So I finally got my system installed today, which was tight. I had a custom box built, used Stinger HPM wires with Stinger Bullet RCAs, JL 12W6v2, JL 500/1, and a bass knob. The box and the install came out to $275, which was a pretty decent deal. Anyway, my system seemed to be playing just fine tonight until about an hour ago. I pulled up to my homies house to chill for a while, and when I went to leave, I tried starting my car and it just made some retarded ass sounds. So eventually, I called AAA and they jump-started the car for me. So here's my question. Is it most likely my battery? My alternator? Any help is appreciated.

`John

 

I want to say that it's your battery. But have you or the installer's been runnin' the system w/out the engine on?

 

sounds like your battery. were you chillin at your friends house bumping the new system with the the engine off? if so probably need an optima yellow top if you like to do that.

 

Heh, I was foolin' with the audio system (making my first mod to it!), and managed to run the battery down enough where it wouldn't start! Yikes. I have a nice battery charger for just such times. :-/

I was surprised at how quickly it drained. I didn't think I was playing it for all THAT long. But even with the stock amp, some booming music is enough to drain it pretty quickly.

 

After my system was put in my battery would drain in 5 minutes.
Now I have a (Optima Red Top 34/78) and I can play the system for an hour and the car starts right up. Strong.

 

My battery died the day after I put my system in. I ran it maybe 5 minutes with the engine off and that did it. Got a die hard gold and never had a problem again.

Like everyone else said...I'd get an optima if you plan to run it with the car off.

 

here's the thing...I never ran it while the car was off. The installer told me before I left that with this system, I should make sure to not play it while the engine is off or it will suck all the power out of my battery. I maybe listened to it for a total of 30 minutes taht night while driving before getting to my friends house, and I didn't play it for them when I got there. I'm gonna to Sears and have them check out my battery. What about the alternator? Should that be ok if I get an Optima Yellow Top?

 

If you drover afterwards with the lights on and the system playing, your alternator probably wasn't really charging your battery up. You probably need to run the engine with no lights and no system for a while to give it a good charge. If it won't take a good charge it might just be ces compuesto.

Yellow Tops are fine... but the only reason it would fix this problem is if your battery fails the test.

 

^^

Also check to make sure that the amp isn't still on while the ignition is off. I doubt this is the case, but if he somehow hooked the relay input of the amp to constant power, that would cause your amp to always be on.

 

Good call.

 

i remember that happened on my old car..remote wire came loose and that bitch stayed on all night.

 

I just went to check is the power light is on, and it's not. Only when I put the key in the igntion to and turn it to ACC the light comes on, even if the radio is off. However, right now, I tried starting it for the hell of it, and it didn't (which was expected), however the power turned off in the car, and came back on and flickered. So I took the key out and went to the trunk, and the Power light was still on. So I went back in the car, put the key in to ACC, let it sit until the beeping went away, took the key out, and the Power light was off.

Anyhow, I'm going back to my install shop tomorrow and having him put in a Yellow Top, as well as upgrade the power/ground wires. What else is part of the Big 3? He said he'll do all the wiring for another $50 or so?

 

How old is your battery?? Maybe your battery is almost to its last leg and the system really took the last one!!!

 

I have 81k miles on it, and I believe the battery has never been changed??

 

Uh, yeah, that might be it!

 

Well, I just got back from the shop. I ended up having them just install the Optima Yellow Top. He said that the ground/power (I forgot which) was already 4ga. and it wasn't really necessary to change 'em, so that I could save myself some money (I thought that was cool of him). Anyways, for the past year, my car has always taken a while to start up. I always thought it might be the spark plugs, but I never really bothered to check. As for today, I still wasn't able to start the car, so I had to jump-start it in order to get to the shop. Once they were done, I fired her up INSTANTLY. My car has never started up this quickly in its life. It's awesome. And, my system sounds MUCH better than it did the day I had it installed. Perhaps it's because there was about an ounce of juice left in that old battery. Regardless, I am VERY pleased with my system. I was worried that the stock speakers would blow, however it seems like they're almost been amplified even, and they sound GREAT. The whole setup sounds unbelievable (atleast to me, heh). I couldn't be happier. I will take pics shortly and post them...however they're nothing spectacular to look at. Just a clean, simple setup.

So as far as this battery goes, can I play the system with the engine off, unlike the old pos battery? Or should I only run it while the engine is running? Thanks for your guys' help!

`John

 

I only play mine at a moddest level in short durations. Like when I'm waiting for my laundry at the mat. Put laundry in washer, play for 30min. Put laundry in dryer then another 30min.
In between I may start the engine to see if it cranks hard. Never does.
So like an hour I play without any probs.

Good advise from your guy. My installer also stated that my vehicle power and ground wire was good and did'nt need any upgrades.

 

Glad that worked out so well!

