Shorted wire speakers?

heck75nj
heck75nj Posts: 8
edited August 2005 in Car Audio & Electronics
Accidently one of the terminals of one of my car's rear speakers came off..touching the metal of the speaker , I tried to fix it but it kept touching the metal and I could see sparks ....then all the speakers (front included ) stopped sounding , I took 2 speakers out and checked them in another car and they worked fine, radio works fine too. Could this be the wiring.? Will I have to replace the whole wiring in my car. I will really appreciate any help.
Thnx!
Post edited by heck75nj on
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  • CrBoy
    CrBoy Posts: 580
    edited August 2005
    Are you amping the speakers?
    If not maybe the power source (amp) inside the HU died... :confused:

    Give us some more details about your setup...
    <|>
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  • MacLeod
    MacLeod Posts: 14,358
    edited August 2005
    My guess is you blew a fuse. Most likely in the amp.
    polkaudio sound quality competitor since 2005
    MECA SQ Rookie of the Year 06 ~ MECA State Champ 06,07,08,11 ~ MECA World Finals 2nd place 06,07,08,09
    08 Car Audio Nationals 1st ~ 07 N Georgia Nationals 1st ~ 06 Carl Casper Nationals 1st ~ USACi 05 Southeast AutumnFest 1st

    polkaudio SR6500 --- polkaudio MM1040 x2 -- Pioneer P99 -- Rockford Fosgate P1000X5D
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  • heck75nj
    heck75nj Posts: 8
    edited August 2005
    I do have an AMP but the speakers are no connected to it ...just a subwoofer and it works fine. I didnt know speakers have fuses. If it's a fuse where do I look for it ? Thnx for the help guys.
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  • heck75nj
    heck75nj Posts: 8
    edited August 2005
    My setup...pretty simple. Regular Speakers, 2 tweeters in front and 2 speakers on frnt drs. and 2 in the back none of them work . I hooked an AMP just for a Subwoofer but the speakers were not connected to it , just to the radio which works fine. I connected the back speakers directly to the amp and they work , so I guess the problm is not the speakers.
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  • MacLeod
    MacLeod Posts: 14,358
    edited August 2005
    No speakers do not have fuses and shorting them out shouldnt hurt them. I guess its possible you fried the internal amp of the head unit but it should have a fuse as well. Pull the head unit out and there should be a fuse in the back of it. Check and see if its blown.

    Also, your stock system may use a seperate amp. Check your fuse box and see if one is listed.

    Or you could do what I would do and use that stock head unit and use it as a paper weight and get a good aftermarket unit.
    polkaudio sound quality competitor since 2005
    MECA SQ Rookie of the Year 06 ~ MECA State Champ 06,07,08,11 ~ MECA World Finals 2nd place 06,07,08,09
    08 Car Audio Nationals 1st ~ 07 N Georgia Nationals 1st ~ 06 Carl Casper Nationals 1st ~ USACi 05 Southeast AutumnFest 1st

    polkaudio SR6500 --- polkaudio MM1040 x2 -- Pioneer P99 -- Rockford Fosgate P1000X5D
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  • heck75nj
    heck75nj Posts: 8
    edited August 2005
    I'll check that out tomorrow. I know the unit has a fuse in the back because I took it out to check if any wires were disconnected or touching inside. This is not a stock unit, it's a Blaukpunt MP3 player , what I did notice is that it was extremely hot in the back. I'll check those fuses tomorrow and will post what I found. I appreciate your help. Thnx!
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  • heck75nj
    heck75nj Posts: 8
    edited August 2005
    Hey guys. Well I checked the fuse in the back on the unit and it's fine, also checked the radio fuse in the fuse panel and it was ok. I reconnected the speaker that was making contact and when it does the speaker makes some noise but no sound. If my car has a factory amp I have no idea where it is...what else can I check or do ?? Thnx
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  • MacLeod
    MacLeod Posts: 14,358
    edited August 2005
    Since you have an aftermarket head unit you dont have an external amp.

    If all your speakers have quit working but they work when ran off the amp then the culprit has to be the head unit. It may have given up the ghost.
    polkaudio sound quality competitor since 2005
    MECA SQ Rookie of the Year 06 ~ MECA State Champ 06,07,08,11 ~ MECA World Finals 2nd place 06,07,08,09
    08 Car Audio Nationals 1st ~ 07 N Georgia Nationals 1st ~ 06 Carl Casper Nationals 1st ~ USACi 05 Southeast AutumnFest 1st

    polkaudio SR6500 --- polkaudio MM1040 x2 -- Pioneer P99 -- Rockford Fosgate P1000X5D
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  • neomagus00
    neomagus00 Posts: 3,899
    edited August 2005
    you're assuming the HU was installed properly, i've heard of installers running the speaker ouputs from the HU into the stock amps...

