Alpine PDX - Heat

[AlterEgo99 5,000+ posts]

I was reading the recent thread about the dude's amp that was heating up without even having the tunes on and figured this would be a good time to ask a similar question.

First, no, I don't have a gazillion watts pumping through my '08 Silverado. And believe it or not, even though it is an extended cab, there is **** little space for amps and subs. My '99 Silverado that finally died about a month ago had plenty of room under the rear bench for a custom dual sub enclosure and 2 amps, but not the '08. I have a custom dual sub enclosure under the seat, but the only spot I could find for amps was in the center console. And the Alpine PDX series had the measurements that fit perfectly in that space.

Also, what interested me in the Alpine PDX series was that they are Class D, so they "should" run pretty cool. Afterall, I had a JL Audio Slash v2 Series 500/1v2 that was Class D in the '99 and that baby never even got warm. Of course, it was significantly larger than a PDX and had a big ass heat sink...which is why I couldn't use it in the new truck. No space.

Anyways, I am curious why both of these amps get quite toasty after about an hour or so of use, whether I am cranking the tunes or not (or not meaning the HU is still on, but I am listening at a low level - yes, if the HU is OFF so are the amps and they do not heat up when they are off - remote wire connection is good //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif ). I'd like to know if anyone else has experience with these amps?

Oh yeah, some details maybe so y'all don't pepper me with too many additional questions //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif:

Alpine PDX 4.100 (In center console on the bottom - powering front and rear Polk Audio components - Peak Front 300W - RMS 100W (4 ohm) - Peak Rear - 250W - RMS 100W (4ohm))

Alpine PDX 1.600 (In center console stacked on top of 4.100 - powering 2 10" Polk Audio subs in rear custom enclosure - Peak Subs 600W - RMS 300W - Wired in parallel so amp is seeing 2 ohm load)

Console is vented and I have 2 fans installed - one pushing air into the space from the side and blowing across the amps, and one in the console lid pulling air out)

HU - Alpine CDA-9887

I'm also going to be trying some JL Audio 10" 8ohm subs this weekend - wiring in parallel the 1.600 will see a 4 ohm load...curious if it will run any cooler, but the amp is rated as stable at either 4ohm or 2ohm so I am not sure if it will matter. But, as many know, it is always fun to mess around with the system! //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/cool.gif.3bcaf8f141236c00f8044d07150e34f7.gif

I'm not too worried as they seem to get to a certain heat level and stabilize, and it may just be their nature like it appeared to be for the amp on the other thread. Sometimes these babies just like to run toasty...certainly they have not yet gone into any sort of thermal overload...at least not yet. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif

So, fire away...thanks in advance for any input you may have.

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[AlterEgo99 5,000+ posts]

Crickets...****! //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif

 

[AlterEgo99 5,000+ posts]

bump...anyone?

 

[JBLCAMRY 10+ year member]

on those amps the part you are touching is the heat sink. And that is supposed to be hot. That means it is pulling heat from the internals.

Now if the bottoms are hot too, then you would have a problem.

I have mine (4.150) mounted here, and have never had an issue,

 

[JCJetta 10+ year member]

I have a 150.2 on my components, and after 20 minutes of mid-loud play it gets a bit toasty, but nothing worrisome. But when the amp is off, it's not generating any heat, of course.

At low levels, interestingly enough, my sub amp stays cooler than the PDX. Sub amp is an old-school MTX class D.

 

[AlterEgo99 5,000+ posts]

on those amps the part you are touching is the heat sink. And that is supposed to be hot. That means it is pulling heat from the internals.
Now if the bottoms are hot too, then you would have a problem.

I have mine (4.150) mounted here, and have never had an issue,

Good to know where the heat sink is! //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif On amps like my former JL Audio Slash 500X1 it was pretty obvious....these, not so much.

Like I said, my two are stacked...4.100 on the bottom, 1.600 on the top...I'll try to post some pics tonight as well.

Thanks for the info...I was just curious if it has been others experience that they run "toasty"...seems to be the case. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[JCJetta 10+ year member]

As an update:

Tonight I thoroughly enjoyed the new Drowing Pool CD to a greater extent of 20+ minutes. Outside temperature was 65ish and it was dusk, so I can't imagine inside was much better.

The sub amp was warm to the touch, but not scalding. The PDX was barely above ambient.

I'm probably not adding anything at this point, so I am going back to drinking.

 

[dejo 10+ year member]

my pdx5 would run for 5 hours at high volumes and not thermal, it would get warm but never has shut off.