is there a way to check to see if there is signal coming out of the head unit's amp hook up RCA cables?
i know power is going to the amp and the head unit is working with the other speakers in the car. i have a multimeter so i thought i could check something to see if going throught those rca cables

come on, help a retard make it work

 

you could do a continuity check. set the meter to ohms and touch one prong to one end and the other to the other it should read OL. or my personal favorite hook the rca's up to the amp and then touch them together, if you get a thump they work. just my .02.

 

^^^ Agreed i did that to check mine.

 

or you could check the correct way by switching your multimeter to AC. Place your + probe on the nipple of the rca and the - probe to the outer ring, measure the voltage while you turn the radio up, if the voltage increases then your getting signal, if not then, well, your not. Depending on your HU it should be around .2 if i remember correctly. This method can also be used to adjust line level converters so the outputs are the same, and also can be used to measure the output of the amp at the speaker wires.

 

I've installed many stereos and the first thing to check is the RCA cables. Regardless if you just bought them or not. I have had several RCA's that were bad that where included in brand new AMP kits.

Another way to check to make sure the amp is ok, get your portable Mini disc or CD player, get the headphone jack to RCA adapter and plug it into your amp. Turn your car on and radio to get your amp firedup, and play something in your portable. If your amp works and your subs/speakers play, then you know for certain its either your HU or your RCA wires. If you amp does not work, its either your headphone jack to RCA connector, your speaker connections are not connect/connected properly, you have no power to the amp, or your amp is funk-e-fried. Process of elimination.

I WOULD NOT suggest rgrintz suggestion of shorting the RCA's. When ever you create shorts in any electrical system, you are gambling on the quality of the circuitry and your hard earned money! That would suck to fry your amp when you are trying to figure out what is wrong with it in the first place!!! There are other more sensible ways to solve your problem. Just use common sense.

 

hahahah lmao.gif ok retard here just giving an update, i had a freind look at it here, and yeah so there is this hookup labeled REM that has to have some power going to it, hummmmmm who knew, not me

but now i know and knowing is half the battle ...

 

haha that would be the remote line that kicks it on when the head unit is turned on fing02.gif