Stereo Cutting Out

[RiverLance2012]

I installed all new stereo equipment on my 2002 caravelle 18ft. New Deck Clarion m309, 8 New highs and mids, 3 subwoofers. I have an amp for the highs and an amp for the subwoofers. My problem is after about 1 hour of listening the highs cut out but the bass is still going. All you can hear is bass. If I let the radio sit for about 20 minutes and then it will play for about 30 minutes and then do the same thing over and over again. The problem is the amp for the highs is just a regular 4 channel amplifier, it's not an marine amp. It is 1600 watts so I figure it should be plenty enough to power the speakers but maybe not at a high level. Is this amp getting too hot or what in the heck is going on??? I have way too much money in this stereo equipment to only listen to it for an hour at a time!!!

 

[mark1905]

Re: Stereo Cutting Out

Yup. Definitely thermal overload. If you're running 8 speakers off of a 4 channel amp, then you're pushing it @ 2 ohms most likely.. which is going to be pulling some serious juice. You need to be running a minimum of 4 AWG marine power cable to it. Also, depending on the brand of amplifier.. cheap off brands may say that they can push 2 ohms.. which they can.. but not for very long before they overheat like this. You get what you pay for! What brand/type are they?

Another thing.. if you're pushing that much juice, you're going to want to think about upgrading that charging system by adding a higher output marine alternator and upgrading the charging and ground wiring to and from it. Not giving your amps a full 14v to use when you're pushing them like that causes them to have to work extra hard to keep up.. which results in more heat and thermal shutdown. Designing a successful high power system is half equipment and half installation itself..

 

[RiverLance2012]

Re: Stereo Cutting Out

I have 4 AWG Wire currently being used. I had just a starting battery 600 CCA and I went and bought a marine deep cycle 225 amp hours. Basically I have all the stereo hooked up to the marine deep cycle battery and then I have jumper wires running parallel to the the starting battery. SO far I haven't had any dead battery issues and it seems like it sits on a little over 12 Volts on the gauge. I have been using this setup for a month and a half without any cranking issues. I do know one thing that was a problem when it was in the stereo shop, the remote wire from the back of the deck to the 4 channel amplifier was not powering on the amp so they said they built a relay to push more power to it.

 

[RiverLance2012]

Re: Stereo Cutting Out

Also the amplifier is a 1600/4 Power Acoustik STAX

 

[lexusbajo]

Re: Stereo Cutting Out

i wouldn't think you would need a relay for a remote to function. My guess is definitely thermal overload. Where is the amp located at? if its under neath a console with no air flow and trapping heat could be another cause. I've never done this on a boat but in a car i installed fans to move the air around the amp itself.

 

[RiverLance2012]

Re: Stereo Cutting Out

Both My amps are mounted in the engine compartment...

 

[mark1905]

Re: Stereo Cutting Out

First, Power Acoustik is junk and akin to Pyle, etc. You're going to continue to have overheating problems with it if you're beating it up at 2ohms. Second, you need to mount the amps in a place where they get done kind of air exchange. You're creating one giant oven in the engine compartment. This was to be expected..

 

[RiverLance2012]

Re: Stereo Cutting Out

I thought power acoustik was good product??? Well trust me I have no problem buying a new amp if that will fix my issue!!!

 

[RiverLance2012]

Re: Stereo Cutting Out

The amp is currently running 6 kicker 6200 coaxials and 2 kicker 6250 components. I have 2 kicker marine 10in woofers and one 12in woofer running on another amp.

 

[Ibl0wstuffup]

Re: Stereo Cutting Out

I learned the hard way with cars you get what you pay for in amps. After replacing a couple cheap ones you could have bought a good one. I have had the same alpine, kicker and jl amps for over 10 years. I swapped them between 2 different boats and 4 cars over the years. I had audiobahn and power coustick before them and had all knds of issues. Overheating was a big problem in my trunk. and I bet that 1600 watt amp puts out less than 300rms over the 4 channels. Get something brand name even if you have to buy used. My jl amp was from ebay and cost less than 1/2 of retail.

 

[RiverLance2012]

Re: Stereo Cutting Out

Does anyone have any suggestions of what amp would be perfect fit for this setup?

 

[mark1905]

Re: Stereo Cutting Out

I would go with a HiFonics Brutus Elite BRE 100.4 amp. That'll give you 200w x 4 @2ohms of TRUE rated power. HiFonics/MaxSonics amps are the best bang for the buck and super high quality. I run my Brutus at 1ohm all day long and it barely gets warm to the touch.. and it puts out so much power that I literally melted the voice coils on two subs before I broke down and went with 3500w competition subs just so they could handle all the power. You will not be disappointed..

http://amzn.com/B007JYUVN6

MaxSonics is the parent company of HiFonics and MB Quart. I run my MB Quart marine amps at 2ohms all day with zero problems either. I would suggest them but it looks like you don't mind non marine amps. Living in FL and having to leave the boat in the driveway, I have to have them or they'll be done in a year with all the moisture.

However.. you still need to relocate those amps somewhere where they can breathe if you can..

 

[RiverLance2012]

Re: Stereo Cutting Out

What if I just keep that amp and get another 4 channel amp. Would that work better or do I just need to get a nice 4 channel and run with it.

 

[mark1905]

Re: Stereo Cutting Out

Get a nice 4 channel amp and be done with it. For $200, you aren't talking a huge fortune. If you try and mix them, you'll have different power levels to different speakers.. and different amps sound different especially off brand vs quality brand. You'll be AMAZED at how much better, cleaner and more powerful everything sounds once you step up to good equipment. You'll kick yourself for doing anything but Just wait until you hear the difference..

HiFonics makes slightly cheaper 4 channel amps in other series, but the difference between them is literally like $50. The Brutus Elite series is their top of the line competition series with upgraded PCBs and better heat dissipation. You get what you pay for.. and when it's a difference of literally $50, it's a no brainer.

Sell that amp on Ebay.. try and recoup some losses.. or save it and use it in a car or something..

 

[RiverLance2012]

Re: Stereo Cutting Out

Okay that's what I will do... I sure do appreciate all the input from everyone. Thank You!!!

 

[FourWinnsLC]

Re: Stereo Cutting Out

This looks like a good thread to ask my question.

I recently installed two 6x9's and two 6.5's JBL speakers with a 600 watt Rockford Fosgate amp and a newer sony Radio (Forget model) I am having the same issue with the radio cutting out, I bought the rockford fosgate amp for the single fator that the amp was going to be in the cuddy where it's going to get hot. After reading ten thousand reviews and forums the rockford fosgate amp handled the heat better. My thinking is I am not getting enough power It does not matter if the boat is running or not. any idea's? I know i am not the only one that uses a set up similar to this one.

 

[mark1905]

Re: Stereo Cutting Out

Someone else's thread is never the right place to ask your specific question. Your own thread, is..

 

[delirious]

Re: Stereo Cutting Out

the best thing to do when building a 12v audio system is to decide on how much power. say....400w for example...then buy an amp with THAT much power @4ohm dont cheap out and buy an amp that will make 400w @ 2ohms...your amps will run all day inna heat wave and last many years.