Amplifier Protection Mode

What to do if your amplifier goes into protection mode. Usually the green power LED on the amp will turn red or orange some Amps have a LED just for protection. Here are the things to check when this happens 

1. Determine the cause. Amplifiers go into protection mode for several reasons. Think about what happened before it quit working. Did the amplifier go into protection mode as soon as it was turned on? Or was it after being used at high volume for hours (may need to cool down)? It could even be after you hit a bump (a wire connection might have come loose).

2. Get the amplifier down to it's most basic state. Remove all of the speaker wiring and RCA wiring and leave only the power, ground and remote leads connected. If you still have a problem then either your amp is defective or you may have an installation problem such as the amplifier touching metal.

Remember an amplifier should only be connected to the vehicle through the power and ground terminals. Mounting the amplifier to the metal of the vehicle, including putting the mounting screws into metal, can cause problems for your amplifier. Always mount the amplifier to a non-conductive surface like a wood board. Don't let the amp touch the screws used to mount the wood board and don't use screws so long to mount the amp that they go through the board and touch the vehicle.

3. If the amplifier is working fine in this torn down state, start to reconnect the wires until you find what causes the problem. Add the RCA cables first, then add the speaker wires one at a time. If the speaker wires cause the problem then they are probably touching metal. Check to make sure that a speaker wire isn't being pinched somewhere between the amp and the speaker. Also check that the speaker wire or speaker terminals aren't touching the vehicle metal near the speaker opening.

If you believe your amplifier is defective, contact the manufacturer to return the item for warranty replacement or repair.