![]() I have a dozen amplifiers in the lab that are part of my unintentional collection or were here for a Test Drive Review. How are we to know? Well, when in doubt, test it! That option might result in it drawing a moderate amount of current. Some designs might have the remote turn-on lead power the PWM IC. The current requirements will also be minimal if the connection feeds a transistor that provides power to the PWM IC. The amount of current required on this connection would be minimal. Looking back through some schematics, the remote lead on many high-quality amplifiers may be connected to a microcontroller. Ask me how I know! Some radios have two blue wires: One is an amp remote turn-on output, and the other is to trigger a power antenna. If the user listens to Bluetooth, a digital audio file from a USB stick or a compact disc, the antenna lead will be off, and so will the amplifier in the system. When wired incorrectly, the amplifier only turns on when the tuner is selected as the audio source. Some companies, like Clarion, have a solid blue wire for the power antenna output and a blue wire with a white stripe for the remote turn-on output. In 97% of cases, the remote output from an aftermarket car radio is a blue wire. This ARC Audio Limited Edition CXLR 4050 has power, ground and remote turn-on connections in a single terminal block. The signal from the radio is the command that makes your amplifier turn on. The unit is already plugged in, but it needs a command to bring it to life. If that description is too long or complicated, think of the remote turn-on lead like the power button on a modern television. This on/off cycling sends energy pulses to the transformer, which steps up the voltage to whatever is required to drive the load. When this IC detects the remote turn-on signal, it sends a signal to the transistors or MOSFETS in the power supply, and they begin to turn on and off. ![]() This IC is the device that tells the power supply section of the amp what duty cycle it should operate at to provide adequate voltage and current to the output devices. The remote lead is connected to a pulse width modulator control IC (integrated circuit) in most cases. This connection is designed to provide a signal, not to provide power to a device like a fan, lighting or an amplifier.ĭifferent amplifier designs are configured differently internally. Most modern radios can provide between 0.5 and 1 amp of current on the remote output terminal. This 12-volt signal tells the amplifier (and anything else connected to the wire) to turn on. When the radio turns on, the voltage on this lead goes to 12 volts. This terminal is intended to be connected to the output of an aftermarket source unit with a remote output lead. Then there’s the remote turn-on connection. ![]() There are, of course, the main ground and 12-volt battery connections that deliver large amounts of current to the amp. ![]() When the technician upgrading your car audio system installs an amplifier, they typically make three power connections. How Does a Car Audio Amp Remote Turn-On Lead Work? Let’s look at what the amp remote turn-on lead does and measure how much current it draws to decide if multiple connections require a relay. For decades, there have been statements that your installer needs to add a relay to the output of a radio to turn on multiple amplifiers. The purpose of this connection is to tell the amplifier to turn on when you turn the radio on. Almost every car audio amplifier on the market has at least one thing in common: a remote turn-on connection. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |