Radio cuts out after certain volume

[1988prostar190]

When ever there is a song with a fair amound of bass and it is around the 2/3 volume mark it shuts off the radio for 4 seconds and starts back up on its own...would this be vibration, amps, or an internal issue in the radio box??
Thanks guys

[KahunaCraft]

Likely a safety breaker built in. You could turn the gain down on the amp so that max volume doesn't trip it or double check to make sure there isn't something covering the amp causing it to heat up...

I'm sure others will pipe in...

[j.mccreight@hotmail.com]

Overclipping the unit due to lack of sufficient source voltage is my best guess.

[Thrall]

Assuming you mean just powered by the head unit.
If its wired thru the ignition switch likely the power thru the switch can't handle load required and the head unit is going into failsafe mode. Had this with my old 190 as soon as I added a decent head unit (no power amps). Use the + wire going to the stereo from the ign switch to trigger a relay and run a good size fused wire from the batt thru the relay to the head unit. Takes the high amp draw off of the weak ign switch.
Or could be a bad ground. Run a dedicated ground from the hu and the case direct to batt- first to see if this is the problem.

[1988prostar190]

The radio has a seperate switch that doesn't go through the ignition at all. The boat also has a sub woofer that i just rewired with a fuze and heavy gauge wire. Seems to still cut out with the sub very low.
Thanks!

[Thrall]

Same deal though. If its an OE switch then it can't handle the amps needed. If aftermarket swit h then check the same. Just Jerry rig a good + &- wire straight to the battery and see if t helps.
Sub has its own amp?
Spkr level inputs on the amp or line level?
Many things could contribute to the problem.
It would help if you could describe the whole system in detail including how everything's hooked up.

[1988prostar190]

The radio has a seperate switch that doesn't go through the ignition at all. The boat also has a sub woofer that i just rewired with a fuze and heavy gauge wire. Seems to still cut out with the sub very low.

[bsloop]

Get out a volt meter and check different power locations while playing songs that induce the shutdown. Almost always a low voltage situation.
Check voltage at the switch, battery, amp etc.
Note system off, low play and shut down causing voltage readings.

There is likely resistance somewhere that causes the voltage to drop when a load is placed on it.
Example, the power wire, although separate from the ignition switch is too small to handle the draw from a head unit, especially if you have the HU amp turned on.

Another possibility is the battery is getting weak or can not handle the extra pull from the sub amp. combined with resistance in the system, can lead to HU shut down.

I doubt it is a heat issue, thermal protect usually lasts longer than a 4 second reset.

Do some testing and if you don't figure it out, we need a lot more system specifics. Battery, "heavy" wire gauge, amps, etc.