Locating Amplifier Fuse on Cobalt 242

[nycdad]

Hello all. New owner of a 2011 Cobalt 242. Love it. I think I may have blown my amplifier fuse (hopefully not the whole amp). According to the instructions, the amplifier fuse is located at the battery switch. All I see is a box with a red rubber cover and two screws. It looks like this:

https://dh778tpvmt77t.cloudfront.net/images/products/180px_thumbnails/install/cobalt26sd.png

Before I open up the screws, is the fuse in here? Or am I looking in the wrong place? It's labeled amplifier on my boat.

Thanks for the help!

 

[alldodge]

Howdy
The fuse being in the bat switch, never seen one there, but I don't see it ever being behind the switch, I would look for it on the amp. What is telling you its on the switch?

 

[mjf55]

Can you trace the wire back from the amp? Does it have a switch at the helm? The rubber covered devices next to the battery switch appear to be fuses, based on the markings helm and bilge. Are there more next to the ones shown in the photo? Anything else not Working?
I agree with AllDodge, having a fuse behind the main batter switch would be funky , aka strange.

 

[nycdad]

Can you trace the wire back from the amp? Does it have a switch at the helm? The rubber covered devices next to the battery switch appear to be fuses, based on the markings helm and bilge. Are there more next to the ones shown in the photo? Anything else not Working?
I agree with AllDodge, having a fuse behind the main batter switch would be funky , aka strange.

Actually here's a photo from my boat. As you can see there's a rubber covered box that's labeled AMPLIFIER. Underneath the rubber are two screws. Do you think that they fuse is underneath? i.e. if I unscrew the box under the cover is that where I'll find the amp fuse?

 

[alldodge]

Ding, ding, ding we have a winner
Lift the rubber cover and have a look

 

[mjf55]

Also look at the bottom wire ( guessing the top on also ) to the amplifier fuse. It is not a heat shrink connector. My guess is there will be corrosion there.
IMHO, all connectors ( well crimp kind ) should be heat shrink with goop in them to make a moisture proof seal.

Any way, check if the fuse is good. I would change those connectors.

 

[nycdad]

Ding, ding, ding we have a winner
Lift the rubber cover and have a look

Great thank you! Underneath the red cover are two screws, I'm guessing unscrew those and find the fuse underneath? Again thanks, don't know why i didn't think of that before.

 

[sam am I]

Those are resettable circuit breakers w covers........The studs("screws") are to hold ring lugs (with nuts) of the wires on the breakers. It is most likely okay still but.........

If you have a multimeter, turn the amp on like you normal would have, check both sides of the breaker for 12VDC (if not, breaker went bad), if there is 12VDC on both sides, there is either another fuse further down stream and/or the amp has an issue and/or the "remote on" signal from the head unit fell off the amp or something.

 

[Chad Flaugher]

A lot of amplifiers are fuse protected in the amplifier itself. (At least back in the day) If you can't find a fail under that boot in the picture, physically locate the amplifier itself and give it a look. There may be an external fuse mount on the front of the amplifier. There should also be two power sources that need to be properly connected. The remote, and power. The power is typically always on, (hence the fuse at the battery) and the remote which is only live when the stereo is turned on. In some cases, the remote wire has an inline fuse located right behind the stereo. Keep us posted!

 

[sam am I]

edit...........

(if not, breaker went bad )

needed to add (if not, breaker went bad or the amp is shorting out the circuit upon power up and the breaker is tripping)

 

[mjf55]

Remember to turn the battery switch off or disconnect the negative terminal of the battery of all wires. Those are positive wires there. Be careful.

 

[nycdad]

A lot of amplifiers are fuse protected in the amplifier itself. (At least back in the day) If you can't find a fail under that boot in the picture, physically locate the amplifier itself and give it a look. There may be an external fuse mount on the front of the amplifier. There should also be two power sources that need to be properly connected. The remote, and power. The power is typically always on, (hence the fuse at the battery) and the remote which is only live when the stereo is turned on. In some cases, the remote wire has an inline fuse located right behind the stereo. Keep us posted!

Thanks - I won't have a chance to try these things until the weekend. I gave a once over to the amp as well, and didn't see any fuses, but it's worth checking again on Saturday, and maybe disconnecting and reconnecting all the lines in and out.

I did not realize that that box by the battery switch (that was in my picture) was a circuit breaker and not a fuse. If it's a circuit breaker that means there must be a button somewhere to push? I understand now that those studs don't come off, so there's nothing "under" the box I guess (per Sam I Am). Will check that circuit this weekend.

Thanks all, will report back.

 

[sam am I]

If it's a circuit breaker that means there must be a button somewhere to push?

No, these particular breakers auto-reset (either semi-auto or auto)....they're are bi-metal, sorta like the blinker bulbs on Christmas tree. The add says "with manual reset button" but that is a amazon typo in the add......

These are as best I can tell from here are CB123-B Type III made by Bussman

 

[sam am I]

Or CBP-BA Type I (no button, automatic reset). If they are type III above ^^^ the spec states a manual re-set button, so amazon could be right but they don't state the type number, so not sure.. So not being able to see the thing entirely from your and the web pic's, there could be a button on it somewhere under the cover depending on the manu's type #, yes.

Bussman pg's 14 and 15

 

[nycdad]

So spent some time working on the problem and got the audio system to work, which makes me happy. Figured out that the circuit was actually a breaker type just like sam-i-am said, and pushing on the small tab on it would reset the circuit (and restart the audio system).

What is happening is that whenever I power up the boat for the first time after turning the battery switch onto one of the batteries, the circuit ALWAYS trips up for the amplifier. Without fail. But then going to the circuit breaker and resetting the circuit starts things up just fine, and the amp plays. The amp will keep on playing and working until the next time I turn OFF the batteries. Then, when starting up for the first time on the next time out, after switching on the battery and then the ignition/power, the circuit on the amp trips again.

What could be causing this amp circuit to be tripping up every time i switch on the battery for the first time?

Thanks!

 

[sam am I]

Inrush current probably......Which is typically a short'ish duration high peak of initial turn on current (di/dt ----> ~ for you calc fans) that is higher then the normal run time dynamic currents.......It is a normally occurring thing here and there (no need for gross details here) with certain electronics and since your system sounds like everything is working okay.(including the breaker)............

If ya want to stay with the same style of breaker (the boat manu may have under rated it slightly for your size amp), you can bump your breaker value up like 5, 10 amps and still be okay, see if that works.

Else if jumping up no more than say 10 more amps doesn't work (still trips at power up, but runs normal as you've indicated), ya probably have to go backwith a different style of breaker (just the amp if you like) that isn't so fast to trip....regular fuse for example. Could be those breakers might be just too fast for the amount of inrush on your particular amp........GL

 

[alldodge]

My thought is your amp is either pulling a bit to much current, or the breaker needs replaced because its tripping to ease. Example: 20 amp breaker tripping at 18 amps