For a fact, several factors can cause your amp to keep blowing up the fuse. Having a blown fuse every time can be pretty bad, but knowing that it is your amp that keeps blowing up the fuse can get frustrating. While it might be because of a minor issue, it could also be due to a serious problem that needs to be attended to professionally.
Most times, the reason your amp blows the fuse will be because of a short circuit. In this case, it could be due to a loose connection or a fault in the wiring that causes it to overload the fuse.
Alternatively, the other factor that could contribute to amp blowing fuse is overheating. Excessive heat and an overall lack of ventilation can cause it to burn. Another random contributor could be the effect of damage to an important component.
However, with proper guidance and attention to detail, you might be able to fix the issue yourself. The following steps can help you fix the amp that keeps blowing your fuse.
Step One: Turn off the power source
Turn off any source that might be supplying the power, including the amplifier. A safe practice for dealing with electrical appliances is to turn them off before you start working on them.
This is to prevent any form of an electrical accident. Do not open the amplifier until you are sure the power is off.
Step Two: Open the amp box
Amp boxes are held in place with screws to the two sides, locate and unscrew them to open the box. Open the box and place it away from the work area.
Step 3: Locate and Remove the Blown Fuse
Locating a blown fuse is not as scary as it sounds; it is the easiest of the steps.
Upon locating where the fuses are arranged, simply locate the fuse with a black spot or the one that is likely totally darkened -this is the burnt fuse.
What Should I Do When I Find The Blown Fuse?
Ideally, the solution to a blown fuse is to remove the blown fuse and insert a new one in its place.
However, you will need to fix the problem of repeated blowing of the fuse by the amp. Therefore, you need to diagnose the issue using the following procedures.
Check The Burnt Fuse Rating
The fuse’s purpose is to protect the wires and other parts from excess current. But here’s where the challenge comes in; when the fuse current rating is more than the amp, this can send excess current which fries the wires and probably even the components parts.
However, when the fuse current rating is lower than the amp, this is when the amp keeps blowing it up.
Confirm the fuse rating to know if you have the correct one for the amp circuit. The assumption, in this case, might make you keep spending money you were not supposed to spend if you had done the right thing.
Check for a Short Circuit
It will be important to check for a short if your fuse current rating is correct. What a short simply means is that the current has gone down the wrong path, that is, on a shortcut.
Here are some of the common cases where you should check for a short.
1. Chafing: this is the wearing away of the rubber of the wire as a result of rubbing with other parts -such as metal. Check every joint where wires meet for the possibility of chafing. If any, then you might need to tape it up
2. Component bridge: examples of this could be as a pressed down button, spoilt/damaged part, or two-component parts resting on each other. Locate any to see if there is any of this, if it’s minor you can adjust it but if it’s serious, you might need to see an engineer.
3. Wrong connection: if there is any wrong connection, this could be from an aftermarket purchase or accident during a repair. Fixing this should be pretty straightforward but might require some technical equipment. Some equipment you might get is wire strippers, heat shrink, soldering iron, solder, tape, and wires.
Step Four: Replace the Burnt Fuse.
Now replace the burnt fuse with the correct current rating.
Amp Blowing Fuses at High Volume? This is How to Fix It
Amplifiers blowing up fuses when the volume is turned up could be a result of many reasons. But, here are 3 basic ways to troubleshoot and fix the problem.
Troubleshoot 1: Check for Overheating
On average, most devices heat up slightly with high volume but are not always too hot to blow fuse. However, in the absence of proper ventilation, overheating can occur which could cause the amp to burn the fuse.
Fixing it: To fix the issue of overheating, simply ensure to use in a cool environment or install cooling devices closer to the amp.
Troubleshoot 2: See Beyond the Fuse
At times, repeated burning of the fuse may indicate a fault with the amplifier. But, repeated use of this kind of amp can inadvertently damage the amp beyond repair causing you bigger loss.
Fixing it: Get professional assistance. Take the amplifier to an engineer to diagnose the possible problem.
Troubleshoot 3: Change the Resistance
If you use the correct fuse current rating and the amp keeps blowing it, this could probably indicate that the amp is weak or has low power for the device.
Fixing it: Simply change the resistance of the amp to a power output that matches the amp. Or changing the amp completely.
Symptoms of Fuse Blown by Amp
Here are 5 easy ways to know if it’s the amp that has blown your fuse
1. The car refuses to start when you turn on the ignition
2. You can’t seem to get the headlights on
3. The dashboard remains off after turning the car ignition on
4. The tail light is also not coming on
5. Lastly, the sound system refusing to come on
All of these factors are direct indicators that the amp has blown the fuse.
Conclusion
Fuses are designed to burn as a protection for the wires and other components. However, frequent burnout can be annoying. Therefore, we have made this article a guide to help you troubleshoot the fault faster. Furthermore, you will be able to solve the issue without visiting a technician.
