Sound cuts out when truck first starts?

Question

When I first start my truck the sound will often cut out for several seconds. After the truck has been on for a minute or so it does not happen. Sometimes its only the speakers sometimes the subs too. The subs usually come on for a few seconds then the speakers follow a moment later. Does anyone have any ideas what it might be? Its a alpine ivad100 running to a kicker zx 350.2 for my sub and a kicker sx 700.4 for my components. In a dodge diesel.

Answer 1

the large current draw that your truck's starter requires takes a big toll on the battery's terminal voltage because the alternator hasn't reached peak output until the engine is running. in a diesel, that draw is greater than in a gasoline engine and some diesels require more time than a gas car to reach normal running condition. even a gasoline engine starter can cause a car's electrical system voltage to drop temporarily below 11 volts, i'd hate to see what a diesel does! your amps want to operate, ideally, at 14.5 v which is what your alternater ideally puts out. they can operate at lower voltages, but 10.5 is as low as any of them can go before they go into low-voltage protection. some amps have a slightly higher required voltage than others, and nothing EVER operates ideally no matter what you do. if nothing else, the cutting out is mearly a nuisance. nothing is broken. you may be able to combat the phenomenon by running larger power wire or finding a better ground. even getting a small capaciter (0.5F) could do the trick. the cool part about a diesel, though, is that you've got a huge, beefy alternator that can handle just about any power requirements that you throw at it!

Answer 2

Obviously something is preventing your amplifier(s) from turning on. Two things that might be causing this condition are under-voltage or over-voltage.

It's possible that starting the truck is draining the battery so much that it takes a while to come back up before the voltage reaches a level where the amps will turn on; however, this is unlikely because as soon as the engine starts running, the alternator should be providing ample voltage to run the amplifiers regardless of the condition of the battery.

Alternately, your alternator may be delivering too high a voltage right after the truck starts. Many amplifiers will shut off if the input voltage is higher than about 15 volts. If this is happening, you might want to have your alternator and voltage regulator checked because it could also cause damage to your battery or vehicle computer modules.

I would get a digital multimeter, set it for DC volts, and connect it to the battery. If it has a "peak hold" function, turn it on or just have someone watch the meter while you start the truck. Watch the voltage level during the period while the amplifier won't come on.

Answer 3

Hey my car does the same thing. I think it just takes a second for the signal from the cd player to get to your amp. My sub turns on first, which makes sense, because I have a separate amp that is hooked up in series with the other amp. Don't sweat it. I've had my stereo in this car for years and it does it everytime and I've NEVER had a problem.