Fuse-Hugnry Head Unit

[Smallies]

Hey guys,

In my Caprice ive got an alpine iDA-X305 (Alpine Electronics of Australia)

Same head unit as that- but a bit older model by the looks.

Anyways, It keeps eating fuses, i can replace the fuse and by the time the key is turned to acc its blown again.

My guess is that the wiring behind the head unit is shorting out. Any other ideas?

I should have probably had a look before posting this thread - but im not sure how to pull the head unit out.

[ephect]

yea u'll have a short somewhere, check the how-to section, should be a thread on removing the stereo.

has it always worked, then one day just start blowing fuses?

[Smallies]

cheers,

Yeah just happened outta the blue one day.

then kept happening.

sometimes it works for a few days and blows again but yeh.

[Philthy]

Sounds like something has come loose or worn through the insulation behind the headunit. Best bet is to pull it out and check the wiring

Stereo Install/Removal (VN - VS) - theres the how-to

[Smallies]

Cheers for that.

I think i made a thread exactly the same as this ages ago and completely forgot about it lol.

oops

[Smallies]

Hey, so yesterday i ripped it all apart like that How-to says, went really well.

I couldnt really find anything out of the ordinary - It all looked pretty clean.

All head unit cables were fine gave it a light blow out with compressed air.

My climate control also turns on and off whenever it wants as i drive - so that may be a short somewhere aswell???

Anyways - i put it back together roughly so that its drive-able

and will take it to the auto-sparkies to check out i guess.

[stocky]

think i had a similar problem with mine. just started blowing fuses one day. threw a 20A circuit breaker on there and havent had any issues with it. circuit breakers are the metal fuse looking things usually found on the power window slot

[Smallies]

think i had a similar problem with mine. just started blowing fuses one day. threw a 20A circuit breaker on there and havent had any issues with it. circuit breakers are the metal fuse looking things usually found on the power window slot

Oh alright,
What do i needa do to chuck one of them in? Surely they dont fit into the regular fuse slots.

The thing is - Im not sure my head unit is rated to 20A, and the surges ive been getting to blow the fuses have been atleast 10A (because ive witnessed it blow a 10A fuse), so if i chuck a 20A circuit breaker on - it wont stop the surge until 20A of current is passed - possibly damaging the head unit internals.

[holdenboy]

Correct you are.

[Smallies]

So the moral to the story is - Dont hide the problem with bigger fuses, possibly damaging head-unit internals, Instead take the car to someone whos experienced in the field and get rid of the root of the problem.

[Fonzie]

So the moral to the story is - Dont hide the problem with bigger fuses, possibly damaging head-unit internals, Instead take the car to someone whos experienced in the field and get rid of the root of the problem.

Using an over-rated fuse probably isn't the wisest idea, especially when it comes to expensive audio equipment.
Given that your climate control is stuffing around as well as your stereo, I'd assume the problems are related... And if i dare make a second assumption, it would be that those two devices aren't on the same circuit, ergo it's a bare wire earthing out rather than a root electrical system problem. If you can't find anything by looking in the obvious places (ie, behind the stereo), then you don't have much option besides tracing the entire circuit...

[Smallies]

If you can't find anything by looking in the obvious places (ie, behind the stereo), then you don't have much option besides tracing the entire circuit..

Actually, There is another option -

Pay someone else to do it lol.

Which is what i plan to do.

I know that satisfaction is gained in fixing the problems yourself - but meh....not this time.

[Fonzie]

Yeah that's fair enough. But if you had money troubles, then it's a different story. Assuming it isn't the actual climate control, stereo or bcm circuit screwing up... Most problems like that aren't to hard to find. But to each his own. Good luck getting it fixed mate, i hope the auto elec doesn't burn a hole in your wallet.

[holdenboy]

Before you take it to the sparky, pull the head-unit out and test it straight off the battery to see if its a wiring problem or a head-unit problem. Just put the yellow/red together, put them on the positive and then put the black on the earth...if i needed to explain that

[Fonzie]

Before you take it to the sparky, pull the head-unit out and test it straight off the battery to see if its a wiring problem or a head-unit problem. Just put the yellow/red together, put them on the positive and then put the black on the earth...if i needed to explain that

Good idea - Can't believe i didn't think to suggest that.