Blew one of two subs, looking for advice

[-sen-]

Hey, first post here. Been snoopin around for a while though.

Anyways, Just got a RF Power 15002 amp and 2 12" Type-R 2+2ohm DVC.

After one day after install, one of the subs is gone. The amp is 500Wx2 @2ohms. The RMS rating on these subs is 300W, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised it's gone. My question is this:

Since they're DVC's should I buy another Alpine Type-R and wire it as 4ohms each (250W @ 4ohm from the amp)? Or pick out new subs that are 500W RMS?

Also note that I had a custom box built already: sealed at about 1.0 per.

Thanks for the help.

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[Nikuk 5,000+ posts]

Opinions?

You could run the remaining Alpine in a simple ported enclosure bridged mono (500x1@4ohm) and not miss a beat.

-Nick

 

[-sen-]

Hmm...

Well I spent more money on the box than the 2 subs put together. I kinda wanna use the box. And running 500W to one sub @2ohms is what blew it in the first place right? 500Wx1 @4ohms would be different?

 

[iamamp3pimp 5,000+ posts]

hmmm

you bought the alpines, cant you return one of them?

 

[Nikuk 5,000+ posts]

you spent more money on a box then two new 12" woofers?

good job.

 

[req 5,000+ posts]

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/offtopic.gif.470a8b0541c72322a0037f48a8237473.gif

hmmm

SHORTEN YOUR SIGNATURE //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/mad.gif.c18f003ab0ef8a0d9c27ca78d77a6392.gif

sorry.

box should cost you no more than $50 to make. and thats expensive. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/uhoh.gif.c07307dd22ee7e63e22fc8e9c614d1fd.gif

 

[Chevyaudio 5,000+ posts]

well alpine sells there subs two different ways, did you buy the Type R 4 Ohms or 2 because playing a speaker at the wrong impeadence will do serious damage, also check your wiring, and i agree Njcbflo paying more for a box than the subs is ludicris also id just build a ported box for one R

 

[SPL140.2 5,000+ posts]

buy subs that will handle the power! Alpine wouldnt have been my first choice though //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[ANeonRider 10+ year member]

buy subs that will handle the power! Alpine wouldnt have been my first choice though //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

Type R's can handle 500W CLEAN watts all day long... I ran 700+ for 8 months before I went with a different sub. Set your gain according to the gain setting tutorial, and you won't have anymore toasted subs. Remember kids, clipping kills speakers.

You could run the remaining Alpine in a simple ported enclosure bridged mono (500x1@4ohm) and not miss a beat.

That is what I would do.

 

[-sen-]

This is my first time diving into the world of car audio. I paid $250 for a box and $75 for the rack. Guess I'll never do that again. That's why I really would like to use the box. (and the **** thing isn't that special either, *sigh*) The alpines are 2+2 ohm (DVC) and I think he had it wired that way (each coil in parallel, one channel per sub?) That would have been 500W per sub, right?

I hadn't upgraded my alternator and was running it off a cap. Plus I never went through the clipping/gain tutorial, but I read it, and see what you're talkin about. I'm thinking about going ahead and getting a replacement type R and have the wiring checked by a 2nd opinion. But if I get 250amp alternator and check my gain settings, you think I could run the two alpines at 500Wx2 @2ohms? Should be cleaner power right? Or do it all in parallel and bridge the channels at 500Wx1 @4ohms? I have no idea what exactly caused the problem, but I wanna prevent it before my dumb ass is out too much money.

Thanks for the advice though guys.

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

How did the sub blow? Smoke? Start banging? Im wondering if it was a thermal (overheating) or mechanical (suspension bottming out) problem.

Either way, its likely you did not have the gains set properly. And, the fact you blew the sub one day after installing it tells me you did not take it easy on the sub to allow it to break in. People can say what they want about break in, but I wouldn't pound new subs hard till the suspension loosens up.

edit: BTW just noticed, if you ran your DVC's in parallel like you say, that was a 1ohm load, not 4ohms. Your subs were getting 1000 watts, and you were running your amp under its rated impedance. That would explain the immediate failure. oops!

 

[Echo42987 10+ year member]

You probably won't need a 250 alternator for just those type-R's. I didn't and it was fine. But just buy new subs, those Alpines are very nice though! $250 for a box! You got ripped off.

Yeah like everyone is tellin' you check those gains...cause those Alpines can Handle almost double the power given to them they are very nice subs and they sound great. But ne ways just set your gains down some and it probably won't happen again.

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

It will happen again if he wires the DVC's in parallel again.

 

[-sen-]

I didn't do the install at all. He didn't explain exactly how it was wired, I just assumed it was doing 500W each channel and one sub per channel with 2ohm impedence. As for the damage done, he says the voice coils separated. I'm pretty sure that I'm the cause for damaging the speakers; The way he wired it was probably the best option. Given a 500Wx2 @2ohm amp and 2 alpine type R's (2+2 ohm DVC, 300 RMS) how would you suggest it be wired? Tommorrow I will check it out myself, just to be sure. I just trusted the tech, since I'm a complete newb when it comes to this stuff.

As for the alternator, with the capacitor hooked up to the sub amp and the amp turned all the way down, I was still getting very noticeable headlight/console dimming at the slightest bass note. I do 75% of my driving at night so I figure a new alternator would be necessary. Maybe 200 is enough, since my first quote for a 250amp was almost $600.

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

2ohm DVC's will yield a 1ohm or 4ohm load depending if you wire series or parallel. 1ohm is too low for that amp and 4ohms would only yield 250 watts per sub. If 2ohm stereo is the lowest impedance that amp is capable of, you cannot get 500wx2 out of it with those 2 subs.