Sundown SAZ 1200-D fried...can't figure out why

[Kanaworm$ 292]

First off is the amplifier under warranty? If it is no worries Sundown will take care of you.

Since you have no experience working with 12 volt electronics don't assume the shop did it correctly, were all human and mistakes can be made. If the shop is sure it's not their fault have them install a temp amp just to make sure it's not faulty installation.

[RJT2011 0]

No need to break a sub in. And it is highly unlikely that you received a "lemon." User/Installer error is almost always to blame, and from reading your posts I'm not sure you could judge whether it was a proper install or not.

i can. i couldn't on any car but this one but i have literally about 100 photos from the camaroforum of people doing step by step instructions on putting it in. this place has been in business for 20 years and has done my friends camaro. it wasn't user or installer error. it never got loud enough to blow anything.

Getting "loud enough" has absolutely nothing to do with the probability of something failing if not setup properly. And the audio shop I went to when I was 16 had a good rep and was in business for a while and still is in business. Long story short, they destroyed my car. Oh and to top it off I knew everything back then too.

true. man i'm telling you i have a buddy who went to them and they installed everything the same way same gauge wire same everything even subwoofer and his is working great today and has never had a problem. They've double checked it all and i was there when they did and it is identical to the way they did my buddy's....i just can't think it could be installation.

then why don't you take it back to "20 year-double check audio"? if you aren't willing to at least listen to the advice given here then dont waste anymore of everyones time. for the record, your problem IS both installer(your shop) error and owner(you) ignorance. i know for a fact that sundown amps are some of the absolute best you can buy. extremely well made and individually tested. and shizzon knows his shizznit, you shoulda listened.

but listen ignorant since you know so much just tell me every little thing my installer could've done wrong. i know enought to check it out. just try me. i can post pictures. its always nice to shut someone down who doesn't have a clue what they're talking about. Name each thing. with the what, 10 wires at most that are used to install the system when that battery is in the trunk right below the system. just tell me where they screwed up, i'll take the picture to show you that you're wrong, and i'll even show you the instructions i went by smart one. i'm waiting. show me how great you are

[RJT2011 0]

First off is the amplifier under warranty? If it is no worries Sundown will take care of you.

Since you have no experience working with 12 volt electronics don't assume the shop did it correctly, were all human and mistakes can be made. If the shop is sure it's not their fault have them install a temp amp just to make sure it's not faulty installation.

it is. its a 14 volt. i guess you're right but since they've done a camaro before, my friends, i know its the amp. and i did that with the amp that was in my truck its working fine but the amp is so weak its barely beating....its only a 350 watt monoblock...don't get me wrong sounds good but not as good as the sundown did.

[RJT2011 0]

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67472&highlight=adding

tell me whats wrong with what they did.

[Jd377 6]

Not sure what the links for... But I know one thing, Every human can make an error once in a while.. So just because your friends is working fine, doesn't mean that there is no possible way they made 1 tiny mistake throughout the whole install.... It is very easy to mess up 1 thing.

These amps dont just "blow"... something has to happen. I like the idea of seeing if they will let you run one of their amps temp. to see if it happens again, proving it is possibly the wiring they did?..

And no.. there isn't a need to break in a sub. Sure... it may get a little looser or worn in after its been played for a while, but it still doesnt need a breaking in period. I beat mine pretty good new and never have problems.

[RJT2011 0]

Not sure what the links for... But I know one thing, Every human can make an error once in a while.. So just because your friends is working fine, doesn't mean that there is no possible way they made 1 tiny mistake throughout the whole install.... It is very easy to mess up 1 thing.

These amps dont just "blow"... something has to happen. I like the idea of seeing if they will let you run one of their amps temp. to see if it happens again, proving it is possibly the wiring they did?..

And no.. there isn't a need to break in a sub. Sure... it may get a little looser or worn in after its been played for a while, but it still doesnt need a breaking in period. I beat mine pretty good new and never have problems.

true. the link is to show you how they did it. people are saying its installer error well tell me whats weong with it. its exactly as you see it. i'm running a kenwood 350 monoblock really old and its doing fine so i guess that HAS to mean its installer error? well i like to be smart and play it safe break it in good then let it wham when its ready.

[sundownz 197]

Check the RCA signal for DC voltage -- I've noted several OEM adapters recently putting out ~5v DC on the RCA cables.

