Kenwood HU in Glove box, sound fades out after 3 songs...

[Cker5]

Okay, this one is driving me nuts, It's been a while and I hope everyone had a dope summer with their toys and projects!

It's been a month and still no resolve on my issue, and with all the slammin' early bays in here I'm confident this is the place to ask. I have a bone stock 1600 SP in my 70 Westy. also im running a generator. The Kenwood headunit I installed into my glove box sounds great when the motor is not running but when the engine is running the sound slowly fades out after about 3 songs. I have re wired the speakers three times and checked the generator, replaced the brushes, polarized the generator, gone over the regulator, tested for shorts ect. then did it all over again twice and the same damn thing keeps happening. Do you guys have any experience with having a modern HU in a stock bus and have had similar issues? what was the resolve (amp, alternator) and what do you suggest I try next. I would really not like to have to switch to an alternator if I don't have to as it would cost too much time, money and labor just for some tasty tunes in my ride.

Thank you.
Matt

 

[aogrady]

Hi dude!

So apart from the radio fault - hows the westy going? Getting out much?

This is a odd fault - you say it's working fine without engine running, but when running - does it loose power after a few songs - like a flat battery? Opposite of what you would assume? Would have thought it would go flat without engine running?

I have a alternator in mine, so can't really help, mine goes flat when i leave it on for too long - but that's to be expected without it running.

Maybe somehow, the genny is faulty maybe the relay box or something?, and is running the battery flat when engine running?? What happens if you have your headlights on with engine running - as long as the revs are high enough the genny should put out enough volts to keep everything charged, a alternator will do it pretty much at tickover, a genny needs a few more revs i think????

A alternator conversion would be ideal if you running lots of things, but that may well require the engine out. There is a alternator removal thread recently on here..........

Cheers!

Alistair

 

[matt-me]

An interesting coincidence maybe. My stereo started cutting out. Sorry to say it was the first sign the dynamo (generator) was on the way out. Eventually, i had breakdowns, jump started it, went for while and would re-start, then suddenly it would not start again. It seemed an intermittent fault, got it checked by an auto electrican who confirmed it was knackered.

Went the alternator conversion route (not too hard a job even with engine in), all sorted now, happy days.

Hope that helps

Al

 

[AxlFoley]

Have you got a sub and amp ?

Mine does this when the engine is off but works fine when its running.

how have you wired the head unit? may be worth running an earthed wire straight to the battery.

 

[froggy]

Put a multimeter (volt meter) across the battery and see what voltage you get (12.5v?) , start the engine and see what voltage you get. It should be somewhere close to 14V (maybe slightly under) then turn on the stereo and keep watching the multimeter, it might be as its pulling to much current and your regulator (amp?) cant cope or is breaking down slowly.

 

[Jimbly]

If it's any help, I'm running a Pioneer head unit powering a pair of components in the front doors and a BBG amp running a pair of three ways and bridged into a 600W 10in sub in the back. It's all powered directly from a leisure battery with a split charge relay, off a stock generator on a 1600SP. I haven't had any issues with the stereo although the whole lot won't run my Halfords cool box for more than a couple of hours until the built-in 'Battery saver' kicks in and starts warming my milk up nicely...