Sub smells like plastic smell.

[digitalrainman 10+ year member]

I have had a kicker cvr 12 running on 400 watts off a cadence amp, and when i first got it i would notice a new plastic type smell from it sometimes. I thought that was just a new smell, but it is still there about 3 months after i got it. I only notice this smell when it is running, and to describe the smell its like a plastic smell that you also smell coming out of computers when they are new. The only reason i am posting is because i want to see if you guys thing it could be something getting too hot.

Its in a 1.3 cuft sealed enclosure getting 40volts, 400watts at 4ohm. I also put in some of that acoustastuff near the sides where the sub doesnt go in, but there are chances that the acoustastuff could have gotten near the sub after much movement.

Is it normal to still smell new after 3 months or am i confusing this with burning coils?

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[vehementSPL 10+ year member]

I have had a kicker cvr 12 running on 400 watts off a cadence amp, and when i first got it i would notice a new plastic type smell from it sometimes. I thought that was just a new smell, but it is still there about 3 months after i got it. I only notice this smell when it is running, and to describe the smell its like a plastic smell that you also smell coming out of computers when they are new. The only reason i am posting is because i want to see if you guys thing it could be something getting too hot.
Its in a 1.3 cuft sealed enclosure getting 40volts, 400watts at 4ohm. I also put in some of that acoustastuff near the sides where the sub doesnt go in, but there are chances that the acoustastuff could have gotten near the sub after much movement.

Is it normal to still smell new after 3 months or am i confusing this with burning coils?

Burning coils you will SMELL. it is very bitter. Not like electronics. I know I use a line level converter in my zx2 for my testing and I get a hot electronics smell but that is from the head unit I am sure. Wonder about backfeed. Anything that would smell like a computer smell that only smells when it plays prob is something in your radio prob. Not 100 percent though. best way is to smell the sub directly in the trunk/hatch befoer you even play it. if it has no smell then you prob are ok. But that is only if it is like a computer smell. Burning vc/glue smells bitter

 

[digitalrainman 10+ year member]

Its not really a bitter smell at all. I know what overheating electronics smells like, we had a battery backup at work overheating and i could smell it from accross the office. Im 99% sure the smell is from the sub, its right behind me in my truck and i can bend down and smell it, but it isnt bitter at all, more of a nice plastic smell. But it only does it when its been kicking for awhile. I can also sometimes smell the wood inside like its fresh cut.

 

[Polecat 5,000+ posts]

thought about swapping out your amp just to test and see, sounds,like amp, not subwoofer...

 

[digitalrainman 10+ year member]

I just recently got a cadence 6004, i was using a cheap crunch 450wrms amp before, the smell was with both.

 

[Polecat 5,000+ posts]

both cadence amps?

 

[digitalrainman 10+ year member]

1 cadence, 1 crunch.

 

[skateboardkid 10+ year member]

Try to seal your sub in your box better, if you can smell the insides it sounds like you might have an air leak and when you beat on it your are still smelling the inside of the enclosure due to air escaping. Can you feel air pushing out around the perimiter of your sub when you play low bass on it?

And if it is a new computer smell and has been there through 2 amps it shoudl be fine.... though I would listen to everyones input on these forums someone may have had this happen before

 

[vehementSPL 10+ year member]

Its not really a bitter smell at all. I know what overheating electronics smells like, we had a battery backup at work overheating and i could smell it from accross the office. Im 99% sure the smell is from the sub, its right behind me in my truck and i can bend down and smell it, but it isnt bitter at all, more of a nice plastic smell. But it only does it when its been kicking for awhile. I can also sometimes smell the wood inside like its fresh cut.

WEll the electronics smell I can say I am 99.9 percent sure it isn't the sub if it smelled like the battery backup. I have NEVER seen/heard of a sub smelling like that. I would check the amp as well

 

[omgheyitskenny 10+ year member]

take it to a local audio shop //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[scotthawk55 10+ year member]

I've had several cvr 10's and 12's and some cvx 10's in ported and sealed enclosures and have always had that smell when they get wailed on worse smell with ported box but they all smell when they are pushed to the limit, I've had some that have lasted along time and some of the cvr's that only lasted a few weeks. Good luck

 

[U n K n O w N ? 10+ year member]

You are clipping nasty.. do some research on clipping = burnt coild = fried sub = no good = noob lol

 

[the727kid 10+ year member]

You are clipping nasty.. do some research on clipping = burnt coild = fried sub = no good = noob lol

I doubt he is clipping nasty, if he was the sub probally wouldn't of lasted a few months.

 

[digitalrainman 10+ year member]

I didnt say that it smelled the same as the battery backup that was overheating, i was stating that i know what burning electronics smells like, and this is a different smell that is coming out of the kicker.

Also do you really think it could be clipping, i dont push it as hard as most people with subs. I have my gains set at 400watts to it when the volume is at 20 on the hu. I normally listen to music at 18 max, mostly 16. The only way i can see me pushing too much to it is if the box is too large, since people say that the larger the box the more efficient and easier it is to reach max excursion. My sealed box is 1.3cubes and to me that doesnt seem to large, it looks large since i made it so long but its a wedge box for a truck and its not very deep.

There is one other thing i thought it might be and that is the head unit, since i have changed amps and its still there i think i can eliminate that. But the head unit has remained the same for awhile.

Even if i have slightly overheated it will i see visual signs on the sub itself if i was to remove it from the enclosure? Or is it one of those things where you only know when the coils are toasted.

Also for the person who said to seal it better, im pretty sure i did a good job. It was my first box, but i spent hours on it sanding to make sure the edges lines up nice, and i used liberal amounts of wood glue and then sealed it with silicon inside. The wood smell may still be me smelling it from the outside through the carpet.

 

[Polecat 5,000+ posts]

when you are hammering it, and start to smell this smell, stop, and feel the center of the woofer. If it is very hot or warm to the touch, it's a power related issue...