Amps Cutting out

[WadsworthSunsport22V]

Does anyone have a problem with their amps getting wet, then shutting down? I have three amps in my boat (Memphis Audio Marine Amps) located in the stock location (where the kenwood amps would be in a 07 Sunsport 22).

Anyway, on occasion, I will turn into my wake, and the bow of the boat takes on water (sometimes ALOT, but most of the time just some). Whenever I get water in the bow, the amps all shut down, and do not turn back on until the following day.

Does anyone have any suggestions (other than don't run over my wake) on how to protect the amps? I think the speaker wires are getting wet when the bow gets water, thus causing the amps to go to protection mode. I have not verified that thought though.

[saltare inverts]

Sounds like overload protection. Usually if you cut the power to the amps, say turn boat motor off shut it down then turn it back on they will reset. That is what my Memphis amps do. Mine are 2009 models.

[jonyb]

You soak the amps and still expect them to work? Maybe you should mount them on the tower :D

[WadsworthSunsport22V]

Sounds like overload protection. Usually if you cut the power to the amps, say turn boat motor off shut it down then turn it back on they will reset. That is what my Memphis amps do. Mine are 2009 models.

Thanks, sometimes that works, but not always. I have not been out on the water since November. I will go out this weekend and see how things work. I just put oil on my platform (teak), and can't wait to stick it back on the boat!

[87SunSportMikeyD]

I would say this is actually a pretty big deal and you should try to fix it if possible. You are very lucky they still work at all! Gotta get thsoe amps where they can't get wet. Make loops in any suspect wires so water can't drip back to the amp. Use rubber grommets also for tower thruholes.

[jonyb]

Or don't turn into the wake when you power down. When the rider falls, stop, let the wake pass, then turn around.

Somebody turned too fast in my boat and covered the people in the bow. That's the last time he'll ever drive, and I'd told him specifically NOT to do that.

[WadsworthSunsport22V]

Or don't turn into the wake when you power down. When the rider falls, stop, let the wake pass, then turn around.

Somebody turned too fast in my boat and covered the people in the bow. That's the last time he'll ever drive, and I'd told him specifically NOT to do that.

I agree in not turning to fast into my wake. I only do it when my 6 year old son falls, he panics really quick. He learned to wb last season, but cannot handle the fall. Hopefully this year he will have more confidence.

[jonyb]

I see..... Maybe you could ride double and stay with him when he falls?

[WadsworthSunsport22V]

Today was our first day out for the season! And the lake temp was a balmy 68, Air 98. 30 degree difference is dramatic! My son was crazy on the boat. Although we did not wake board, I wanted to through him overboard :) All he did was complain that he could not tube or wakeboard. But we did not bring the toys, the intent was just put the boat in the water and check out the radio, but we ended out on the water for about 7 hours.

I think I have a loose wire. The boat never got wet, but when we got into some chop and were bouncing around, the radio would cut off, then come back on a few minutes later.

[H2Oman]

I agree with jonyb about the turn around. If only more people would slowly turn around...

It may not be the water coming in the boat at all... It may be the pounding of your boat over your (or other's) wake.

I had a similar problem when running down the lake over choppy water. It turned out to be loose wires that were grounding out causing the amp to go into safe mode. I took my boat to a stereo installer and they ran heavier wires and connectors, tightened every wire connection and strapped every wire to the boat for support. I never had that problem again.

[WadsworthSunsport22V]

Okay, I think I have solved my amp problem. All my amps are now marine rated Memphis audio amps. I thought I had three memphis amps, but in reality, I had two memphis marine amps, and one eclipse car audio amp. The eclipse amp fed the cockpit speakers, and the eclipse pass through fed the input to the two channel memphis amp for the tower speakers. The sub amp, memphis, was always fed directly from the kenwood head-unit and never cut out.

I discovered the Eclipse amp, was destroyed, and the pass through did not work, so even though the the tower amp was on, it was not receiving a source single from the Eclipse. I took the Eclipse amp apart, and the circuit board was corroded and nasty looking. (Water even dripped out of it.) The memphis amps are seated in an epoxy. The store I purchased it from also carries kicker and clarion, but showed me the difference in the construction between the three brands. I am confident that I have my amp problem solved now.