While investigating this contact us for service.

[95Honda 486]

You guys have DC coupling on your inputs?

[RJT2011 0]

Check the RCA signal for DC voltage -- I've noted several OEM adapters recently putting out ~5v DC on the RCA cables.

While investigating this contact us for service.

i sent an email saturday, and what is normal before i take it back to the shop to get them to check this. Is it not enough that they hooked a kenwood amp up to the same system and its doing just fine? ( doesn't sound as good)

[sundownz 197]

Some other amps will not be damaged by the DC input -- depends on the design. Ours will not like it.

[RJT2011 0]

Ok guys and girls, I checked my system out with a volt meter yesterday. I checked to see whether they tapped into the low level inputs like i wanted or whether they used the high level ones with a LOC. They didn't. They tapped directly into the low level inputs just like every DIY guide i see says to do. There was no DC voltage on the RCA's. I've checked my ground which is on my negative battery cable. That's fine too. I know the stock electronics can handle it, my friend is putting slightly more than i was to his and he's been fine for months. So what next do i check behind on my installer?

[ssh 924]

I'm not going to say this is the problem, but it might be.

If your stock electrical couldn't keep up with the current draw from the amp, then the voltage could have dropped low enough and long enough that it fried your amp.

Can you confirm what your voltage was at full tilt?

Just because your head lights didn't dim, doesn't mean you didn't suffer low voltage. Most cars with HIDs will not dim as the voltage fluctuates as a standard halogen bulb setup, the reason being HIDs use a ballast and isn't directly effected by increase/decrease in voltage.

If your not willing to take this into consideration, or even bother to check the ratings on your battery and oem alternator then your wasting our time and you mine as well stop asking for help.

[CrazyKenKid 64]

so are you going to send this amp in to get checked out at all? If you do the person who looks at the amp will most times tell you what happened and the most possible cause for this issue happening!

it might just be a lemon amp and if it is guess what sundown will take care of you man! and if it turns out it has a fried power supply or something of that nature he will tell you about that also!!

just send it in already and lets not bicker back and forth about what went wrong and what might have went wrong, and if it is an install issue we will be like told you so and if it wasn't an install issue then I assume some apologies will be in order!

[RJT2011 0]

I'm not going to say this is the problem, but it might be.

If your stock electrical couldn't keep up with the current draw from the amp, then the voltage could have dropped low enough and long enough that it fried your amp.

Can you confirm what your voltage was at full tilt?

Just because your head lights didn't dim, doesn't mean you didn't suffer low voltage. Most cars with HIDs will not dim as the voltage fluctuates as a standard halogen bulb setup, the reason being HIDs use a ballast and isn't directly effected by increase/decrease in voltage.

If your not willing to take this into consideration, or even bother to check the ratings on your battery and oem alternator then your wasting our time and you mine as well stop asking for help.

I checked the battery and oem alternator as posted above. they are well above the capacity to handle my amp. i have people who are running my amp in their camaro, same year, but with different subs. i know a guy with a sax 1500 on his camaro with stock battery and its going fine. my 14.6 volt can handle it. So how about you stop wasting my time with replies on things i've already checked. you "mine" as well back off.

[RJT2011 0]

I'm not going to say this is the problem, but it might be.

If your stock electrical couldn't keep up with the current draw from the amp, then the voltage could have dropped low enough and long enough that it fried your amp.

Can you confirm what your voltage was at full tilt?

Just because your head lights didn't dim, doesn't mean you didn't suffer low voltage. Most cars with HIDs will not dim as the voltage fluctuates as a standard halogen bulb setup, the reason being HIDs use a ballast and isn't directly effected by increase/decrease in voltage.

If your not willing to take this into consideration, or even bother to check the ratings on your battery and oem alternator then your wasting our time and you mine as well stop asking for help.

I'm not going to say this is the problem, but it might be.

If your stock electrical couldn't keep up with the current draw from the amp, then the voltage could have dropped low enough and long enough that it fried your amp.

Can you confirm what your voltage was at full tilt?

Just because your head lights didn't dim, doesn't mean you didn't suffer low voltage. Most cars with HIDs will not dim as the voltage fluctuates as a standard halogen bulb setup, the reason being HIDs use a ballast and isn't directly effected by increase/decrease in voltage.

