I've got an Alpine 3555 4 channel amp. Channels 1 & 2 drive a set of
components up front and channels 3 & 4 are bridged and drive a 10" sub.
Sometimes when the volume is turned down low channel 2 goes out. When I
turn up the volume I can hear some static out of channel two then it will
come on and play without problem. I know it's not the HU or the
interconnect cables, I'm confident the problem is with the Amp. Help!

Try tapping on the amp heat sink while it's on to see if the problem
comes and goes... you have the classic symptoms of an intermittent
connection in the amp, and cracked solder connections on an older amp
like that would not be unusual.

JD

Nay Sayer wrote:

I've got an Alpine 3555 4 channel amp. Channels 1 & 2 drive a set of
components up front and channels 3 & 4 are bridged and drive a 10" sub.
Sometimes when the volume is turned down low channel 2 goes out. When I
turn up the volume I can hear some static out of channel two then it will
come on and play without problem. I know it's not the HU or the
interconnect cables, I'm confident the problem is with the Amp. Help!

Probably needs some switch cleaner sprayed into the volume control pot.

Regards,
Stefan

"Nay Sayer" wrote in message
news
I've got an Alpine 3555 4 channel amp. Channels 1 & 2 drive a set of
components up front and channels 3 & 4 are bridged and drive a 10" sub.
Sometimes when the volume is turned down low channel 2 goes out. When I
turn up the volume I can hear some static out of channel two then it will
come on and play without problem. I know it's not the HU or the
interconnect cables, I'm confident the problem is with the Amp. Help!

"Stefan Szoka" wrote in message
...
Probably needs some switch cleaner sprayed into the volume control pot.

Regards,
Stefan


Available @ Radio Shack?

Thanks...

the Nay Sayer

Probably, but caveat emptor... before you spend any money, try spinning
the gain control up and down a few times slowly while the systme is on
at low volume. You'll find out pretty quick of that's where the problem
is (personally it doesn't seem like the right symptoms to me but not
impossible). Second, spraying the control surfaces tends to be a
short-term fix plus some amps have sealed pots which won't give you
anywhere to spray the cleaner.

JD

Nay Sayer wrote:

"Stefan Szoka" wrote in message
...


Probably needs some switch cleaner sprayed into the volume control pot.

Regards,
Stefan




Available @ Radio Shack?

Thanks...

the Nay Sayer

Ok, while taking your advice and slowly turning the gains up and down I found the problem. Next to the gain control is a three way switch that controls the amp's built in crossover(off, lp, hp). When I tapped it with my screwdriver it produced the static I've been hearing. Should I hit it with some spray cleaner?

the Nay Sayer
"John Durbin" wrote in message ...
Probably, but caveat emptor... before you spend any money, try spinning the gain control up and down a few times slowly while the systme is on at low volume. You'll find out pretty quick of that's where the problem is (personally it doesn't seem like the right symptoms to me but not impossible). Second, spraying the control surfaces tends to be a short-term fix plus some amps have sealed pots which won't give you anywhere to spray the cleaner.

JD

Nay Sayer wrote:

"Stefan Szoka" wrote in message
...
Probably needs some switch cleaner sprayed into the volume control pot.

Regards,
Stefan


Available @ Radio Shack?

Thanks...

the Nay Sayer

Yes, but look for a contact cleaner that also lubricates or your patch
won't hold up for long. While you spritz it, move the switch back and
forth so the cleaner has a chance to get onto the carbonized contacts.
Worst case, you can carefully unsolder and dismantle the swotch and
clean it more thoroughly, or tack jumpers across the PCB to connect the
contacts you're using in your particular configuration.

JD

Nay Sayer wrote:

Ok, while taking your advice and slowly turning the gains up and down
I found the problem. Next to the gain control is a three way switch
that controls the amp's built in crossover(off, lp, hp). When I
tapped it with my screwdriver it produced the static I've been
hearing. Should I hit it with some spray cleaner?

the Nay Sayer

"John Durbin"
wrote in message ...
Probably, but caveat emptor... before you spend any money, try
spinning the gain control up and down a few times slowly while the
systme is on at low volume. You'll find out pretty quick of that's
where the problem is (personally it doesn't seem like the right
symptoms to me but not impossible). Second, spraying the control
surfaces tends to be a short-term fix plus some amps have sealed
pots which won't give you anywhere to spray the cleaner.

JD

Nay Sayer wrote:

"Stefan Szoka" wrote in message
...


Probably needs some switch cleaner sprayed into the volume control pot.

Regards,
Stefan




Available @ Radio Shack?

Thanks...

the Nay Sayer

John Durbin wrote:
Yes, but look for a contact cleaner that also lubricates or your
patch
won't hold up for long. While you spritz it, move the switch back and

forth so the cleaner has a chance to get onto the carbonized
contacts.
Worst case, you can carefully unsolder and dismantle the swotch and
clean it more thoroughly, or tack jumpers across the PCB to connect
the
contacts you're using in your particular configuration.

JD

Thanks again to everyone who chimed-in. Got some contact cleaner from
Radio Shack with lubicant. Sprayed that stuff on the inside of my amp
and it left an oily film all over the place. Went to Ace Hardware and
got some contact cleaner w/o lubricant to clean up the mess made by the
Radio Shack stuff. Put the amp back in my truck and so far so good.
Hopefully it wont blow up. Thanks again...

the Nay Sayer