how much power does it take to break windows?

[orphe 10+ year member]

just curious about this... How much power (watts)does it take to shatter the windows in a car/truck/SUV? Wanna get a high end amp but if its gonna damage my Jeep its not worth it...

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[Expy2000]

160+

 

[tRiGgEr 5,000+ posts]

1-89000 watts + a hammer...

 

[saywhat? 5,000+ posts]

just curious about this... How much power (watts)does it take to shatter the windows in a car/truck/SUV? Wanna get a high end amp but if its gonna damage my Jeep its not worth it...

it takes 1 watt. tahts it, just 1 watt. and AMP wont shatter windows, AIR PRESSURE will. fosgate broke theirs with a **** load of power, and ive seen 2 w7's do it in a 350 with 1/10 the power of that van......

 

[LoudCrownVic 5,000+ posts]

Ive got an amp that will shatter a window, just ****ing throw it....

Yes, it's all air pressure. It's actually easier to kill windows with highs than to kill them with bass... Seen it on the Discovery channel I think.

 

[btnhfan 5,000+ posts]

Believe me, you wont blow your windows. Dont worry about it, and dont listen to anyone that said they did, unless they are a competitor in the extreme classes and so forth. For the most part, street driven systems would not stand a chance at blowing a window. IF anything, windows would crack, since they are shatter resistant.

 

[tRiGgEr 5,000+ posts]

And most cracks are caused by rattling panels that shake the frame of the window. You will never have to worry about cracking windows. Only if your system is capable of producing 160+ decibles which is extremelly HARD to do.

 

[saywhat? 5,000+ posts]

Dont worry about it, and dont listen to anyone that said they did,

if ur talkin about me......f*ck u. i saw the window shatter. and im not talkin windshield. windshields are the only windows that have the ability to not shatter. im talkin about a 350 Z's side glass.

 

[ballstothewall 10+ year member]

Isn't scottie johnson's van still running factory glass?

J/W

-Ryan

 

[DFW40 10+ year member]

I don't know, 16 year olds tell tall tales. I know I did

 

[MrBill2U 10+ year member]

Physics 101 folks...

There are two ways a window could be shattered by speakers:

1) overpressure: same thing that blows up houses in a nuclear explosion. 3 psi overpressure will blow out every window in your house. Real tough to get a 3 psi overpressure in car audio (read: 160+)

2) harmonics: if you find the resonant frequency of your window and can hit that perfect tone inside your car a tiny amount of wattage (read: less than 1) can shatter your window if played for long enough. The same principal can be used to knock over buildings. If you find a skyscraper that has a resonant frequency of 1hz and hit it every second on the second with absolute perfect timing it will sway back and forth... slowly at first then ever more violently until it eventually falls down. same principal as opera singers shattering wine goblets. tap a wine goblet then sing that exact same frequency back at it. If you hit the perfect frequency and hold it long enough you can shatter a wine goblet with your voice. (and I garantee you opera singers can not hit 160+db)

 

[MrBill2U 10+ year member]

...doh I forgot the 3rd...

you think that XXX 15 would look great in your doors, so you cut a big arse hole in your door. After a week you are driving down the road and pull into the McDs drivethrough with your system thumping and have to roll down the window (for the first time.. hell it's 90 degrees out!!! thank god for A/C) hitting your magnet on the way down. It stops.. but you aren't one to give up so you keep hitting the down button until the front half of your windows pops out of the track and you drag the back along your XXX 15 and eventually shatter it.

 

[psycho72 10+ year member]

Back in the day when I was a knucklehead, I had bent windows back far enough to fit my arm in to unlock the the door so I doubt you have anything to worry about.

 

[MrBill2U 10+ year member]

Losing sleep over the possibility of shattering your windows is like buying a condom because the Olsen Twins are in town. Could it happen? yep... is it going to? nope.

 

[Nikuk 5,000+ posts]

depends on the window. plain and simple.

that is all.