If your not willing to take this into consideration, or even bother to check the ratings on your battery and oem alternator then your wasting our time and you mine as well stop asking for help.

I checked the battery and oem alternator as posted above. they are well above the capacity to handle my amp. i have people who are running my amp in their camaro, same year, but with different subs. i know a guy with a sax 1500 on his camaro with stock battery and its going fine. my 14.6 volt can handle it. So how about you stop wasting my time with replies on things i've already checked. you "mine" as well back off.

[RJT2011 0]

so are you going to send this amp in to get checked out at all? If you do the person who looks at the amp will most times tell you what happened and the most possible cause for this issue happening!

it might just be a lemon amp and if it is guess what sundown will take care of you man! and if it turns out it has a fried power supply or something of that nature he will tell you about that also!!

just send it in already and lets not bicker back and forth about what went wrong and what might have went wrong, and if it is an install issue we will be like told you so and if it wasn't an install issue then I assume some apologies will be in order!

i already sent it in i'm just doing everything i can to rule out installer error. That's all i'm going for. i want to do everything i can myself to pinpoint the problem while i wait. I've ruled out stock electrical, it can handle it, as i know camaro owners with this amp. i've ruled out DC on the RCA's, and i've ruled out the ground wire. Just looking for the next thing to check

[CrazyKenKid 64]

so you have ruled out:

stock electrical as an issue (check)

DC on an RCA (check)

ground wirings (check)

now I think I need a bit of a refresher for a second so bare with me, are you running a LOC?

I assume you already checked the wires going into the LOC and that checks out, but have you check the voltage of the RCA going into the amp with a DMM (digital multi-meter) simply plug one in and check the other one with the DMM and let us know the readings you get, but I think you mentions above that you have another amp in place right now and it isn't dead yet?

also is this a 1200 v1 or v2

i am currently leaning towards a lemon amp based on the above info

[RJT2011 0]

so you have ruled out:

stock electrical as an issue (check)

DC on an RCA (check)

ground wirings (check)

now I think I need a bit of a refresher for a second so bare with me, are you running a LOC?

I assume you already checked the wires going into the LOC and that checks out, but have you check the voltage of the RCA going into the amp with a DMM (digital multi-meter) simply plug one in and check the other one with the DMM and let us know the readings you get, but I think you mentions above that you have another amp in place right now and it isn't dead yet?

also is this a 1200 v1 or v2

i am currently leaning towards a lemon amp based on the above info

No, didn't use a Loc, just tapped into the low level inputs which didn't have DC on them. I'm not sure whether its a v1 or v2 but i got it brand new a few months ago from the SSA store.

[CrazyKenKid 64]

sorry I am dense when it comes to using a OME h/u. what did you buy from SSA?

[RJT2011 0]

sorry I am dense when it comes to using a OME h/u. what did you buy from SSA?

the amp and sub. oh well the low levels just make it so you dont need a loc or anything so no chance of DC being on the lines.

[CrazyKenKid 64]

O got ya sounds simple enough thanks for explaining that but I still expect the amp is at fault so let's sit tight for a few days and wait for the diagnoses

[RJT2011 0]

ok got a tracking number today so i guess it is fixed or either a new one is on the way. Jacob hasn't gotten back to me yet about what went wrong but i'm sure he will when he has time...i'm guessing it was the amp as i didn't get charged for shipping or anything. I can't wait to find out what the issue was!

[CrazyKenKid 64]

o WOW very cool! Since you didn't pay anything extra it might have just been the amp! and did you send the amp to Jacob or to db-r (Chris) if you did send it to db-r just drop that guy an e-mail about it and he normally responds quite quickly! but I am glad to hear (read) you will be bumping again!

[RJT2011 0]

o WOW very cool! Since you didn't pay anything extra it might have just been the amp! and did you send the amp to Jacob or to db-r (Chris) if you did send it to db-r just drop that guy an e-mail about it and he normally responds quite quickly! but I am glad to hear (read) you will be bumping again!

I'm hoping thats what it was! I sent it to Jacob. Oh i'm relieved too i was more stressed about this than my work. I can't wait to bump again!!!

[sundownz 197]

I haven't had much time to look at it in depth but I think it may have just been a small issue with a few tiny parts out of spec.