    barring something like that, i'll agree with mac - try hooking up a different HU (same model, preferably - perhaps your local shop would let you borrow one for the diagnostic), and if the new one works, there ya go...
    It's not good, very fundamentally simply not good. - geolemon

    "Its not good enough until we have real-time fearmongering. I want my fear mongered as it happens." - Shizelbs
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  • heck75nj
    heck75nj Posts: 8
    edited August 2005
    I'll try another unit this weekend...hopefully is that...if not I'll have to take it to a shop. Thnx for ur help !
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  • MacLeod
    MacLeod Posts: 14,358
    edited August 2005
    Nah! Just get ya a new one! Upgrading is a good thing!
    polkaudio sound quality competitor since 2005
    MECA SQ Rookie of the Year 06 ~ MECA State Champ 06,07,08,11 ~ MECA World Finals 2nd place 06,07,08,09
    08 Car Audio Nationals 1st ~ 07 N Georgia Nationals 1st ~ 06 Carl Casper Nationals 1st ~ USACi 05 Southeast AutumnFest 1st

    polkaudio SR6500 --- polkaudio MM1040 x2 -- Pioneer P99 -- Rockford Fosgate P1000X5D
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  • PoweredByDodge
    PoweredByDodge Posts: 4,185
    edited August 2005
    pull deck out

    disconnect harness to the back of the blaupunkt head

    determine which speaker wires are which on that harness and then check resistance to ground for those speaker wires. (will tell if there's a short between any given wire and the vehicle's sheetmetal body). resistance should be infinite or may read as a solid "1" on some meters, indicating "greater than can be measured".

    now check resistance between each individual set of speaker wires... should be about 4 ohms (with speakers connected). if its lower than 3 ohms, then you either have a) blown speaker [which you said you checked for already and they work, so not that] or b) a short somewhere along that line between the positive and negative wires [most likely a slightly "pinched" set of wires].

    if the above two don't prove fruitful... make a 60 hertz sine wave on your computer and burn it to a CD... play it through the head unit at low to medium volume and test for voltage at the back of the head to each speaker lead. you should get 5 or greater volts AC @ 60 hertz (most common "volt meters" will only check AC voltage at 60 hertz... so if you play a song, you're screwed... need a sine wave).

    hope it helps...
    -vinnie.
    The Artist formerly known as PoweredByDodge
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  • MacLeod
    MacLeod Posts: 14,358
    edited August 2005
    Damn Vinny, youre much more helpful than me. "H/u not working? Hell, trahs it and get a new one!"
    polkaudio sound quality competitor since 2005
    MECA SQ Rookie of the Year 06 ~ MECA State Champ 06,07,08,11 ~ MECA World Finals 2nd place 06,07,08,09
    08 Car Audio Nationals 1st ~ 07 N Georgia Nationals 1st ~ 06 Carl Casper Nationals 1st ~ USACi 05 Southeast AutumnFest 1st

    polkaudio SR6500 --- polkaudio MM1040 x2 -- Pioneer P99 -- Rockford Fosgate P1000X5D
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  • PoweredByDodge
    PoweredByDodge Posts: 4,185
    edited August 2005
    aint been round in a long time, figured i hadda be "useful"
    The Artist formerly known as PoweredByDodge
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  • MacLeod
    MacLeod Posts: 14,358
    edited August 2005
    You need to come 'round more often. Youre the most technical savy of us and being able to pick your brain from time to time would come in handy! :D
    polkaudio sound quality competitor since 2005
    MECA SQ Rookie of the Year 06 ~ MECA State Champ 06,07,08,11 ~ MECA World Finals 2nd place 06,07,08,09
    08 Car Audio Nationals 1st ~ 07 N Georgia Nationals 1st ~ 06 Carl Casper Nationals 1st ~ USACi 05 Southeast AutumnFest 1st

    polkaudio SR6500 --- polkaudio MM1040 x2 -- Pioneer P99 -- Rockford Fosgate P1000X5D
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  • heck75nj
    heck75nj Posts: 8
    edited August 2005
    Hey guys ...well trying another unit sounds more easy than the other stuff..!! Was that English ???
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  • MacLeod
    MacLeod Posts: 14,358
    edited August 2005
    Plus its always more fun to upgrade! :D
    polkaudio sound quality competitor since 2005
    MECA SQ Rookie of the Year 06 ~ MECA State Champ 06,07,08,11 ~ MECA World Finals 2nd place 06,07,08,09
    08 Car Audio Nationals 1st ~ 07 N Georgia Nationals 1st ~ 06 Carl Casper Nationals 1st ~ USACi 05 Southeast AutumnFest 1st

    polkaudio SR6500 --- polkaudio MM1040 x2 -- Pioneer P99 -- Rockford Fosgate P1000X5D
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  • PoweredByDodge
    PoweredByDodge Posts: 4,185
    edited August 2005
    actually Jstas is probably the most technically savvy besides the polk crew themselves.

