I think my sub is about to blow

[ddparker 10+ year member]

I have the Pioneer Premier TS-W8102SPL sub wired at 1 ohm to a Hifonics BXi 2610D amp. After playing the system for about 5 minutes the sub will start to smell like burning plastic. I have tuned the amp with an SMD DD-1 so its not being distorted, but I did run the sub with the gain at max for almost 2 years before tuning it. I also have upgraded my electrical system so that my voltage never drops below 14v. I pulled the sub out to see it I could see any signs of damage but everything looked fine.

If the sub does blow I was looking at a DC level 5 or a Fi BTL N3. I need a sub that can handle around 3500 watts RMS because I will be upgrading the amp to a crescendo BC3500D. I appreciate any suggestions.

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[Kangaroux 5,000+ posts]

If you ran the gain max chances are that sub's coil is pretty dark. If it heats up after playing music for a couple minutes that means you're sending too much power to the sub and need to back off on the gain a bit. You should be able to play music constantly for about 5-10 minutes and not have it get smelly.

 

[ddparker 10+ year member]

I really doubt that I am running too much power seeing how the amp is rated at 2600 watts rms and the sub, which I have been told is underrated, is 3000 watts rms. I really don't think that the amp is even able to output the full 2600 watts.

 

[pro-rabbit 5,000+ posts]

I really doubt that I am running too much power seeing how the amp is rated at 2600 watts rms and the sub, which I have been told is underrated, is 3000 watts rms. I really don't think that the amp is even able to output the full 2600 watts.

The other two options are..

1. Clipped signal (the smd is no magic device)

2. Enclosure (limiting the ability of the driver to properly cool itself).

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

What track did you use the DD-1 on? And I would not feed 3000 to it daily no matter what has been told to you

 

[Team Ampere 10+ year member]

I really doubt that I am running too much power seeing how the amp is rated at 2600 watts rms and the sub, which I have been told is underrated, is 3000 watts rms. I really don't think that the amp is even able to output the full 2600 watts.

If its stinking then theres a problem with either:

1. Heat not dissapating as it should

2. Clipping , causing more than normal operating tempatures.

3. Coils are burnt and cant handle like they used to

You said that you ran teh gain at the wide open setting for like 2 years. MAy i ask why you did that?? Not trying to bust your balls because alot of others have done that also and smokes some equipment. I dont run top dollar stuff, as i dont have a ton of money to throw into car audio. But to run tehamp wide open is basically asking fo rtrouble

 

[ddparker 10+ year member]

Yeah I was a noob with car audio and I didn't know about clipping back then until recently when I started to look into it. My box is only leaving about 2 in of clearance between the bottom of the sub an box. It meets the recommended specs but i was going to build a bigger box but since it just stared to smell like this recently I didn't think it was the box. I am hoping that the coils are not burnt because when I pulled the sub i could see the top part which looked to be fine.

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

Yeah I was a noob with car audio and I didn't know about clipping back then until recently when I started to look into it. My box is only leaving about 2 in of clearance between the bottom of the sub an box. It meets the recommended specs but i was going to build a bigger box but since it just stared to smell like this recently I didn't think it was the box. I am hoping that the coils are not burnt because when I pulled the sub i could see the top part which looked to be fine.

What track was the gain set at? -5,-10,-15?

 

[ddparker 10+ year member]

I think it was track 7 which said it was for the loudest system but the smell started before I turned the gain down and it is still there after I have tuned the amp.

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

I think it was track 7 which said it was for the loudest system but the smell started before I turned the gain down and it is still there after I have tuned the amp.

Track 7 is killing your sub. That will be heavy clipping on any modern day music.

 

[ddparker 10+ year member]

Track 7 is killing your sub. That will be heavy clipping on any modern day music.

I will tune the amp with a different track then. Thanks for everyone's help.

 

[splwj47 10+ year member]

I will tune the amp with a different track then. Thanks for everyone's help.

get a -0db or -3db 40hz track. even -5 will still result in clipping on lots of music.