You can play it for a while with theengine off... but I'd keep some jumper cables around while you're at the drive-in root beer stand : )

 

keep jumper cables just in case, but optima should solve your problem. They also have a reserve so that you can drain it, and still start your car, though I don't recommend you go that far. But systems are definately happier with optimas. Sounds like your battery was definately toast if your car couldn't start b4, glad to hear that the optima solved your problem. I will never buy another brand of battery, i love mine too.

 

 

You know what I've noticed a couple times...is that when I turn off my car, sometimes the radio will stay on, as well as the power on the amp. So I put the key back in the ignition, turn it to ON, and take it back out, and it shuts off. This has happened a couple times. Could it be a loose wire?

Also, do any of you that have a 500/1 want to share with me what you have for your settings on the back? Like the Infrasonic Filter, Gain (Inp. Sens.), etc etc....

`John

P.S. This Optima battery rocks

 

Doesn't that car have Retained Accessory Power until a door is opened?

I don't have a 500/1... but those settings are far more dependent on your sub than your amp.

I would run the input sensitivity where it sounds good, I'd run the infrasonic at 20 or so (with a 12 I don't know if I'd even use it), and the LP filter I'd probably set at 65 or 75 - but again, put it where it sounds good.

 

Aight....well here is how it is setup as of current by the installer:







And here is the system (JL 12W6v2 in custom enclosure & JL 500/1 Amp):

 

Damn, I forgot to edit my last message. Anyhow, Mods, would you be able to change the title of the thread to:

JL System finally installed

Thanks!

`John

 

any thoughts on how the amp is setup?

 

wow thats a big box

 

If the remote wire is hooked up, there is no need for the "Signal Sensing" to be on.

and DAMN the boost is all the way up?!?! that thing must rattle the living daylights out of the trunk

 

Actually, the trunk doesn't rattle as bad as I thought it would...only the lisc. plate does really. Isn't the boost supposed to relate to the bass knob in the car?

 

yeah, didnt know u had the bassknob installed. The bassknob overrides the boost when its plugged in, but if u take it out it reverts to the setting on the boost dial

 

nice setup!

 

so is everything else on the amp set-up ok? BTW, thanks

 

bump...and also, could a mod change the title to:

JL System Finally Installed

Thanks,

`John

 

I just want to make sure that the settings on my amp are ok so that I don't jack up the sub, and also so that I have it at it's optimum settings.

 

wow, nobody can help me here huh? And no MODS can change the title for me?

 

NIce set-up. I am thinking abouting getting the same amp with a 10W7 later this year

 

What is the Q for on the amp set-up??? Anyone knows??? If so, what should it be set up as?? If you put those subs in a vented enclosure it will really unleash the sub.

 

thanks Gixxter...can anybody let me know if I have the amp set up correctly?

 

Well there isnt really a "Wrong or Right" way to set it up, but it depends on how u like your music. First off, you didnt answer my question about having the signal sensing on, so im gonna guess you are ignoring it. So, i dont know what else to tell you. The "Q" is related to the parametric equalizer onboard the amplifier. It's kind of hard when you keep asking "if everything is alright" when you dont pay attention to the feedback you are given.

 

come again? You never asked about the signal sensing. All you said was:

I posted pictures of all the settings on my amp, which show whether or not the Signal Sensing is on or not. And by looking at the picture, you can see that it is on. I have followed my feedback, and I have none that pertains to whether or not the settings are ok or not. I have absolutely no idea what any of these things mean on the back of the amp, which is why I'm asking people for help, in which I am getting absolutely none, which is ridiculous. Nobody on here seems to want to give me any advice or help.

So that's that. Basically I am looking for somebody to explain to me what these things are on the back of the amp so that I can set it up for myself. I looked up 'settings for 500/1 amp' and came across this:

However mine is set-up very different from that, and I don't know if the installer did that on purpose or not, due to the fact that I am running off the stock HU. On the HU, he has it set with the Bass, Bal, and Fad set in the middle. If I change the Bal or Fad, the bass from the sub goes away. And if I change the Bass knob, it starts to sound funny, which is why it sounds fine in the middle.

As for the amp, I have the Amp LP Filter set to Off. When I go to the trunk, I can hear music from the sub, as well as bass. So I tried switching the Amp LP filter to 24db instead of Off, and the music went away and it was all bass, however if I play it a little louder, the sub sounds a little funny.

Lastly, when it comes to the gain (Input Sens.), what is this supposed to be set at? Is it bad to have it all the way up? I figure I should put it kind of high, since I have the bass knob in my car, so that I can keep it turned down low for most of the time, and when I really want to bump, I can just turn the knob higher. Is that ok? I really am sorry that I don't know much about this stuff, but I thought that this is what these forums are for. So that people can help others out to learn. I'm just looking for some advice. Thanks.

 

Do you have the 500/1 Manual? It does a pretty good job of explaining each feature, then you can see for yourself whether or not the settings are "right" or not.