Who's liable? Sub broke Amp!

[joshp 0]

Well I'm listening to my music loud last night and noticed my lights seems to be dimming quite heavily, more than I recall. Then after playing music for about 10 minutes my sub cuts out then comes back on and cuts out. So I turn the sub off. I figured maybe a tinsel lead failed because I didn't smell any burned voice coil scent. Then I start to think. Man that sub was expensive how could it break like that on me? I'm only feeding it 900 watts rms. I thought you could power this sub into the 1kw range. Then I start thinking about how much shipping will cost to send it back to stereo integrity.

Today after school I decide to check the sub. I hook it up to a shelf stereo and the sub works! I then take a spare sub and hook it up to the sub amp and it doesn't work.

I WANT TO KNOW HOW STEREO INTEGRITY PLANS ON COVERING THE COST OF THAT BROKEN AMP!!!???!!

Just kidding.

I'm actually insanely impressed that the sub didn't fail at the time the amp failed (dirty signal). When I took the sub out I was thinking how could this massive thing break? I guess the answer is it didn't.

What would cause an amp to fail? My external cooling fan setup was temporarily broken but the amp wasn't on that long and it was only like 70 degrees out. I checked the fuses to the amp and none are blown. I checked my fuse at my split off point and it is fine as well. The power light on the amp is on and the protect light is off. Any ideas?

Would an amp fail due to lack of juice from the alternator? If so please explain why. It's a planet audio amp and I've had it around 5 years I believe.

[Tirefryr 1,742]

My buddy's PA just blew up thanks to a low voltage problem. I suspect your problem was the same.

For shits and giggles, start your car up and get out your DMM and measure the input voltage at the amp.

[joshp 0]

My buddy's PA just blew up thanks to a low voltage problem.  I suspect your problem was the same.

For chits and giggles, start your car up and get out your DMM and measure the input voltage at the amp.

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Damn. So chances are I need to get an aftermarket alternator? Where would I get one of those for a saturn 97? I bet having my head lights on put it over the edge. What about one of the batteries designed for heavy power drain would that work? I loved that amp. I believe I got it for around $220. Unfortunately the place I bought it from no longer carries planet audio amps (online store).

[Tirefryr 1,742]

What Saturn is it?

A QUALITY HO alt is always the best, but you may be able to get by with a better battery if the current draw is not sustained for extended periods. A quality amp with the proper protection would also be good. Something with a regulated power supply is nice, but you still run a risk if you're dipping below 11 volts.

[joshp 0]

What Saturn is it? 

A QUALITY HO alt is always the best, but you may be able to get by with a better battery if the current draw is not sustained for extended periods.  A quality amp with the proper protection would also be good.  Something with a regulated power supply is nice, but you still run a risk if you're dipping below 11 volts.

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Do you know if any of these companies make good alternators or can you direct me to a company? It's for a 97 SL2 saturn

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SATURN-200-...itemZ8069477495

http://www.highoutputalternator.com/

http://www.highoutputalternator.com/online-catalog.aspx

http://www.knukonceptz.com/productDetail.cfm?prodID=8215

Also I opened up the amp because it will cost $185 with shipping to fix so I'm just going to buy another new amp that has a higher rms rating for $100 more. Anyway what should I be looking for inside for signs of damage? I see no burn marks nothing seems to be melted down. No electrical gone bad smell. As I may have stated in a previous post the power light comes on and the protect light is off. All the fuses are okay. Maybe I shouldn't have turned off the amp when it started to cut out because now I hear nothing lol.

[Swimmerdude 0]

i dont really have any experience with HO alts but i know people run motor city reman alts. www.motorcityreman.com There also is excessive amperage, iraggi alternators, and ohio generator to look into. I believe motor city reman would be the cheapest out of the ones i listed.

[splblazer98 1]

id stick away from motor city reman alot of horror stories there, for a good daily alt i would email dom@tds.net of iraggi alts... has alwasy treated me right

[Swimmerdude 0]

id stick away from motor city reman alot of horror stories there, for a good daily alt i would email dom@tds.net of iraggi alts... has alwasy treated me right

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Good to know for when i am in the search for a new alt.

