Alpine PDX 1.1000 keeps blowing fuses. Please help!

[Strtsk8r321]

I have an alpine PDX 1.1000 amp and a Image Dynamics IDMAX10 D2 v.3 sub and the amp keeps blowing the fuses. I cant figure out whats causing it. The gain on the amp is one notch past half way, but even when I turned it down a little they blew. What could be causing it?

[clockwo12k]

the fuses are blowing at the amp, or the fuse on the powerline?

[k67p67]

Make sure the voicecoils on the sub are wired in series to present a 4-ohm load. Even though the Alpine amp is class-D, it is not rated at 1-ohm so I wouldn't run the voicecoils in parallel.

[Strtsk8r321]

I'm almost a hundred percent sure I wired it correctly. Everything worked fine for 3 weeks. Then I turned the gain up 1 notch and it was fine for 3 days and the the 4 amp fuses blew. I had the amp grounded between the Bose amp bracket and the chassis and then I moved the grounded point to a sanded down spot screwed into the chassis, then I replaced the fuses and they blew again right away.

[k67p67]

Something sounds seriously wrong. Turning the gain up slightly shouldn't cause fuses to blow. If anything, the amp would clip and possibly go into a protection mode but wouldn't blow 4 fuses. Sounds like the amp needs to get checked out. You're not having the best of luck with this system. I feel for ya.

[Sponge]

A friend of mine ran two subs off of his PDX1.1000 and ran into the same problem. He contacted Alpine about it and they told him it was a problem with their earlier PDX1.1000 amps caused by too low of an impedance, but it was permanently damaged. IIRC he was running at 1-ohm or 2-ohm and only drawing ~500W. After the fuses started blowing, the amp would only run an 4 ohm load without blowing the fuses.

I'm with k67p67, if you have an ohm-meter, take a reading off the terminals on the box.

If you get desperate, you can also try running higher rated fuses.

Is the amp under warranty?

[k67p67]

It's a class-D amp and it's rated at 1KWRMS @ 2-ohms so it shouldn't have any problem running a 2-ohm load. Nevertheless, your sub is a D2 so it can only be configured at a 4-ohm or 1-ohm load. As long as the DVCs are wired in series, the amp shouldn't be overloading.

[badtziscool]

I would think it's a faulty amp. Most quality amps come with overload protection so that if the load resistance is too low, then it'll cut or at least reduce the output.

And even if the amp didn't have that overload protection, you can still present it with a low resistance load and still play it just fine with the gain turned low. It's pretty hard to wire just one DVC sub incorrectly. In your case, it's just + from one coil to - of the other. Then connect the open + and - to the amp.

[Strtsk8r321]

it seems like an amp problem. i bought it on craigslist and I dont have a warranty. I also dont have the money to buy a new one. Is it repairable?

[k67p67]

No way to determine the extent of the damage without sending it back to Alpine.

[Strtsk8r321]

could it be anything else besides the sub wiring or a faulty amp? I just dont get why the first 3 weeks I used it, it was fine, but now there are problems

[TroysG]

I worked at an alpine dealership and it's fairly normal for those to pop fuses or rep just told us to step it up to I believe there's 4-25 amp fuses, so step it up to 30 or if it has 30 amp fuses go to 40 amp. This was straight from the distributor. the protection circuitry in the amp is VERY good so if you blow fuses AFTER that there's a problem with the amp/wiring.

[clockwo12k]

it is the worst idea possible to just use a higher rated fuse, the fuses are there for a reason.

Gain adjustments shouldn't cause fuses to blow in any way, and likewise gain SHOULD NOT be used similar to a volume control, set everything to even when tuning your system, and start at your source unit and work your way back.

My guess is it is an installation problem, I have been installing mobile electronics 6 days a week for 3 years, and 99.99999% of the time it is an installation error, and most defective products are deemed defective because they have been installed incorrectly, and subsequentially damaged. Go get a reputable shop to troubleshoot it and if necessary re-install everything correctly for you. There is only a remote possibility that the amp is defective. A good common rule of thumb in mobile electronics is it either works or it doesn't. Nothing is that complicated inside a car. If it is blowing fuses the amp is not now 'defective'. My guess is that was just the last straw and there is a greater installation problem.


How about you post some pictures of everthing.

[TroysG]

I'm just relaying the information that Alpine Canada. gave to my boss, we were skeptical at first as well. But for the amount of PDX products that are defective out of the the box, VERY rare. however that said... Clockwo12k is correct in assuming there's a good chance there's something wrong with the install. Check to make sure your remote wire, and RCAs are not pinched or severed anywhere. if they are that could cause a problem.
after you go over the install that's when I'd suggest going to an Alpine dealer and ask them if they can bench test the amp.

[Strtsk8r321]

I put new fuses in and tried it again. I put the gain one notch below halfway and the volume around 18 on the bose headunit the sub works. But when I turned the volume to like 28-29 on the headunit the stop just stops playing. Amp stays on, no fuses blew, just no sound from the sub. Turn the car of then on lowered the volume and the sub was playing again. Any ideas? Will post pictures later.