Kicker Hideaway Voltage Issue (solved)

[dabhawk]

I've seen a few mentions of similar issues with Hideaways, but can't seem to find a solution. Installed a Kicker Hideaway HS8 a couple of days ago on my hybrid. Did not use a custom harness. Connected to front speaker lines right behind vent panel, the battery using the provided cables, and to the existing ground behind the rear seats. The Hideaway works great at very low volume, but even just a little bit of volume makes the blue indicator light turn red and the sound cut out. I tried to set it according to the manual (volume at 75%, gain all the way down, etc.), but the light turns red almost immediately. The manual suggests that it's a voltage issue. I've checked my battery connection and ground, but everything seems fine. Has anyone run into this? Any solutions/ideas? Thanks!

Sponsored

 

[colinl]

Definitely redo the ground. You can take pics and ask others where they connected their ground, or you can make a new ground, which is my suggestion.

Get a bit of steel wool or sandpaper and scrub off a dime-sized spot on the floor of the rear under-bench area where I'm sure you have your HS8 installed. I am not sure if the HS8 came with cabling and ring terminal for a ground, but get some if not. You want as short of a length of ground as you can use, so make this spot very near the HS8. Use at least 12 ga wire and a ring terminal- if you go to a carfi shop, they probably don't have smaller than 10 anyway.

 

[HushCarAudio]

Sounds more like a high level input issue where you might have it in low level and it's boosting the signal making it hot. If tapping the rear speakers you're providing a high level signal so push the button to high level and adjust the gain so the red light turns off. The gain is not a volume knob. Additionally it's always protocol for most shops to only tap the front channels as they are usually a full range signal. Depending on the head unit setting the rear speakers are either full or partial range so it's best to only use the front channels for the signal source.

 

[Silver23]

I've seen a few mentions of similar issues with Hideaways, but can't seem to find a solution. Installed a Kicker Hideaway HS8 a couple of days ago on my hybrid. Did not use a custom harness. Connected to front speaker lines right behind vent panel, the battery using the provided cables, and to the existing ground behind the rear seats. The Hideaway works great at very low volume, but even just a little bit of volume makes the blue indicator light turn red and the sound cut out. I tried to set it according to the manual (volume at 75%, gain all the way down, etc.), but the light turns red almost immediately. The manual suggests that it's a voltage issue. I've checked my battery connection and ground, but everything seems fine. Has anyone run into this? Any solutions/ideas? Thanks!

I would question the hybrids 12 volt battery.
From others and mine they seem to run low like even under 12 volts. Don't ask me why.
You can easily test this with a volt meter with your bass cranked up.
Ask @GPSMan about it too. I'm curious what he thinks.
If you suspect the ground, you could run it right to the battery too but the shortest possible cable is the best.

 

[Darnon]

I would question the hybrids 12 volt battery.
From others and mine they seem to run low like even under 12 volts. Don't ask me why.
You can easily test this with a volt meter with your bass cranked up.
Ask @GPSMan about it too. I'm curious what he thinks.
If you suspect the ground, you could run it right to the battery too but the shortest possible cable is the best.

That's typically when the vehicle is off. When it's on, in my experience, it can be exactly the opposite which also some audio equipment doesn't like. Mine tends sit at ~15.1v with the doors closed and 14.8v with a door open. My Kicker 200.4 doesn't seem to mind and the older Pioneer I had on my subwoofer, but when I had to replace the Pioneer the newer amps I tried would trigger their overvoltage at 15v.

 

[Gullzway]

Did you run the blue remote wire to the fuse panel, ACC fuse?

If you're using speaker level input for remote to turn the amp on, that's not good on the hybrid. Infotainment system randomly turns on and off, including when you open any door.

This caused my battery to drain and the truck to go to deep sleep.

 

[colinl]

Just noticed your location. If "Kansas" means Wichita, Advance Audio definitely has what you need.