[Tirefryr 1,742]

Check my alt thread for what to look for.

Dbelectric is actually a pretty good place. I have done business there on a business level before.

HO is great, but you may not like the prices. They arew worth the money though.

And for Knu, I cannot comment as I don't know who their supplier is or what parts they use.

ONe thing that concerns me, is the fact that the ebay link shows a CS130, and the Knu shows a 130D. They are essentially similar, but the regulators may be different and this could affect your computer.

[Tirefryr 1,742]

Im going to move this now as it has gone way beyond anything SI related.

[joshp 0]

Check my alt thread for what to look for. 

Dbelectric is actually a pretty good place.  I have done business there on a business level before. 

HO is great, but you may not like the prices.  They arew worth the money though.

And for Knu, I cannot comment as I don't know who their supplier is or what parts they use.

ONe thing that concerns me, is the fact that the ebay link shows a CS130, and the Knu shows a 130D.  They are essentially similar, but the regulators may be different and this could affect your computer.

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Anyone have clues on what damage occurred and what it would look like in the amp? It looks like new inside. Thanks a lot for the replies everyone. How much would alternator be from HO $350?

Edited May 29, 2006 by joshp

[Tirefryr 1,742]

http://www.soundsolutionsaudio.com/forum/i...?showtopic=6255

[joshp 0]

I'm having a hard time understanding why the amp failed now. I realized to day that my inline fuse is 60amps and it didn't blow. If I was pushing this amp anywhere near the 850 rms watts shouldn't the fuse have broke?

[Tirefryr 1,742]

Fuse won't blow until they reach 200% of their rating and it will take a certain amount of time depending upon the fuse. You'll never see that current on 850 watts. BEsides, it's not the current to worry about, but the proper voltage. If you dip too low, or go to high, you run the risk of frying stuff. Just the nature of electronics. Think of a voltage spike as a lightning strike. There's a huge influx of voltage and boom, shit's all blown up. The voltage drop is similar, but it is not getting enough juice. Either way, it was no fault of the driver. The only way that would have blown the amp would there to have been a short in the driver.

Keep in mind, that over time, parts can become suspect, especially in the harsh environment of the vehicle, and things can and do just stop working correctly.

[joshp 0]

Fuse won't blow until they reach 200% of their rating and it will take a certain amount of time depending upon the fuse. You'll never see that current on 850 watts.  BEsides, it's not the current to worry about, but the proper voltage.  If you dip too low, or go to high, you run the risk of frying stuff.  Just the nature of electronics.  Think of a voltage spike as a lightning strike.  There's a huge influx of voltage and boom, chit's all blown up.  The voltage drop is similar, but it is not getting enough juice.  Either way, it was no fault of the driver.  The only way that would have blown the amp would there to have been a short in the driver. 

Keep in mind, that over time, parts can become suspect, especially in the harsh environment of the vehicle, and things can and do just stop working correctly.

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Well once I get the new amp and after market alternator my sub will get 1600 watts rms. I wonder if I will notice a difference in the sound of my 15?

[joshp 0]

Fuse won't blow until they reach 200% of their rating and it will take a certain amount of time depending upon the fuse. You'll never see that current on 850 watts.  BEsides, it's not the current to worry about, but the proper voltage.  If you dip too low, or go to high, you run the risk of frying stuff.  Just the nature of electronics.  Think of a voltage spike as a lightning strike.  There's a huge influx of voltage and boom, chit's all blown up.  The voltage drop is similar, but it is not getting enough juice.  Either way, it was no fault of the driver.  The only way that would have blown the amp would there to have been a short in the driver. 

Keep in mind, that over time, parts can become suspect, especially in the harsh environment of the vehicle, and things can and do just stop working correctly.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well once I get the new amp and after market alternator my sub will get 1600 watts rms. I wonder if I will notice a difference in the sound of my 15?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Wow you're right about the pricing on the HO alternators. It be $400. I'm going to go with the other place db electric which you didn't give a great rating but a decent rating.