Well finally I have my Sundown SAZ 3000D hooked up in the Blazer.

1 Fi BTL 15 Dual Mag in a small but perfect box tuned to 35hz

1red yop and 1yellow top Optima batteries

Question is How do I test my amp?

What are the various ways I might find out the output? Watts? Amperes?

Don't I need a special clamp meter? Any suggetions on what kinds and maybe some links.

How do I set the gains on my amp correct? I've done it by ear so that nothing is distorting and everything is real clear. But isn't there a better way?

Thanks for ANY HELP in advance! ~Joe

A true RMS clamp meter and a true RMS DMM.

Now if you want to clamp current draw, you might need a clamp meter that doesn't peak at 399 amps.

You know you're 3000d is working right when your neighbors 4 houses up coming running out the house at 10pm to tell you your sh1t rocks!

Or your wife comes to the garge to tell you that the bathroom mirror almost fell off the wall.

I figured that I'm getting 3000 watts.

The BTL is moving but I'm running a 100 amp fuse and it's not popping. Suggested fuse is 300 if I remember right so I figure I might be getting less than 3K.

Also the BTL is dual 2ohm? and w/ meter measured 1.5ohms per coil. When hooked up in series (as I was telling my friend "we should get 3 ohms") the meter read 2 ohms.??????????? Maybe another topic but why wouldn't it be 3 ohms.

Anyhow Sndwn 3000 @ 2ohms = how many watts. I know that this baby has more and I'm definately pumped on how it looks, sounds, and performs so far. Thanks Jacob by the way. I Love you man in a non gay sorta-way

wow i see...lol

the specs on the 3000d say it does 1600wrms @2ohms

wow i see...lol

the specs on the 3000d say it does 1600wrms @2ohms

Yep, thats about right -- with impedance rises figured in you can probably get away with that 100-amp fuse on music.

I never blew fuses with 2 -3000D's and 8 - 10 amp agus. They were wired at 2 ohm each. My MT's was pounding but the fuses never gave. Beated on them for ever after my last pass at Meca world finals and a couple of days showing out at home before I pulled everything out of my explorer. My neighbor that I was demoing for wife called him and asked what was going on the house is shaking. We was a block away. Very efficient amps.

Edited March 12, 200817 yr by rickyharrisjr

you have a BTL, 418Fis, wire that sucker in parallel.

You definitely blow a fuse like that.

And trust me, as long as you set the amp right, clip free, it can take that amp all day long, as long as you got the BTL loaded.

Now, you say it's not poppin 100A fuse wired in series-

Well, 1,600w @2ohm, your nominal should be 3ohm, dont know why it's 2, but lets say 3 anyway.

You'll never see 3ohm during play, so whatever it's rated at @4ohm is probably the most it will put out, or just a tad more.

To measure output power, get dmm and hook up probes to speaker out terminal on amp.

Get an ammeter and clamp it around the positive speaker wire only, leave the negative out of the field.

Run a constant test tone and when the numbers on both meters stop fluctuating drastically, take a snapshot in your head and memorize\write the numbers down. Multiply both numbers together to get wattage output. That will get you very close to true output. It may be off by only a few watts due in inconsistencies in the meters but all in all, it's really close.

i poped a fues one time.. i mean a triped the breaker....... with music even... @ 1 ohm. but i was give it HELL

IIRC, fuses are rated to blow at 150%-200% of their rated amperage.

200% for 2-3 full seconds.

play some songs with constant bass like some lil jon songs.

IF that don't pop it then you aren't drawing at least a consistent 100A of current minimal.

It's ok if your fuse dont pop, hehe, it just lets your dreams stay dreams when you know the recommended fuse is 300A !!! and you cant even pop 100 yet, hehe

Edited March 13, 200817 yr by shizzzon

you have a BTL, 418Fis, wire that sucker in parallel.

You definitely blow a fuse like that.

And trust me, as long as you set the amp right, clip free, it can take that amp all day long, as long as you got the BTL loaded.

Now, you say it's not poppin 100A fuse wired in series-

Well, 1,600w @2ohm, your nominal should be 3ohm, dont know why it's 2, but lets say 3 anyway.

You'll never see 3ohm during play, so whatever it's rated at @4ohm is probably the most it will put out, or just a tad more.

To measure output power, get dmm and hook up probes to speaker out terminal on amp.

Get an ammeter and clamp it around the positive speaker wire only, leave the negative out of the field.

Run a constant test tone and when the numbers on both meters stop fluctuating drastically, take a snapshot in your head and memorize\write the numbers down. Multiply both numbers together to get wattage output. That will get you very close to true output. It may be off by only a few watts due in inconsistencies in the meters but all in all, it's really close.

Well I hooked it up parallel today and listened to it for about 30 minutes.

100A FUSE DID NOT BLOW!!!

The amp shut off twice though. Any thoughts?? Now running 1 0hm as read by meter. 1ohm in parallel 2 ohm in series. Each coil reads 1.4-5ohms on there own. Someone please explain why I don't get 3 ohms in series and 3/4 ohms in parallel

Did get much louder and is impressive as chit. Ronrico

Edited March 13, 200817 yr by 418FIs

Well I hooked it up parallel today and listened to it for about 30 minutes.

100A FUSE DID NOT BLOW!!!

The amp shut off twice though. Any thoughts?? Now running 1 0hm as read by meter. 1ohm in parallel 2 ohm in series. Each coil reads 1.4-5ohms on there own. Someone please explain why I don't get 3 ohms in series and 3/4 ohms in parallel

Did get much louder and is impressive as chit. Ronrico

Something isn't quite right if the amps shuts down and doesn't blow a 100 amp fuse.

Your actual nominal load is 1/2 ohm regardless of what your meter says -- it is probably just not accurate.

How is your ground? Good?

What type of RCAs?

How are the knobs dialed in?

get a new DMM then check your coils again

Well I hooked it up parallel today and listened to it for about 30 minutes.

100A FUSE DID NOT BLOW!!!

The amp shut off twice though. Any thoughts?? Now running 1 0hm as read by meter. 1ohm in parallel 2 ohm in series. Each coil reads 1.4-5ohms on there own. Someone please explain why I don't get 3 ohms in series and 3/4 ohms in parallel

Did get much louder and is impressive as chit. Ronrico

Something isn't quite right if the amps shuts down and doesn't blow a 100 amp fuse.

Your actual nominal load is 1/2 ohm regardless of what your meter says -- it is probably just not accurate.

How is your ground? Good?

What type of RCAs?

How are the knobs dialed in?

Thanks for replying Jacob. I'll get all the answers for you sometime today (just wokeup) My buddy jpangkilla had of course nothing but praise for you on the recent amp purchases he made. I reminded him when I got my 3k it was here in the flash of an eye. ROck on bro!!! Later ~ROnrico