Sounds more like a high level input issue where you might have it in low level and it's boosting the signal making it hot. If tapping the rear speakers you're providing a high level signal so push the button to high level and adjust the gain so the red light turns off. The gain is not a volume knob. Additionally it's always protocol for most shops to only tap the front channels as they are usually a full range signal. Depending on the head unit setting the rear speakers are either full or partial range so it's best to only use the front channels for the signal source.

good point about high level / speaker input vs low level / RCA input. I assumed he had checked that, but it is the easiest and should be checked first for sure.

 

[dabhawk]

Did you run the blue remote wire to the fuse panel, ACC fuse?

If you're using speaker level input for remote to turn the amp on, that's not good on the hybrid. Infotainment system randomly turns on and off, including when you open any door.

This caused my battery to drain and the truck to go to deep sleep.

Did you just use a micro3 fuse tap for that?

 

[Gullzway]

Did you just use a micro3 fuse tap for that?

 

[MakinDoForNow]

If

I've seen a few mentions of similar issues with Hideaways, but can't seem to find a solution. Installed a Kicker Hideaway HS8 a couple of days ago on my hybrid. Did not use a custom harness. Connected to front speaker lines right behind vent panel, the battery using the provided cables, and to the existing ground behind the rear seats. The Hideaway works great at very low volume, but even just a little bit of volume makes the blue indicator light turn red and the sound cut out. I tried to set it according to the manual (volume at 75%, gain all the way down, etc.), but the light turns red almost immediately. The manual suggests that it's a voltage issue. I've checked my battery connection and ground, but everything seems fine. Has anyone run into this? Any solutions/ideas? Thanks!

It's a voltage issue do not forget that depending on what's drawing current the 12v bus can have 10v or lower to 15.4v (maybe more?). I had 15.3v on mine in mid 50's to run all heaters, charge 12v battery, etc. Find an appropriate sized buck booster to stabilize required output voltage.

 

[dabhawk]

Thanks, everyone! Between this thread and Kicker tech support (incredibly quick email support btw) a fix was found.
I connected the remote wire to fuse 6 using a fuse tap and it works perfectly!

 

[Silver23]

That's typically when the vehicle is off. When it's on, in my experience, it can be exactly the opposite which also some audio equipment doesn't like. Mine tends sit at ~15.1v with the doors closed and 14.8v with a door open. My Kicker 200.4 doesn't seem to mind and the older Pioneer I had on my subwoofer, but when I had to replace the Pioneer the newer amps I tried would trigger their overvoltage at 15v.

yes, normally. For some strange reason my hybrid likes to run the battery at a lower voltage.
I meant too low a voltage not too high.

 

[MakinDoForNow]

yes, normally. For some strange reason my hybrid likes to run the battery at a lower voltage.
I meant too low a voltage not too high.

In Hybrid If you have ignition switch on accessory you are pulling straight from battery and the DC can be below 10 and will not turn off until 9v to save battery,? The dcdc convertor is NOT TURNED ON UNTIL IGNITION IS IN READY TO DRIVE MODE!

 

[Silver23]

In Hybrid If you have ignition switch on accessory you are pulling straight from battery and the DC can be below 10 and will not turn off until 9v to save battery,? The dcdc convertor is NOT TURNED ON UNTIL IGNITION IS IN READY TO DRIVE MODE!

yes, but even when it's on (drive mode) the battery doesn't charge very high. It's strange.

 

[MakinDoForNow]

yes, but even when it's on (drive mode) the battery doesn't charge very high. It's strange.

I know! It has to do with the BMS design, software, and it's interaction with the dcdc converter and it's varying voltage, I suspect. I Would like to see a recorded monitor history of the BMS actions along with the DCDC converter output. I took possession of my FE Hybrid 3/9/22 and have had no issues but at "the works" oil change yesterday The CCA battery spec of 470 was only 411 and the state of health check mark started near 55% and exited near 60% (whatever that means, maybe warranty replacement when drops below 50% or 400 CCA???). I think I am close to sleep time.

Sponsored