Following a freak install problem in which I still can't determine what went wrong, my Rio has lost the ability to determine if the accessory power is on or not - it is just on constantly (tested in my other car)

I am still not sure what the install problem was. I was installing into a 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse. I have installed my Rio in about 5 different cars before with no problems. I wired as usual, and after the Rio booted up, first was silence... then the amplifier produced a deafening sound through the speakers that was most definately not the music. I pulled the plug as quickly as possible, but the Rio was damaged. Why the switched power sense circuit was damaged I do not know - the car wire I used worked fine as an amp turn-on lead before the Rio was in the car.

What could have caused the switched power sensing circuit to fry? I need to know what happened before I try to reinstall or install another stereo. Could this have been a remote turn-on problem with the amp?

The amp didn't fare as well - after hooking up my walkman again, magic smoke was released about 5 minutes later.

Thanks for any and all suggestions you may have. I'd also like to fix my Rio, but I doubt it will be feasible.

Tony,

Thanks for the link. I'd gone through that FAQ a few times but never picked up on the link to the other thread until this morning.

At least I know I can fix my Rio. I'm still curious as to why the problems occured. For now, I'm running in forced DC mode through Hijak in the other car that's had the Rio in it for a few months now. I know the wiring in that car is correct with no blown fuses.

I remember the sequence of things a little better now that it's morning though. I powered the Rio up the first time with no problems, however, the amp turn-on lead had come disconnected before power-up. This posed no problems (other than no sound) and the Rio shut down automatically when I turned to key off to fix my temporary wiring. It wasn't until after I corrected this problem and powered the system up again that the AC/DC problem occured (along with the screaming speakers and fried amp).

The switched accessory lead from the car worked to turn on the amp with no problems before installation of the Rio - no blown fuses. I realize that the output of the Rio for amp power-up is very low current, and if the amp was damaged, it could have drawn too much. Is this circuit connected to the AC/DC switching circuit? What conditions will cause this diode to release the magic smoke?

I'm just trying to solve the puzzle - I will be swapping amplifiers to a known good one, but I don't want to take the risk of frying the Rio completely, or taking out another amplifier, or both.

Thanks again for the help!

Sounds like the sensor switch inside the AC adaptor jack has failed -- explains all of the symptoms. Solution is to replace the jack.

Cheers

Unfortunately, all of the previous events happened without ever plugging the AC adapter in. The Rio hasn't seen the AC adapter for months. Thanks for the suggestion though.

Still worth a check. In addition to checking those diodes and transistors mentioned in that other thread.

Actually, a short term fix is to loop some thread or a wire underneath the leaf switch and try to lift it. This is a solution I used to temporarily fix the leaf switch, if only to prove it was the switch hardware that was the problem.

Yes, a low tech solution / test, but effective!