Subwoofer keeps blowing for unknown reason... - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

G.E. · 01-17-2011, 02:25 PM

I've had a subwoofer installed in my trunk. I blew a type r in 2 weeks and a P2 in 2 hours. My audio guy has checked everything. He's installed many systems over the years and the only thing he can guess is that my stock boston acoustics system is sending the wrong signals (highs and lows and all that) and it's confusing the woofer to where it doesn't know what to do. Anyone else have this problem?

Shredder · 01-17-2011, 03:36 PM

That's not possible to blow it "because it doesn't know what to do". The crossover sends only low frequencies to the sub and sub amp. You are probably over driving the amp, and that distortion is cooking your subs. What amp is driving this sub?

Shredder

Eric Baker · 01-17-2011, 06:21 PM

Yeah it's not the signal the amp is getting, something's not set right or the enclosure isn't built correctly.

I have 2 Type-R's and Ive beat the hell out of them overpowering them and all, and they still work flawlessly after ~7 years.

mrray13 · 01-17-2011, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by G.E.

I've had a subwoofer installed in my trunk. I blew a type r in 2 weeks and a P2 in 2 hours. My audio guy has checked everything. He's installed many systems over the years and the only thing he can guess is that my stock boston acoustics system is sending the wrong signals (highs and lows and all that) and it's confusing the woofer to where it doesn't know what to do. Anyone else have this problem?

What amp? Are the subs and amp impedance matched? My guess, gain/boost are both too high, you are overdriving the sub and popping it.

Topdown · 01-18-2011, 12:19 AM

you are blowing subs... its been a long while since I blew up any subs, but exceptionally distorted signal, WAY too much power, no subsonic filter set, exceeding mechanical limits of the sub (too much power/vented enclosure), hmm... subs are shockingly forgiving when it comes to too much/too little power as well as dirty/clipped signal.

What are the chances that your amp its self has a fault and your throwing straight DC current into your VC's whenever the amp shorts?

shevyman · 01-18-2011, 12:25 AM

you know i am with many on this. but i think you have the wrong settings. your gain is to high and maybe the impedance is not matched.

only reason i say that is cause back in the day i blew out two fosgate 15' subs within an hour. my amp had plenty power i was new to the whole thing and i would always turn up the gain and not set my fregrency. so check that stuff out.

if those are down and set right then i would say you have a bad amp

G.E. · 01-18-2011, 07:15 PM

i have an Alpine M500 amp. i blew a 12" alpine type r in 2 weeks and then just recently i blew a rockford fosgate P2 in 2 hours.

shevyman · 01-19-2011, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by G.E.

i have an Alpine M500 amp. i blew a 12" alpine type r in 2 weeks and then just recently i blew a rockford fosgate P2 in 2 hours.

well again that amp is fine for both those subs. what you need to check is what ohms you have the sub at and what ohms the amp is. if they are not matched that could cause damage.

now another thing like posted earlier is if you have your gain up to high or the frequency is not set right you could be distorting the subs and that is causing the subs coil to fry. so i would check all that. or if possible post up here the settings on the amp.

just checked the features on the amp, its 2-4 ohm stable so as long as you run the sub at 2-4 ohm you should be fine. only difference is 2 ohm is more power then 4. so post here your settings and what kind of box you have and i might be able to help you.

Eric Baker · 01-19-2011, 02:50 PM

Also if the subs are dual voice coil, if they are wired wrong, they could fry the coils as they would be working against each other.

G.E. · 01-19-2011, 03:54 PM

both are the 4 ohm version of the speaker and i had them paralleled wire to run at 2 ohms off the amp. i'm not sure what the amp was set at but i know it was rather low because from my understanding, the subs need a break in period before you really bump them.

the box is a custom built box.

also i'm not sure the coils are the problem, as in i dont think they are frying.
what's happening is (i guess the cone?) is coming unglued. but i could be wrong on all that.

NVMYSS · 01-19-2011, 04:03 PM

You can also blow the sub if you cause the amplifier to clip

Nexus6 · 01-19-2011, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Topdown

you are blowing subs... its been a long while since I blew up any subs, but exceptionally distorted signal, WAY too much power, no subsonic filter set, exceeding mechanical limits of the sub (too much power/vented enclosure), hmm... subs are shockingly forgiving when it comes to too much/too little power as well as dirty/clipped signal.

What are the chances that your amp its self has a fault and your throwing straight DC current into your VC's whenever the amp shorts?

This is what I would think as well.Try taking an O'scope measurement from the output,or a DC multimeter measurement.

