Sub Wiring

[yoratbastard 10+ year member]

This may be for the more advanced installer/users. What are the benefits of Serial Wiring vs. Parallel Wiring?? I have a 4-channel amp running front & rear speakers and a pair of 10" subs in a single sealed cabinet (each with their own wiring connectors). I've changed cars and wanted to reinstall the system with the same amp on the front & rears, but add a mono amp for the subs. If I connect each of the subs connectors to the mono amps output (parallel mode), won't they split the total power output?? The subs are both 4 Ohm SVC. If the mono amp is 2 Ohm and both subs are connected to the amps output (parallel mode), wouldn't the 2 subs each get the total power output??

I know it is a bit confusing, but I'd like to understand what's going on before I spend money on the mono amp.

Thanks in advance...

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[indosia 10+ year member]

For example if your amp was rated 500 watts x1 @ 2 ohms and you hooked up two 4 ohm subs, each sub would get 250 watts. Parallel circuits share voltage and divide current. Series circuits share current and divide voltage. You could get a 2 channel amp and hook 1 sub up to each channel a 4 ohms per ch. This would sound much cleaner.

 

[blackgeltabs 5,000+ posts]

why not just wire the 2 4ohm svc's in parallel to create a 2ohm load then hook it to the mono amp. Then you are using the amp to the full potential.

 

[yoratbastard 10+ year member]

Thanks to both of you for the information, It gave me some options to consider before I begin this project.

 

[ss3079 5,000+ posts]

Originally posted by blackgeltabs why not just wire the 2 4ohm svc's in parallel to create a 2ohm load then hook it to the mono amp. Then you are using the amp to the full potential.

Do that ^.

 

[drummer_punk82 10+ year member]

I'm not sure if anyone else comes to this thread anymore, but I have a question. Could I hook two JL Audio 10" W3 4ohm subs to my amp bridged(in parallel)? Or would that be impedence mismatching. I think my subs would be at about 1ohm and the amp would be at 4ohms. That's probably bad, right?

 

[Alaxan 5,000+ posts]

When you set up your speakers at whichever run. Series, parallel, Series-parallel you are then setting the load of strain or freedom for the amp to push. The higher the number on the ohm's rating the more difficult it is for your amp to send signal thru it. For this reason as you drop down to a one or two ohm load you are allowing your amp to run with less resistance than it was made to use (Typical is 4ohms in a mobile environment) Doing this creates the amplifier to overwork since it was made to work with more strain on it which is why you can get more power out of the amp as you drop the ohms load. This can cause a problem if the amp is not 1 or 2 ohm stable and cause it to burn up. (an example would be if you are used to lifting a larger weight and then picked up a lighter weight you would be able to do it a lot more and more often, but it could overwork your heart more causing you to wear out as opposed to with the larger weight)

 

[indosia 10+ year member]

Originally posted by drummer_punk82 I'm not sure if anyone else comes to this thread anymore, but I have a question. Could I hook two JL Audio 10" W3 4ohm subs to my amp bridged(in parallel)? Or would that be impedence mismatching. I think my subs would be at about 1ohm and the amp would be at 4ohms. That's probably bad, right?

You shouldn't wire them in parallel unless your amp is 1 ohm stable or you want

an excuse to buy a new amp. 2 dual 4 ohm 10 w3s in parallel put a

.8 ohm load on my amp. It got so hot I had to hook up a fan to keep it cool. To get a 4 ohm mono load, wire the coils of each 10 in series then wire them in parallel to the amp.

 

[Alaxan 5,000+ posts]

Of course you can always go with an amp that is even down to .5ohm stable like an Orion HCCA.......lol then again if you already got ur amp stick with it and hook it up so you save its ass and do not burn it up.

 

[indosia 10+ year member]

Is the orion a mono amp. or stereo?

 

[Alaxan 5,000+ posts]

The Orion HCCA amps are two channel amps and can handle a .5ohm load on a two channel set-up. They do not recomend it be bridged in mono under 1 ohm, but it can handle it! I know because I have done it plenty of times before with NO problem whatsoever.

 

[Alaxan 5,000+ posts]

http://orioncaraudio.com/hcca275.html

That page shows the specs on the amp I am running for my subs. I was going to post it in the previous one but forgot. Check it out. It is a hell of a LOT of power comming from an amp that is supposed to only be 75watts by 2 channels......we used to call it the cheater amp in competitons. Back when USAC went strictly by power I was running over 2000watts total on 4 12" Orions and in a 150watt bracket. LOL

 

[indosia 10+ year member]

Nice amp. how much are they?

 

[Alaxan 5,000+ posts]

Well that is the kicker. The HCCA 275g4 is going for around 800bucks. The HCCA 25g4 is about 500 and the 225g4 is about 400. Yeah at a glance it sem pricy for a 75watt perchannel amp but when you hear it and have it bridged down to half ohm or 1ohm and are rockin the side panels off of the car it is well worth the extra cash.

 

[indosia 10+ year member]

1200 watts for $800 is cool.