How to find your amplifier power.

[basshead442]

I thought I'd maybe tell some people how to clamp an amplifier and find the average amount of power that your sub is seeing on a daily basis.

Things you'll need:

1. An AC Clamp.

2. A Multimeter.

3. A Calculator.

4. A Cd with test tones from 30hz-80hz going up in 1 hz increments.

5. A pen and paper to keep track of stuff.

Steps to clamp your amplifier:

1. Find your max listening level. Usually about 3/4 of max volume is ideal.

2. Make sure your amplifier gains are set to what you would have them on for daily driving.

3. Take the ac clamp and clamp it around the positive speaker wire(s).

4. Take the multimeter and put the negative lead on the negative speaker output and the positive lead on the positive speaker output.

5. Set the multimeter to AC Volts.

6. Set the AC Clamp to AC Amps.

7. Set both the AC Clamp and the Multimeter to record the max voltage and amperage.

8. Insert the test tones cd and start at 30hz and go to 80hz in 1 hz increments and write down both the AC Amperage and the AC Voltage at each frequency.

9. Go through and calculate the power at each frequency by multiplying the Amperage x Voltage= Watts. Be sure to write down the power for each frequency played.

10. If you want you can find the impedance at each frequency you can do so by Dividing Voltage/Amps=Impedance.

11. Once you have all of the power levels recorded at each frequency you will need to find the mean or the average of the power being delivered to your sub(s). To do that you will add all of the wattage numbers up and then divide them by 50 and then you will find the average amount of power that you will be seeing on a daily basis.

If anyone has any input on this feel free to comment. I hope this helps some people wanting to find the average amount of power that they are putting to their subs on a daily basis. Also to anyone wondering why I selected 30-80hz its because that is usually what is mostly played through subs and what I would consider "bass". I know some of you listen to chopped and screwed music which gets well below 30 hz but 98% of most "normal" unedited music doesn't get below 30 hz and 30 hz is usually well within the playing rang of 90% of the sub setups out there.

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[09civic 5,000+ posts]

sticky?

 

[basshead442]

sticky?

I hope they sticky it.

 

[bubbagumper6 5,000+ posts]

How did you come up with this "average" formula?

Also if you set your meters to peak hold your going to get whatever your peak power is, not continuous.

 

[basshead442]

How did you come up with this "average" formula?
Also if you set your meters to peak hold your going to get whatever your peak power is, not continuous.

Simple 5th grade math of finding the mean(average). You add the numbers together and the divide by how ever many numbers there are. I realize that but if you set it to what your average everyday full tilt listening level would be you can get an a **** close estimate of how much power is going to your sub. You would have the peak power at that frequency and if when you are listening to music the frequencies change then so does your power so I'm giving a formula so people can find out what their subs will be getting at there max listening level while listening to music. Its not dead nuts accurate but its fairly close.

 

[bubbagumper6 5,000+ posts]

Simple 5th grade math of finding the mean(average). You add the numbers together and the divide by how ever many numbers there are. I realize that but if you set it to what your average everyday full tilt listening level would be you can get an a **** close estimate of how much power is going to your sub. You would have the peak power at that frequency and if when you are listening to music the frequencies change then so does your power so I'm giving a formula so people can find out what their subs will be getting at there max listening level while listening to music. Its not dead nuts accurate but its fairly close.

I wasn't asking how you came up with your average formula numbnuts, I'm not an idiot. I'm more wondering why you think averaging peak power levels over a set frequency range is going to give you your average output for the amplifier.

 

[MONSONwarrior Premium Member]

is it at all accurate to use an oscope, find where it's clipping, then use the whole AC voltage formula?

 

[basshead442]

is it at all accurate to use an oscope, find where it's clipping, then use the whole AC voltage formula?

Yes that would be ideal.

 

[basshead442]

I wasn't asking how you came up with your average formula numbnuts, I'm not an idiot. I'm more wondering why you think averaging peak power levels over a set frequency range is going to give you your average output for the amplifier.

The question you asked was and I quote. "How did you come up with this "average" formula?" No need to call me numbnuts I just misunderstood your question and I was in no way shape or form trying to call you an idiot. And its just an estimate of the power that you would be seeing across the small spectrum of frequencies that your sub would be playing. Please note the word "ESTIMATE".

 

[sacsking916 5,000+ posts]

couldnt you get a fluke rms meter and call it a day?

 

[esmokah 10+ year member]

so lets say you get your average peak amperage, multiply that by .707 and that should be your rms value. no need to call someone a numbnuts over that.. esp. when they are asking for help/comments for a better way.

fluke rms meter sounds awesome though

 

[esmokah 10+ year member]

so lets say you get your average peak amperage, multiply that by .707 and that should be your rms value. no need to call someone a numbnuts over that.. esp. when they are asking for help/comments for a better way.

fluke rms meter sounds awesome though

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

Unless you are doing a SPL burp, this is in my opinion, there is no reason to turn your amplifiers up to the almost clipping point. So I set my gains with just a DMM, but I know it's not clipping because I'm not trying to overdrive my equipment.

 

[06Titan 10+ year member]

Where could I find an AC Clamp? Would something like this work?

RadioShack® True-RMS Digital Clamp-on Multimeter - RadioShack.com

Fluke/30 mm. max conductor 1 to 400 Amps AC/DC current clamp (FLUI410) | Multimeter Clip and Test Lead | AutoZone.com

 

[blazeplacid 10+ year member]

never used any type of method

just ears

never blown an amp or had distortion in 10 years