Eric Baker · 01-19-2011, 07:27 PM

If they are separating/coming unglued, that's a first I've ever heard of that happening, and I've installed 100's of subs in my 10+ years in the business. Only time I've ever seen a surround separate was a really old sub where the glue dried out, or a defect in manufacturing, and all combined I've only seen a handfull.

shevyman · 01-19-2011, 10:04 PM

the amp will only run at a 2 or 4 ohm depending on how you wire the subs. if you ran them at a 2 ohm then the amp will run 2 ohms.

now i am confused as to what you are saying. the center cone is separating? we will need some pics. also is there any way you can describe what your sub is doing that you are saying it is blown

01-17-2011, 02:25 PM	#1
G.E. Drives: black on black twenty ten ss/rs Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 428 View My Garage	Subwoofer keeps blowing for unknown reason... I've had a subwoofer installed in my trunk. I blew a type r in 2 weeks and a P2 in 2 hours. My audio guy has checked everything. He's installed many systems over the years and the only thing he can guess is that my stock boston acoustics system is sending the wrong signals (highs and lows and all that) and it's confusing the woofer to where it doesn't know what to do. Anyone else have this problem? __________________ I GOT MINE! Where's yours? :(

01-18-2011, 12:19 AM	#5
Topdown The wait is over! Drives: 2010 Camaro, IOM, L99, Auto Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Washington Posts: 1,081	you are blowing subs... its been a long while since I blew up any subs, but exceptionally distorted signal, WAY too much power, no subsonic filter set, exceeding mechanical limits of the sub (too much power/vented enclosure), hmm... subs are shockingly forgiving when it comes to too much/too little power as well as dirty/clipped signal. What are the chances that your amp its self has a fault and your throwing straight DC current into your VC's whenever the amp shorts? __________________ Ordered - 4/17/2010 Delivered - 5/29/2010 AlphaDamp CLD Mat - Get more Sound Deadening with less Sound Deadener

01-18-2011, 07:15 PM	#7
G.E. Drives: black on black twenty ten ss/rs Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 428 View My Garage	i have an Alpine M500 amp. i blew a 12" alpine type r in 2 weeks and then just recently i blew a rockford fosgate P2 in 2 hours. __________________ I GOT MINE! Where's yours? :(

01-19-2011, 03:54 PM	#10
G.E. Drives: black on black twenty ten ss/rs Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 428 View My Garage	both are the 4 ohm version of the speaker and i had them paralleled wire to run at 2 ohms off the amp. i'm not sure what the amp was set at but i know it was rather low because from my understanding, the subs need a break in period before you really bump them. the box is a custom built box. also i'm not sure the coils are the problem, as in i dont think they are frying. what's happening is (i guess the cone?) is coming unglued. but i could be wrong on all that. __________________ I GOT MINE! Where's yours? :(

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01-17-2011, 03:36 PM	#2
Shredder Drives: 2011 RJT 2LT Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Falling Waters WV Posts: 26	That's not possible to blow it "because it doesn't know what to do". The crossover sends only low frequencies to the sub and sub amp. You are probably over driving the amp, and that distortion is cooking your subs. What amp is driving this sub? Shredder

01-17-2011, 06:21 PM	#3
Eric Baker Drives: Black/Black 2SS/RS 6M Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Boston MA Posts: 987 View My Garage	Yeah it's not the signal the amp is getting, something's not set right or the enclosure isn't built correctly. I have 2 Type-R's and Ive beat the hell out of them overpowering them and all, and they still work flawlessly after ~7 years.

01-18-2011, 12:25 AM	#6
shevyman Drives: 2010 Camaro SS IOM Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: california Posts: 1,734 View My Garage	you know i am with many on this. but i think you have the wrong settings. your gain is to high and maybe the impedance is not matched. only reason i say that is cause back in the day i blew out two fosgate 15' subs within an hour. my amp had plenty power i was new to the whole thing and i would always turn up the gain and not set my fregrency. so check that stuff out. if those are down and set right then i would say you have a bad amp

01-19-2011, 02:50 PM	#9
Eric Baker Drives: Black/Black 2SS/RS 6M Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Boston MA Posts: 987 View My Garage	Also if the subs are dual voice coil, if they are wired wrong, they could fry the coils as they would be working against each other.

01-19-2011, 04:03 PM	#11
NVMYSS Drives: 2010 Camaro SS Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Metairie, LA Posts: 422	You can also blow the sub if you cause the amplifier to clip

01-19-2011, 07:27 PM	#13
Eric Baker Drives: Black/Black 2SS/RS 6M Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Boston MA Posts: 987 View My Garage	If they are separating/coming unglued, that's a first I've ever heard of that happening, and I've installed 100's of subs in my 10+ years in the business. Only time I've ever seen a surround separate was a really old sub where the glue dried out, or a defect in manufacturing, and all combined I've only seen a handfull.

01-19-2011, 10:04 PM	#14
shevyman Drives: 2010 Camaro SS IOM Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: california Posts: 1,734 View My Garage	the amp will only run at a 2 or 4 ohm depending on how you wire the subs. if you ran them at a 2 ohm then the amp will run 2 ohms. now i am confused as to what you are saying. the center cone is separating? we will need some pics. also is there any way you can describe what your sub is doing that you are saying it is blown