# How hot is too hot for an amp/subwoofer?



## nperkins (Jul 16, 2010)

I finished the install in my girlfriend's RSX yesterday.. The setup is as follows: 

Pioneer AVIC-Z110
Front Stage: Phoenix Gold 6.5" r-Octane Components
Memphis 16-MCA3004 75x4 amp. 
Subwoofer Pioneer TS-SW251 10" Single Voice Coil Sub.. 

And a pic because i'm proud of how it came out (Fiberglass box retaining factory spare tire)









Anyways... I'm curious how hot is too hot for the sub & amp.. I wanted to check for air leaks before covering the sub, so I installed it in the box and cranked it for about 3-5 minutes.. When I removed the sub, the basket near the voicecoil was warm... Not hot, but warm.. 

Then, after covering the box and reinstalling, I spent about 20-30 minutes with it cranked fairly high while tuning, and the top of the sub was a little warm. Not HOT by any means, but could definitely feel warm.. The amp.. one side of it was warm, the other side was hot to the touch.. Not fry an egg hot, but definitely didn't want to leave my hand on it for a long period of time.. 

I am running 8ga power & ground, my ground is about 7" long and is on bare metal. Is this amount of heat normal? I have been out of car stereos for about 10 years, and the only amps I remember getting this warm were PPI PC2300s when we were pushing 3 12w6's in SPL competitions..


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## lup31337 (Aug 13, 2009)

Amps can reach 90 C and still continue to work. The amp will automaticly shut down if he reaches high temperatures so dont worry about it. If a sub exceeds its temperature tolerance point it will start to smell like something is hot. Dunno if it will start to smell in a sealed enclosure tho.


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## laxcat73 (May 19, 2010)

nice install!!

i think you'll be fine. if the amp was inside the box or underneath it insulating the heat however then i think you might have an issue.

i remember an old kicker 180ss or something like that got SO hot to the touch but worked fine. it idled hotter than alot of the amps i've ever used at medium/full power.

wouldn't be worried.


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## nperkins (Jul 16, 2010)

Now that I think about it, I remember my old Punch 250m and 60.2 (Pre-Star Trek amps) getting super hot to the touch... 

I know the amp will clip, i'm just wondering if i need to worry about it clipping, or if everybody thinks its okay.. 

And ahh yes... i remember the smell of burning voicecoils... HiFonics Zeus + 6 JL 12w0's in a Clamshell = "Is something burning?" lol..


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## Hillbilly SQ (Jan 26, 2007)

I used to own an mca3004 and at times it did get warm on me in straight 4 channel mode. Buddy of mine ended up with it in a trade and he bridged it to a set of prs components. You would definately burn your hand if you weren't careful but it was really good about protecting itself.


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## The Baron Groog (Mar 15, 2010)

Providing the box isn't too shallow you should be ok-you need about 1.5" space behind the sub for cooling, the metal piece on the front of the cone is to cool the VC so will get hot anyway.


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## n2bmrs97 (Jul 21, 2010)

thats a nice install, ab class amps get warm, class d run cooler, but ab sounds better, anyway I wouldn't worry about the sub, because they all get pretty hot after being played hard, most people never know because they don't take the woofer out of the box and touch the magnet after being played for some time, if the amp is not shutting off, dont worry about it, if it is shutting off check the woofer impedence (that memphis amp handles 4 ohm bridged) and also check your gain so it is no all the way up, take care


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## nperkins (Jul 16, 2010)

Hillbilly SQ said:


> I used to own an mca3004 and at times it did get warm on me in straight 4 channel mode. Buddy of mine ended up with it in a trade and he bridged it to a set of prs components. You would definately burn your hand if you weren't careful but it was really good about protecting itself.


That makes me feel alot more comfortable... 



The Baron Groog said:


> Providing the box isn't too shallow you should be ok-you need about 1.5" space behind the sub for cooling, the metal piece on the front of the cone is to cool the VC so will get hot anyway.


The box is about 6" from the mounting surface to the bottom, and the sub depth is about 3", and i made sure to not overstuff the polyfill in the center to allow it to breathe..



n2bmrs97 said:


> thats a nice install, ab class amps get warm, class d run cooler, but ab sounds better, anyway I wouldn't worry about the sub, because they all get pretty hot after being played hard, most people never know because they don't take the woofer out of the box and touch the magnet after being played for some time, if the amp is not shutting off, dont worry about it, if it is shutting off check the woofer impedence (that memphis amp handles 4 ohm bridged) and also check your gain so it is no all the way up, take care


Gain is about 2/3 of the way up, and its also a brand new sub... So maybe the spiders haven't stretched completely...


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## ryan s (Dec 19, 2006)

My amps get "One Mississippi...two ouch" hot after long periods of use, but they don't shut down. As already said, better the heat sink gets hot instead of the internals 

Same with the sub. Better the basket gets warm than the voice coil...


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