Sp4 dustcap getting warm?

[Whatshisface176 1]

I've had this sub as my daily for only about 2 months and it finally feels like it's getting broken in. At the moment I have it on a hifonics brx2400 along with a kinetik hc600 (will be upgrading soon) 220 amp alt and runs of knukonceptz 0 gauge CCA (will be upgrading to OFC).

Anyway my question is, why after bumping for about 30+ min does the dustcap progressively get warmer??

I had this problem before with some crappy RF p2's getting extremely warm on the cone right above the voice coil, but they were being pushed at full rms with good electrical.

NOW i am pushing a 3k rms woofer with just a hifonics (probably 2000 watts) and poor electrical (for the time being).

How is it that the dustcap is getting warm when the sub isn't even being pushed to rated rms (most likely 1000 watts under rms)

[95Honda 486]

Just so you know, loudspeakers are only about 3% efficient at producing sound from the power they receive.  The other 97% gets turned into other things, some of it heat...

 

The RMS rating has nothing to do with how hot the driver will get.

 

You have no idea if your amplifier is putting out 2Kw.  That amplifier is capable of 4+ Kw depending on what signals are coming out of it.

 

There is more than likely nothing wrong with your sub at all...  In fact, a warm dust-cap indicates good heat coupling and transfer through some of the soft-parts from the cooling attributes of the subwoofer...

[cloud77 28]

I would never approach powering that sub with the electrical you have..

[Whatshisface176 1]

Like I said, I'm in the process of upgrading. I'm 17 and still in high school, money is hard to come by

[95Honda 486]

You doing fine and I think you will be OK with your system.  It is good you are paying attention to things like you are.

[cloud77 28]

Just make sure you are monitoring voltage and don't get too carried away. The HC800 is a nice battery, but you should definitely add another. Look into welding cable for your upgrade @ weldingsupply.com

[95Honda 486]

That is good advice, and not too spendy...

[Whatshisface176 1]

okay thank you, And eventually I'll upgrade to 2 HC1400's and OFC wire. I got the sub as a Christmas gift from my dad and grandpa but obtaining all the electrical for it is being quite the process 

[cloud77 28]

Wow. I would have never gotten car audio for xmas..Good luck!

[SpeakerBoy 64]

Wow. I would have never gotten car audio for xmas..Good luck!

Right? I'm jealous

[Whatshisface176 1]

yeah I kinda felt spoiled.. But I knew what it was when my dad said that I got something that was 67 lbs lol

[ncc74656 2]

do not let your dust cap get crazy hot. its a carbon cap so its thermally conductive and thus it will always get some degree of heat transfer but if you burn your hand touching it then its to hot. you know when you are turning your bass boost up to get that extra volume for your friends. dont do it! this is why:

http://imgur.com/a/XgKEP

also keep in mind that hifonics will only do rated power with a lightning strike. if you are getting full excursion on that sub ill put money down that your clipping your signal hard core.

Edited February 24, 2014 by ncc74656

[Sencheezy 689]

I wouldn't worry. You wouldn't believe how stinky/hot I've seen these get, IN PERSON. Lmao. Last year was getting demo'd during Slamology. Buddy had 4 18 sp4's in a wall, and I swear, it felt like he had an heater inside that damn van from how hot/stinky the subs had gotten. No failure ever occurred though. 

[nem 2,019]

I wouldn't worry. You wouldn't believe how stinky/hot I've seen these get, IN PERSON. Lmao. Last year was getting demo'd during Slamology. Buddy had 4 18 sp4's in a wall, and I swear, it felt like he had an heater inside that damn van from how hot/stinky the subs had gotten. No failure ever occurred though. 

 

Mike's van?

[95Honda 486]

That and the fact that clipping doesn't hurt anything...

[Whatshisface176 1]

Oh boy does it get stinky lol about 10 min into some bumping and it stinks the whole car up

[Whatshisface176 1]

And it's just slightly warm. But my old p2 fosgates got way to hot to even touch.

[Whatshisface176 1]

And i know i'm not clipping. Bass boost is set at 0 and the Level (gain) on the am is set at my head units rca output voltage

[95Honda 486]

Just be careful, if you smell it all the time, you are over-driving the piss out of it...

[95Honda 486]

And i know i'm not clipping. Bass boost is set at 0 and the Level (gain) on the am is set at my head units rca output voltage

 

None of this matters.  You can over-drive the sub easily with the amp you have...  You are doing it right now...

[Whatshisface176 1]

Oh.. Why would they rate the woofer at 3k though?

[Sencheezy 689]

Oh.. Why would they rate the woofer at 3k though?

 

lol, the rms is not power handling, it is the thermal rating

 

BUT, obviously, if you put it into a 20cubes box, and bottom out the piss out of it, or anything, you will damage. What I mean to say is, no matter the rating, a user can still very easily damage a sub at ANY power level.

[95Honda 486]

OP, I don't think you understand what I am saying.  That amp can easily produce more than 3Kw depending on output signal.  If you smell those things every time you play for 10 minutes you are almost surely over-driving the sub...  Heat on the dust cap is OK, but if it is stinking up your entire car in 10 minutes you are pushing the thermal limits of the driver.

[Whatshisface176 1]

Okay i think i understand your point now. Is there any way to avoid this? (Reaching thermal limit)

[95Honda 486]

Yeah, don't turn it up as loud as you are...