Ok, I went to get some additional sound over the weekend.

All I bought though was a 1200W 4 channel Ice amp that runs my 12" sub and my pair of 6x9's.
I then also just bought a set of two ways, cos my sound was way too rear-heavy.
Right after having it installed, I went to also replace my battery because my one terminal was a bit poked.

So I try to start my car yesterday morning and nothing. I had to push start the thing. I then took it back to the sound place and they said they wired the amp incorrectly and set it up so that it was not drawing power from the battery when the car was turned off. I thought the problem was sorted.

Then last night when I left the office, it was deader than dead. Not even the alarm light had enough power to light up. So I had to leave my car in the basement overnight.

I will have to jump-start it today and then take it back to these guys.

Anybody have any experience with this? If anyone has any advice or just ideas of what I should be suggesting or looking for, it would help me out.

Thanks

are you sure your alternator is working correctly? what car is it? What power battery did you get?

I cant say for 100% sure that it isn't the alternator, but it is weird that two days after I install more sound I start having these problems. I drive a Shitti Golf.

I have phoned my regular mechanic and asked him for advice and the first thing he asked was if I had had any new sound installed and he specifically mentioned an amp. When I approached the sound guys, they did admit they should have wired the amp differently the first time. Again though, Im still at square one.

The battery is the right one. I even paid a bit more for the Willard brand that is 'supposedly' one of the better ones. It's a 628.

I could understand if I had a pre-existing auto-electrical problem with the car, but that's not the case. New sound installed on Saturday and then dead battery on Monday and Tuesday. Too convenient for my liking.

ask the sound guys to recheck your wiring, even a loose wire touching body could cause a few problems.

your last course of action would be to take the car to an auto electrician, let him isoalte the problem, if its a problem with your amp, then get him to fix it and send the bill to the sound guys.

I had a similar problem with my golf. Started perfectly the one day, and then the next dead. It was the voltage regulator on the alternator. Got a new one put on and problem was solved. Not saying it is this, but it could be 1 potential problem.

otherwise what nCryption says is also a very good possible cause. Maybe you were unlucky and got a crappy battery. maybe take it past a battery place and have them check it out.

Ok, I first went past the battery place and they tested the battery and the alternator.

The battery is fine, no dead cells etc, it was obviously just flat. The alternator was charging perfectly.
Then they did a draw test on the battery and there was a draw of 2.5amps. Apparently anything under 0.7 is acceptable but anything over that isn't. So I obviously assumed that it HAD to be the amp or something related to the sound.

I picked up the sound guy and took him to the battery place. He disconnected the radio, the amp, bridged the immobiliser to isolate that as a cause and still there is a 2.5amp draw on the battery

So now I've had to leave it at the place and they will have to find what's drawing the power and hopefully fix it all up today.

So after all that, it wasn't the battery, amp or alternator

I sense something expensive...

I sense something simple, and stupid. hopefully not expensive. let us know what it was/is when you find out.

Hopefully it'll be sorted by the end of day. I'll let you know when I find out.

On a funny sidenote, I just got a call from the stupid chick receptionist at the auto electrician.
The conversation went like this:

Chick: Hello, did you take your car keys with you when you left?
Me: Ummm no, I didn't. I left them with you.
Chick: Oh, cos I can't find them anywhere!
Me: Well then it would seem that you have a problem, don't you?

SLIGHT DELAY

Chick: OMG, THEY WERE IN MY JACKET POCKET THE WHOLE TIME!
Me: click

Talk about being filled with confidence

I would be worried if she was the one working on your car, but she isn't, so I am sure you can feel better.

Come on, tell everyone about the second call...

that sounds interesting... do tell us about the second call please...

LOL, hunter you're an asshole haha.

Ok it turns out that the chick phones me back and says 'OMG they were my keys, I also drive a Golf'

So it turned out that I *did* take my keys with me, but good hunter was kind enough to take me back to the place to drop my keys off

Yes, Im a doos.

LOL. That is funny. BUT still, she didn't know what her keys looked like when she pulled them out her pocket... hmmm.....

That chic is definately blonde

My first guess would be ground and pos are causing a loop or..... ATT wire is connected to power wire.

other than that I would have gone with a 646 thats what I put in my mazda, the 628 will work (hopefully it's an achiever and not the cheaper willard) but wont last too long before it blows

Ok, my car is sorted.

It turned out after that whole shebang that it was the alternator after all.
It was charging the baterry fine but it was drawing amps at the same time
Of course they only tested the alternator last during their process of elimination, so it took them most the day.
So a new alternator and R800 later, it was sorted.

I took my car back to the sound guys this morning and they re-installed the amp etc. They were also nice enough not to charge me for essentially buggering them around for two and a half days. Big-ups to Brad and Guy at In-Car Entertainment in Jan Smuts Drv, Craighall Park.

Problem solved

Thanks for the advice chaps.

What do I win???? glad you got it sorted.

You can have my old alternator. For you, SPECIAL PRICE