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ZX AMPLIFIERS
TROUBLESHOOTING
If your amplifi er does not appear to be working, check the obvious things fi rst such as blown fuses, poor or
incorrect wiring connections, incorrect setting of crossover switch and gain controls, etc. There is an illuminated
red badge on top of the amplifi er denoting the power state of the amp in addition to the Protection LED on the
end panel of your KICKER ZX series amplifi er. When the red badge is lit, this indicates the amplifi er is turned on
and the amplifi er is functioning properly.
RED Badge Light off, no output? With a Volt Ohm Meter (VOM) check the following:
+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.
Check for blown fuses.
RED Badge Light on, no output? Check the following:
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 amplifi er with the VOM meter set to measure “AC” voltage.
Protection LED fl ashing with loud music? The red LED indicates low battery voltage. Check all the
connections in your vehicle’s charging system. It may be necessary to replace or charge your vehicle’s battery or
replace your vehicle’s alternator.
Protection LED on, no output?
Amplifi er is very hot = thermal protection is engaged. Test for proper
impedance at the speaker terminals with a VOM meter (see the diagrams in this manual for minimum
recommended impedance and multiple speaker wiring suggestions). Also check for adequate airfl ow around
the amplifi er.
Amplifi er shuts down only while vehicle is running = voltage protection circuitry is engaged.
Voltage to the amplifi er is not within the 10–16 volt operating range. Have the vehicle’s charging and electrical
system inspected.
Amplifi er 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 the RCA (or speaker
input) and speaker output connections for the channel
Swap the RCA (or speaker input) cable from left to
right. If the problem changes sides then you have a bad RCA (or speaker input) cable or source unit problem.
Swap the speaker output wire from left to right. If the problem changes sides then you have a bad speaker
cable, passive crossover network and/or speaker.
Alternator noise-whining sound with engine’s RPM?
Check for damaged RCA (or speaker input) cable
Check the routing of RCA (or speaker input) cable
Check the source unit for proper grounding
Check
the gain settings and turn them down if they are set too high.
Poor stereo image or reduced bass response? Check system phasing by turning the balance control from
left to right. If there is more bass output when turned to either side, then check your speaker wiring, passive
crossover networks and speaker terminals for proper positive and negative connections. Reverse a speaker
connection from positive to negative on the stereo/subwoofer channel(s); if the bass improves, the speaker was
out of phase.
Ground Noise? KICKER amplifi ers are engineered to be fully compatible with all manufacturers’ head units.
Some head units may require additional grounding to prevent noise from entering the audio signal. If you are
experiencing this problem with your head unit, in most cases running a ground wire from the RCA outputs on the
head unit to the chassis will remedy this issue.
Please Note: Modern high performance speakers have a lower DC Resistance than what used to be available.
The KICKER Coaxial and Component speakers are rated at four ohms (some DC Resistances may be as low
as 3 ohms) and work with any amplifi er designed to operate at a four ohm load. If you want to use two KICKER
Coaxial or Component speakers on a single channel of your amplifi er, wire the speakers in series. This will
improve the sound quality, lower the total harmonic distortion and lessen the thermal load at the amplifi er. This
may prevent an amplifi er from shutting down due to over-current protection circuitry.
CAUTION: When jump starting the vehicle, be sure that connections made with jumper cables are correct.
Improper connections can result in blown amplifi er fuses as well as the failure of other critical systems in the
vehicle.
If you have more questions about the installation or operation of your new KICKER product, see the Authorized
2011 ZX 200.2 450.2 RevC.indd 62011 ZX 200.2 450.2 RevC.indd 6 11/5/2010 1:06:33 PM11/5/2010 1:06:33 PM