    although i do like to stroke my ego from time to time...

    side note on my oiling dilema... (which i am apparently not so savvy on)... there's a passage from the oil pump to oil filter, it's clear and flows oil. passage from the output of the filter to a "T", that's clear too. Half the T goes up to the oil sender/pressure reading point... that's clear and flows oil at extremely LOW pressure. other half of T goes to the cam shaft's rear gear... it's clear but again, low pressure. the shaft going to the cam also splits off to go to the cylinder heads to oil the rockers, but i don't know what the deal is with that either -- i think we're going to disassemble the old engine and look for some clues as to whats wrong w/ the new one.
    The Artist formerly known as PoweredByDodge
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  • MacLeod
    MacLeod Posts: 14,358
    edited August 2005
    I wish I could help ya brother but I dont know **** about working on engines. I can do simple maintenance and I know the theory behind how an engine works but you wouldnt want me within 20 feet of your rig with a wrench!
    polkaudio sound quality competitor since 2005
    MECA SQ Rookie of the Year 06 ~ MECA State Champ 06,07,08,11 ~ MECA World Finals 2nd place 06,07,08,09
    08 Car Audio Nationals 1st ~ 07 N Georgia Nationals 1st ~ 06 Carl Casper Nationals 1st ~ USACi 05 Southeast AutumnFest 1st

    polkaudio SR6500 --- polkaudio MM1040 x2 -- Pioneer P99 -- Rockford Fosgate P1000X5D
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  • PoweredByDodge
    PoweredByDodge Posts: 4,185
    edited August 2005
    ... oddly enough - i dont think i want ME within 20 feet of it either.

    if its electrical - I no problem, i'll 'figger' it out.

    mechanical - um, hope there's a manual and detailed instructions around or i'll probably break it... badly... very badly.
    The Artist formerly known as PoweredByDodge
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  • neomagus00
    neomagus00 Posts: 3,899
    edited August 2005
    haha... as long as you don't break anything important, you can always call it an educational experience, at the least...
    It's not good, very fundamentally simply not good. - geolemon

    "Its not good enough until we have real-time fearmongering. I want my fear mongered as it happens." - Shizelbs
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  • PoweredByDodge
    PoweredByDodge Posts: 4,185
    edited August 2005
    i was bolting down the "valve rail"/"rocker shaft" (little rail under the valve cover that the rockers all ride on).

    well i couldn't find the torque specification - in the shop manual it said "torque to common spec" -- what the hell is "common" spec ????

    god knows.

    anyhow - so i called advance auto parts (don't ask me why - bad move on my part) - to ask them if they had the info ... guy tells me "ya - its 80 ft pounds"

    so i set the wrench to 75 to be "safe" - and start cranking - it snapped before the needle got near 30 pounds. i had to drill the cylinder head out retap the hole, oh god it was a nightmare. took me 4 hours to repair the damage done in 2 seconds.

    i find out later that "common spec" means the "commonly accepted specification for a bolt of X grade and Y thickness...

    so a grade 5 bolt that is 5/16-th's of an inch thick should be torqued to say 25 pounds. i looked it up somewhere but i dont remember where... but anyway - so much for not breaking **** - that was weeks ago though.
    The Artist formerly known as PoweredByDodge
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  • neomagus00
    neomagus00 Posts: 3,899
    edited August 2005
    ah, aren't cars great? just think of how amazingly happy you'll be to finally finish, knowing all the hell it put you through to get there...
    It's not good, very fundamentally simply not good. - geolemon

    "Its not good enough until we have real-time fearmongering. I want my fear mongered as it happens." - Shizelbs
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  • PoweredByDodge
    PoweredByDodge Posts: 4,185
    edited August 2005
    it's not a woman though... which means that if i spend money on it, i can consider it an investment. were i to spend such money on a woman, it surely would be the same as lighting cigarettes with 100 dollar bills.
    The Artist formerly known as PoweredByDodge
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  • neomagus00
    neomagus00 Posts: 3,899
    edited August 2005
    teehee... of course, a woman gives you a pleasure of an entirely different kind when you spend money on it, the question you have to ask yourself is which variety you like better...

    or you can date a college chick, like me, and never have to worry about money, cause they know you have none :D

    edit: i'm not the college chick, i'm the guy dating one... that looked odd when i read it...
    It's not good, very fundamentally simply not good. - geolemon

    "Its not good enough until we have real-time fearmongering. I want my fear mongered as it happens." - Shizelbs
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