Amp Cooling?
09-02-2003, 10:01 AM
#1
50 Watt CAFz'r
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Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 204
I just bought myself my new Panasonic CQ-DFX883U headunit. 5V Preout. I bridged my amp, so now my bass kicks maybe about 5% more, causes all the lights to dim in the car, and... while waiting at the US Border yesterday for 2 hours, caused my amp to shutdown because it got too hot.
Now since I am not getting that much power I am temped just to throw my subs back onto 3 & 4, but just for fact sake, how can I keep my amp cool?
It already has an induction cooling fan and there are some massive heat-sinks on the side.
Input please!!
Please note that I do not have the funds for doing a case and the plumbing to use hydrofluoroether to cool it!
Edit: I just un-bridged them. After futher checking today, only 1 sub was actually doing bass, the other one was just moving, however there was no actual bass coming from it (sounded like **** when I took out 3&4 and let 1 sub run).
Because of this, If my other sub was actually bridged I think It would need a much bigger means of cooling!
[ September 02, 2003, 11:50 AM: Message edited by: Fuzz ]
Now since I am not getting that much power I am temped just to throw my subs back onto 3 & 4, but just for fact sake, how can I keep my amp cool?
It already has an induction cooling fan and there are some massive heat-sinks on the side.
Input please!!
Please note that I do not have the funds for doing a case and the plumbing to use hydrofluoroether to cool it!
Edit: I just un-bridged them. After futher checking today, only 1 sub was actually doing bass, the other one was just moving, however there was no actual bass coming from it (sounded like **** when I took out 3&4 and let 1 sub run).
Because of this, If my other sub was actually bridged I think It would need a much bigger means of cooling!
[ September 02, 2003, 11:50 AM: Message edited by: Fuzz ]
09-02-2003, 11:54 AM
#2
500 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 756
If only one sub was running, then there is likely a wiring issue. Were both subs working properly when it was bridged?
Assuming there is nothing wrong with your subs, check to make sure there is at least an inch or so of clearance around the heatsink, and that there is nothing blocking the fan. The onboard fan can only work correctly if it is drawing cooler air in. If it is in an amp rack of some kind, you could add an additional fan to try to draw cool air into the rack. But the amp should not be overheating if its running it's correct load and has forced cooling, it should only overheat after long periods of use on a sweltering hot day.
What kind of amp is it btw?
Assuming there is nothing wrong with your subs, check to make sure there is at least an inch or so of clearance around the heatsink, and that there is nothing blocking the fan. The onboard fan can only work correctly if it is drawing cooler air in. If it is in an amp rack of some kind, you could add an additional fan to try to draw cool air into the rack. But the amp should not be overheating if its running it's correct load and has forced cooling, it should only overheat after long periods of use on a sweltering hot day.
What kind of amp is it btw?
09-02-2003, 12:13 PM
#3
50 Watt CAFz'r
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 204
Cadence Z4000.
When it was bridged only 1 sub was working. I don't know, I just switch it and ran it off of 3 & 4 like I had before. My friend is getting his re-installed into his 2004 Eclipse so I will see how it is wired later today and make sure that it was done right
When it was bridged only 1 sub was working. I don't know, I just switch it and ran it off of 3 & 4 like I had before. My friend is getting his re-installed into his 2004 Eclipse so I will see how it is wired later today and make sure that it was done right
09-02-2003, 01:42 PM
#4
500 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 756
Yeah, there must be a wiring problem, because the amp cannot decide which sub will be on or off when it is bridged. Both subs should be operating. Even if the load is too great, both subs should behave the same way. If there is two terminals on your enclosure, make sure that the + and - from both terminals connect to the + and - on the amp, or connect the + and - from one terminal to the same terminals on the other, and then a single set of cable to the amp.
Good luck [img]graemlins/thumb.gif[/img]
Good luck [img]graemlins/thumb.gif[/img]
09-02-2003, 07:06 PM
#5
50 Watt CAFz'r
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Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 204
No no, I know there was a wiring problem for the subs in order for 1 to be on and the other off.
What just really threw me is that even with ONLY 1 sub that my amp overheated, that is why I wanted to find some other means of cooling so that when I actually get home and get both subs bridged (I re-wired, just running 3 & 4 now) that I won't have to worry about the amp overheating after 5 minutes. I moved my Sub-box away from my amp and everything so it has more air, since I un-bridged that one sub everything has been hunky dory.
What just really threw me is that even with ONLY 1 sub that my amp overheated, that is why I wanted to find some other means of cooling so that when I actually get home and get both subs bridged (I re-wired, just running 3 & 4 now) that I won't have to worry about the amp overheating after 5 minutes. I moved my Sub-box away from my amp and everything so it has more air, since I un-bridged that one sub everything has been hunky dory.
09-03-2003, 03:52 AM
#6
I think what everyone here is trying to find out if it was an impeadence issue, do you know what the ohms value was when it was when it was wired wrong? what voice coils do your subs have and how did you wire them? ie. series or parallel.
09-03-2003, 02:43 PM
#8
50 Watt CAFz'r
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Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 204
Two 2 ohm subs. Amp runs down to 2 Ohm as well.
The way the amp says it take the Left channel positive (Ch 3 +) to the Right Channel Negative (Ch 4 -). This was fine for that one sub, however I guess it didn't like the way it was done on Channels 1 & 2.
Channels 1 & 2 operate totally differently as well. My subs have controls for 1, 2, then 3&4 in 1 control. It may have been possible that my 1&2 controls weren't matched properly which would mess up my output.
The way the amp says it take the Left channel positive (Ch 3 +) to the Right Channel Negative (Ch 4 -). This was fine for that one sub, however I guess it didn't like the way it was done on Channels 1 & 2.
Channels 1 & 2 operate totally differently as well. My subs have controls for 1, 2, then 3&4 in 1 control. It may have been possible that my 1&2 controls weren't matched properly which would mess up my output.
09-03-2003, 06:52 PM
#9
So you have a 4 channel amp and you've got 1 sub bridged across the front side (terminals 1 and 2) and 1 sub on the rear (3 and 4), is that correct? I don't know the amp but it sounds like a 4ch right?
If that is how you have it the problem is that the amp as you say is 2ohm stable. If that is 2ohm stable (stereo) and you have a 2ohm sub bridged on there then that is like drawing a 1ohm stereo load. That would be the reason the amp is cooking.
If that is how you have it the problem is that the amp as you say is 2ohm stable. If that is 2ohm stable (stereo) and you have a 2ohm sub bridged on there then that is like drawing a 1ohm stereo load. That would be the reason the amp is cooking.
