Troubleshooting; Pwr/Prt Led Red, No Output?; No Or Low Output?; Alternator Noise-Whining Sound With Engine’s Rpm? - Kicker Bass Station PT250 User Manual

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 and gain controls, etc. There is a dual-stage PWR/
PRT LED on side panel of your powered enclosure denoting the power state of the amplifi er. When the LED is
blue, this indicates the powered enclosure is turned on and its amplifi er is functioning properly.
PWR/PRT LED off, no output? With a Volt Ohm Meter (VOM) check the following:
(should read +12V to +16V)
power and ground connections.

Check the AUTO TURN-ON switch setting. Check for a DC offset between a speaker lead and ground if using
DC-OFFSET mode.
PWR/PRT LED blue, no output? Check the following:
with a "known" good source unit.
the VOM meter set to measure "AC" voltage.

PWR/PRT LED red, no output?

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.
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.


No or low output?


Check the polarity of the input signal connections.
Alternator noise-whining sound with engine's RPM?

Check the routing of RCA (or speaker input) cable through your vehicle—move it away from power cables.

Check the source unit for proper grounding

high Check ground wire connections and make sure they are tightly connected.
Reduced bass response? Flip the phase switch to the opposite position; if the bass improves, your speakers
were out of phase with the subwoofer.
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. If you still have problems, run your input signal at speaker-level
from your source unit to the amplifi er.
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
KICKER Dealer where you made your purchase. For more advice on installation, click on the SUPPORT section
on the KICKER homepage, www.kicker.com. Please E-mail support@kicker.com or call Technical Services
(405) 624-8583 for unanswered or specifi c questions.
2013 PT250 Rev B.indd 7 2013 PT250 Rev B.indd 7

Remote turn-on terminal (should read +12V to +16V)

Ground terminal, for proper conductivity.

Check for a signal in the audio cable feeding the powered enclosure with

Amplifi er shuts down only while vehicle is running = voltage protection

A red PWR/PRT LED may also indicate low battery voltage. Check
Check the balance control on source unit


audio input connections

Check the amplifi er input connections.

Check for damaged RCA (or speaker input) cable
Check the gain settings and turn them down if they are set too

+12 volt power terminal

Check for reversed

Check for blown fuses.

Substitute source unit
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