Wired up my amp, now my car doesent start?

[chubblesprime]

Hi everyone- 1999 clio 1.2 ph2 mk1

A friend of mine wired up my amp for me, and installed my sub, after finishing I went to fire up the engine and it wouldn't start.
we presumed this to be a flat battery due to the interior light and the boot lights being on constantly as it was dark when we were installing. we didnt wire up the remote until last. After bumpstarting it I got it going and decided to take it for a drive to try and charge the battery, only to find the my headlights and dash lights getting dimmer and dimmer until the engine just cut out. Disconnected the fuse on the power cable from the sub to the battery. Managed to get it jumpstarted and get it back home (5 min drive), the lights were brighter this time but after parking up and switching of the engine, I can't get it started again. On the third turn of the key in the ignition all i hear is a click. I still have power to the dash lights, interior lights and the headlights.

Does anyone know what the problem could be? is it likely that my battery cant support power of the amp also?
Thanks

 

[Dink]

you haven't disturbed any wiring under the bonnet? as it sounds like your alternator isn't working

you could of also killed your battery at the same time (i've drained a few batterys installing car audio lol)

 

[chubblesprime]

Not that I can recall, unless when trying to poke the powercable through the firewall, I went out to check, but my bonnet latch seems not to want to work (frozen shut possibly) I'll see if I can get some pictures of where I put the cable through tomorrow. Thought it could be the alternator but I dont know where it is if im honest, so not sure if I've disturbed it. Hmm by killed the battery is that I've drained it or that I could have totally killed it and I need a new one? Thanks

 

[Dink]

sometimes a fully drained battery will never recover and will need to be replaced.

if you've got a multimeter you could test at the battery with the engine running to see what you get (anything less than 13.5v and i'd say your alt isn't working/charging)

 

[James28]

Have you got a battery charger at all? Or another battery you can swap it with just to test if it is your battery?
If you've got a multimeter, measure across the terminals, it should read 12v, then with engine running this should increase to around 14v.
That'll tell you if a - your battery is charged and b - if your alternator is working.
where abouts are you in kent?

 

[chubblesprime]

My uncles got a charger that he's bringing round on friday, also he's an electrician so hopefully he'll have a multimeter too (probably has one). Sorry this may sound a little silly, but how exactly will I know if my alternator is working? First car and all so im still learning the mechanics of it all!

I'm in Ashford would it be worth trying my mates battery in mine, also 1999 clio?

 

[kerry-w]

If when you start the car the battery voltage goes up on the meter then you know the alternator is fine

Does sound like your battery though, especially in the recent cold spell, it killed my old 1.2 battery overnight when it got frosty which was excellent before.

 

[chubblesprime]

Thanks for all of your help guys! Battery and alternator seem fine. Turned out to be due to a faulty ground from the amp, in the darkness we ground it to a plastic washer rather than the chasis (d'oh!!)