Subwoofer positive wire melted

[bbodkin]

Hi everyone, I’m new to this forum and have a pretty scary problem to ask help on. I currently have a loose subwoofer box sitting where my existing center console was because I am switching them out when I get the new console in the mail. I was moving the box to the back seat so I turned down the amp and receiver volume to nothing to make sure nothing was playing while I moved it. I set it down on the backseat to drive temporarily and the subwoofer cut off. It then made a distorted version of the bass from what was playing and I smelled horrible wire burn. I look down and the wire coming from my amp to my sub was burned completely. The way my amp is set up is there is a positive and negative wire that comes from my amp for my sub and there is a seperate positive and negative wire from my sub box terminals. The two seperate sets of wires meet in the middle at spade connectors and connect together. The positive spade connectors on both end of the wires were burnt completely to where the wires just pulled out of the connectors (I had everything securely and correctly wires). The amp has no burnt wires in their terminals, the sub box terminals had no burning or black tipped wires, only the positive wire ends that met at the spade connector. Could I just cut the melted pieces and reconnect? Should I shorten the distance of wire between my amp and subwoofer? I have about 2 feet of length right now. I’m running 500 Watts rms and have 12 Guage wire for my sub. 0 guage for my amp power wires. Any help is appreciated!

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[wew lad 5,000+ posts]

probably just got pinched, one of the connections rattled loose, or the connection corroded creating resistence

use OFC wire and run straight runs with all clean crimped connections, doesnt sound like anything you should be concerned about

 

[HardofWhoring]

Just to clarify, you have two separate wires running from your amp to your sub box terminal? And they are connected with a spade connector? Instead of just one long wire from the amp to the sub box?

So the positive wire terminal connections were loose at the connectors and you think that could have only happened after the wires were burnt? How were all these connections made? Did you make all the connections? How old is the wire and the connections? Could these have been pulled on at some point? If you are using 2 separate pieces of wiring for a short distance are you just using leftover pieces you had?

At the very least I would say you should just replace that wire. Not only does each connection create more resistance, it creates another place where things can go wrong. You can get what 20-25ft of 12awg speaker wire for what .. $10?

 

[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

^^Nice way of summing things up.

In short, lose connection or too small of speaker wire. If it were me, 12 gauge OFC is more than enough for your situation.