Lost sound on front channel
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 123
Likes: 2
From: Columbus, Georgia
Lost sound on front channel
About 3 months ago, with advice from UltraNutz on the forum, many thanks, I installed a RF PBR300X2 and two POLK MM651 speakers in the fairing and left the stock speakers in the rear for a future project. Everything has been great until a couple of days ago on the way to work. Riding down the rode with the volume at a relatively medium to below meidum level, I got a distinct electrical burning smell and lost all sound coming from the fairing speakers which are hooked to the amp, rear speakers still played fine. I immediately turned off the radio and once I confirmed nothing was on fire, continued on to work. I know from experience that if the amp loses power, all audio to the fairing speakers is gone (I had disconnected the power wire from the battery when hooking up the harley charging pigtail so I speak from empirical knowledge). Knowing that, I pulled the seat to check the fuse and it was good.
When I got home, I pulled the fairing cover and checked for obvious signs of issues, none found. When I turn on the head unit, the blue LED comes on on the amp, but still no sound from the speakers hooked to the amp, only from the rears off of the head unit. I put my meter on the pos/neg wires and confirmed that 12 volts are still be delivered to the amp. I verified all of the connections and everything is still connected and heat shrinked fine. The amp has what I think may be a slight burned smell, could just be imagining it though since the amp does appear to power on.
Looking for suggestions on how to verify operation short of tearing apart my awesome wiring job
to determine if the front channel of the radio fried or if the amp did.
2012 FLHTK
Stock HK HU
RF PBR300X2
2 - POLK MM651 in fairing
Thanks in advance.
When I got home, I pulled the fairing cover and checked for obvious signs of issues, none found. When I turn on the head unit, the blue LED comes on on the amp, but still no sound from the speakers hooked to the amp, only from the rears off of the head unit. I put my meter on the pos/neg wires and confirmed that 12 volts are still be delivered to the amp. I verified all of the connections and everything is still connected and heat shrinked fine. The amp has what I think may be a slight burned smell, could just be imagining it though since the amp does appear to power on.
Looking for suggestions on how to verify operation short of tearing apart my awesome wiring job
to determine if the front channel of the radio fried or if the amp did.2012 FLHTK
Stock HK HU
RF PBR300X2
2 - POLK MM651 in fairing
Thanks in advance.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 2,843
Likes: 0
From: Michigan
Easiest way to check is to disconnect the front speakers from the amp and hook them up to the radio. You don't need to disconnect the amp power or unmount it. Or you can use a different set of speakers. Use the stock ones if you still have them.
Once you've done that, if you have sound from the front speakers, it's the amp. No sound, it's the head unit.
Once you've done that, if you have sound from the front speakers, it's the amp. No sound, it's the head unit.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 14,670
Likes: 139
From: East of the Sun, West of the Moon
i think I'd be checking the speakers first. grab a cheap pair of $20 speakers from walmart if needed and plug them in to the speaker wires. If they work then the speakers are bad. then you can always bring the cheapos back to walmart
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 123
Likes: 2
From: Columbus, Georgia
I thought about that, but didn't want to have re-do all of the wiring and shrink wrapping, but I might.
For what it's worth, I did check the output using your post (Ultra) on how to set the gains with a DMM. https://www.hdforums.com/forum/audio...-with-dmm.html
I checked the output of the head unit to make sure I had the process down correctly and the meter reading adjusted with the volume as it should. When I check the output of the amp, the meter reads 0. Think I should still check with speakers?
Thanks.
For what it's worth, I did check the output using your post (Ultra) on how to set the gains with a DMM. https://www.hdforums.com/forum/audio...-with-dmm.html
I checked the output of the head unit to make sure I had the process down correctly and the meter reading adjusted with the volume as it should. When I check the output of the amp, the meter reads 0. Think I should still check with speakers?
Thanks.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 14,670
Likes: 139
From: East of the Sun, West of the Moon
I thought about that, but didn't want to have re-do all of the wiring and shrink wrapping, but I might.
For what it's worth, I did check the output using your post (Ultra) on how to set the gains with a DMM. https://www.hdforums.com/forum/audio...-with-dmm.html
I checked the output of the head unit to make sure I had the process down correctly and the meter reading adjusted with the volume as it should. When I check the output of the amp, the meter reads 0. Think I should still check with speakers?
Thanks.
For what it's worth, I did check the output using your post (Ultra) on how to set the gains with a DMM. https://www.hdforums.com/forum/audio...-with-dmm.html
I checked the output of the head unit to make sure I had the process down correctly and the meter reading adjusted with the volume as it should. When I check the output of the amp, the meter reads 0. Think I should still check with speakers?
Thanks.
a meter reading of 0 AC/V on the amp outputs tells me the amp is not putting out power. Look at the side of the amp where the gain controls are. There is an adjustable **** there labeled HL Adjust. Turn your system on, then adjust this **** up and see what happens
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 123
Likes: 2
From: Columbus, Georgia
I will take it apart again tonight to be sure, probably.
Sonic Electronix has already offered to swap it under warranty so I may just ship it back.
Sonic Electronix has already offered to swap it under warranty so I may just ship it back.
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Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 14,670
Likes: 139
From: East of the Sun, West of the Moon
well before you go pulling everything apart, you need to make sure the amp is even coming on. that's what the above comment is for. That **** is what dictates how much voltage coming out of the head unit speaker wires is required to turn the amp on.
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Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 123
Likes: 2
From: Columbus, Georgia
Ultra and Glacier,
The fuse is good and the Amp is powering on, even with the correct Blue power light (see below from the RF manual). At this point, I have an RMA from the place I purchased it and they are going to swap it out, the tech felt I had confirmed it is the amp.
Thanks guys.
Power/Protect LED This LED illuminates Blue when the unit is turned on and Red if a short circuit/low impedance is detected at the speaker connections or the amplifiers internal components become too hot engaging the protection.The amplifier will shut down to cool if this occurs.
The fuse is good and the Amp is powering on, even with the correct Blue power light (see below from the RF manual). At this point, I have an RMA from the place I purchased it and they are going to swap it out, the tech felt I had confirmed it is the amp.
Thanks guys.
Power/Protect LED This LED illuminates Blue when the unit is turned on and Red if a short circuit/low impedance is detected at the speaker connections or the amplifiers internal components become too hot engaging the protection.The amplifier will shut down to cool if this occurs.
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