Driver protection idea

[jmanpc 5,000+ posts]

So I was driving along, on the mind-draining 16-hour trip from Jacksonville to Arkansas. I was pondering about what one could do to protect subwoofers from blowing. I started thinking about how a driver with a hot voice coil has a higher resistance than a driver with a cold coil.

Which got me thinking- what if there were a device that was sort of like a passive crossover, that kept constant track of the coil's impedance. Once the driver's coil reaches a certain resistance, the device would either cut or reduce power.

But that led to more ideas- What if the device had a digital interface that allows the user to set the impedance at which the driver is shut down, the impedance at which it is turned back on, etc. It could also have RCA inputs and outputs that would allow the device to make the overheating driver quieter, rahter than shutting down. It could also insert a voice message like "Your right front tweeter has reached its thermal limits and is being shut down." And if it has RCA inputs and stuff, why not have it be an equalizer or an active crossover.... the possibilities are endless.

It could come in several models- from a device that just allows you to set an impedance for a desired driver to something that can control a 4-channel and a mono for a subwoofer...

What do yall think?

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[reneeb7363 10+ year member]

I was thinking a new stealth roll cage-- silly me

great idea if you can make it affordable--- well, affordable as far as the ca industry goes

 

[jmanpc 5,000+ posts]

wrong kind of driver

 

[djman37 5,000+ posts]

you could put a thermal device up in the pole piece to trigger a relay.

Folow Radioshack and put a lightbulb in your speaker as a fuse.

 

[reneeb7363 10+ year member]

what or how would you do this thermostat if the pole piece is Not vented?

 

[Flipx99 5,000+ posts]

Well, couldn't you just use a temperature guage on the voice coils and once the reached a certain temp, just turn it down? I wouldn't have the 1st idea on how to create one however, because it would mess up the gap.

 

[Flipx99 5,000+ posts]

you could put a thermal device up in the pole piece to trigger a relay.Folow Radioshack and put a lightbulb in your speaker as a fuse.

I noticed a lot of tweeter protections work that way

 

[jmanpc 5,000+ posts]

Yeah I've seen a lot of tweeter protection that diverts power to a light bulb, but I think it would be cool to have a device that can control each of the drivers in the system and prevent them from blowing.

 

[djman37 5,000+ posts]

Yeah I've seen a lot of tweeter protection that diverts power to a light bulb, but I think it would be cool to have a device that can control each of the drivers in the system and prevent them from blowing.

dishwashers use thermal devices, NO or NC, that are temperature based. I guess you could put something inline to sense dangerous temperatures on subs.

 

[reneeb7363 10+ year member]

this is where having a carputer would be VERY beneficial... just need to figure out the interface and programming

 

[djman37 5,000+ posts]

what or how would you do this thermostat if the pole piece is Not vented?

just an idea, not a great idea.

MY subs have pole vents.

 

[reneeb7363 10+ year member]

part of brainstorming is debating feasability-- I was not criticising you-- just throwing ideas and questions out

 

[jmanpc 5,000+ posts]

I just think it would be easier to monitor the driver's impedance...

 

[reneeb7363 10+ year member]

agreed.... I am sure a simple program would allow you to set acceptable limits and controls...

hmmmm... brother in law is a programmer ...//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/rolleyes.gif.c1fef805e9d1464d377451cd5bc18bfb.gif

 

[jmanpc 5,000+ posts]

It would be difficult to set the parameters, though because no two drivers are the same. Different DCR's, different impedances while cold, rise, different thermal limits... point being, there would be no universal number for any 4-ohm driver. I think the user would have to calbrate it or have it calibrated.