listen to the song a couple of times with no cut outs or anything. I found this to be a little strange, so i started the truck, played the same song, turned it up loud again, and within 10 seconds, the sub cut out. What gives, could my voltage be dropping to low when the grid heater kicks on, causing the amp to go into limp mode and then come back on when the grid heater kicks off? If anything i would think the system would perform better with the truck running instead of when it is off.

 

Well i am stumped, i cant figure it out, i have just under 14 volts at the kicker amp, the jl amp and at the capcitor when the system is cranked and the truck is running. It is strange, sometimes the sub will cut out and then sometimes it will play just fine, i cant figure out why it is going into limp mode. The same song that keeps cutting out on me will cut out whether i am playing it on a cd or on sirius. I am guessing there is something falty with the amp.

 

What sub and ohm load? I sell kicker everything at work. Its very durable. Is the sub bad? bad ground? Sounds like your running below it capable impeadance levels. Gimme a shout. ToM

 

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Hey CTD2001 I didn't mean to sound like I was raggin on you about the cap, its just a sore spot with me because so often guys get sold on them and they don't need them. My apologies for ranting on about them. For your problem it sounds like it could be either
When the truck is running and the grids are cycling and the voltage is dropping (try it after engines warmed up)
or more than likely with the engine running the amps 14v in (not 12v when off) is pushing the sub past its ability and its creating too high of a load.
Could it be wired to low (whats the voice coil configuration on the sub and hows it hooked up?) As I said I have pushed a speaker beyond its limits and it created to much load for the amp and killed it (this was due largely to a improperly built enclosure) There is also the possibility that the amp has a issue but it sounds like it works so.........? Keep us posted with what you find.

 

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Cool!!

Nick had you used 1/0 or 2/0 (as required for 2.5k watts depending on distance) you probably wouldn't have had dimming lights either. Glad you had no problems.

 

I had an amp do this to me, but usually on hot days. It ended up dying shortly after. Maybe the Amp is just getting ready to die? Is it a used one? If not I would take it back and have it tested. Maybe you are pushing it to too low an ohm? Also maybe when the truck is running it may be moving around a lose connection? Is the amp bridged or in stereo? I would trace all my wiring and also make sure you don't have you speakers wired to too low an ohm.

Also a cap in this situation and in most situations is unnecessary, but if you got it and you like it that's all that matters.