Amp shutdown...what's the problem?

ChrisR750 · 10-10-2009, 02:51 PM

Hi All,

I completed my SWS install today, and I think they sound okay...except my amp shuts down prematurely. I have the 2 ohm subs running off an Alpine mono amp that's supposed to be 500W at 4 ohms, and 350 at 2 ohms. I wired the subs in series, as I was advised to do instead of in parallel like we would do with the 4 ohm subs. I have the amp input directly from the rear speakers, no LOC, and then the mono output goes to the driver's side sub. I then have a speaker wire running from that sub to the passenger's side, which is what my understanding of series wiring is. As soon as I get the bass and volume sounding pretty good, the amp shuts down. The power stays on, but no more bass. You have to power the amp down, and then back on, and then it's fine. What gives?

Thanks.

Technic · 10-10-2009, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisR750

Hi All,

I completed my SWS install today, and I think they sound okay...except my amp shuts down prematurely. I have the 2 ohm subs running off an Alpine mono amp that's supposed to be 500W at 4 ohms, and 350 at 2 ohms. I wired the subs in series, as I was advised to do instead of in parallel like we would do with the 4 ohm subs. I have the amp input directly from the rear speakers, no LOC, and then the mono output goes to the driver's side sub. I then have a speaker wire running from that sub to the passenger's side, which is what my understanding of series wiring is. As soon as I get the bass and volume sounding pretty good, the amp shuts down. The power stays on, but no more bass. You have to power the amp down, and then back on, and then it's fine. What gives?

Thanks.

Did you wire the woofers this way (disregard the 4 ohms/8 ohms references)?

ChrisR750 · 10-10-2009, 04:00 PM

I certainly did not...so that would mean I have to wire the driver and passenger side (+ and -) off of the amp output, and then run the subs together the way you have the diagram, right?

Technic · 10-10-2009, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisR750

I certainly did not...so that would mean I have to wire the driver and passenger side (+ and -) off of the amp output, and then run the subs together the way you have the diagram, right?

Yes, that's series wiring...

ChrisR750 · 10-10-2009, 04:30 PM

Thanks for the help, man. I thought series was what I described...you wire from the power source to one component, and then to the other...obviously I'm wrong. What did I do? Not, parallel, as that would wire the devices simultaneously from the power source, right? Just curious...

Technic · 10-10-2009, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisR750

Thanks for the help, man. I thought series was what I described...you wire from the power source to one component, and then to the other...obviously I'm wrong. What did I do? Not, parallel, as that would wire the devices simultaneously from the power source, right? Just curious...

Most probably you did this:

ChrisR750 · 10-10-2009, 07:43 PM

Yeah but put the +'s and -'s together...I wired one sub straight up from the amp, + to + and - to -; then ran wires to the other one, + to + and - to -...the fact that you didn't even suspect this makes me think that you pretty much never to this. My bad! Thanks again for the help.

10-10-2009, 02:51 PM	#1
ChrisR750 New Member 1 Rep 12 Posts Drives: 2009 328i Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Tampa, FL iTrader: (0)	Amp shutdown...what's the problem? Hi All, I completed my SWS install today, and I think they sound okay...except my amp shuts down prematurely. I have the 2 ohm subs running off an Alpine mono amp that's supposed to be 500W at 4 ohms, and 350 at 2 ohms. I wired the subs in series, as I was advised to do instead of in parallel like we would do with the 4 ohm subs. I have the amp input directly from the rear speakers, no LOC, and then the mono output goes to the driver's side sub. I then have a speaker wire running from that sub to the passenger's side, which is what my understanding of series wiring is. As soon as I get the bass and volume sounding pretty good, the amp shuts down. The power stays on, but no more bass. You have to power the amp down, and then back on, and then it's fine. What gives? Thanks.
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10-10-2009, 04:00 PM	#3
ChrisR750 New Member 1 Rep 12 Posts Drives: 2009 328i Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Tampa, FL iTrader: (0)	I certainly did not...so that would mean I have to wire the driver and passenger side (+ and -) off of the amp output, and then run the subs together the way you have the diagram, right?
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10-10-2009, 04:30 PM	#5
ChrisR750 New Member 1 Rep 12 Posts Drives: 2009 328i Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Tampa, FL iTrader: (0)	Thanks for the help, man. I thought series was what I described...you wire from the power source to one component, and then to the other...obviously I'm wrong. What did I do? Not, parallel, as that would wire the devices simultaneously from the power source, right? Just curious...
	Appreciate 0 Quote

10-10-2009, 07:43 PM	#7
ChrisR750 New Member 1 Rep 12 Posts Drives: 2009 328i Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Tampa, FL iTrader: (0)	Yeah but put the +'s and -'s together...I wired one sub straight up from the amp, + to + and - to -; then ran wires to the other one, + to + and - to -...the fact that you didn't even suspect this makes me think that you pretty much never to this. My bad! Thanks again for the help.
	Appreciate 0 Quote