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KX Amplifier
Trouble Shooting
Help
If your amplifier does not appear to be working, check the
obvious things first such as blown fuses, poor or incorrect wiring
connections, incorrect setting of crossover switch and gain
controls, etc.
There are two LEDs on the end panel of your Kicker KX series
amplifier, one green and one red. When the green LED is lit this
indicates the amplifier is turned on and no trouble exists. If the
green LED turns off and the red LED is lit, this indicates that the
protection circuitry (SORT) is engaged.
The power indicator on top of the amplifier which illuminates
the model badge follows the same function as the green LED,
indicating the amplifier is turned on and no trouble exists.
Green LED off, no output:
With a Volt Ohm Meter (VOM) check:
+12 volt power terminal (should read +12V to +16V).
Remote turn-on terminal (should read +12V to +16V).
Check for reversed power and ground connections.
Ground terminal, for proper conductivity.
Green LED on, no output:
Check RCA connections.
Test speaker outputs with a “known” good speaker.
Substitute source unit with a “known” good source unit.
Check for a signal in the RCA cable feeding the amplifier
with the “AC” test position selected on the VOM meter.
Red LED on, no output:
1.) Amp is very hot.
Thermal protection is engaged. Test for proper
impedance at the speaker terminals (see the diagrams in
this manual for minimum recommended impedance and
multiple speaker wiring suggestions) with a VOM meter.
Also check for adequate airflow around the amplifier.
2.) Amp shuts down only while vehicle is running.
Voltage protection circuity is engaged. Voltage to the
amplifier is not within the 9-16 volt operating range. Have
the vehicle’s charging and electrical system inspected.
3.) Amp will only play at low volume levels.
Short circuit protection is engaged. Check for speaker
wires shorted to each other or to the vehicle chassis.
Check for damaged speakers, or speaker(s) operating
below the minimum recommended impedance.
No output from one channel:
Check the balance control on source unit.
Check RCA & speaker connections for the channel.
Swap the RCA connections from left to right.
If problem changes sides then you have a bad RCA cable
or source unit problem.
Swap speaker connections from left to right.
If problem changes sides then you have a bad speaker
cable, passive crossover network and/or speaker.