JL Audio amp overheating

[hulk161]

Hey whats up guys. Finally took some pics of my head unit (JVC KW-NX7000) but I have a question. Running a JL audio 500 watt amp and the thing keeps overheating and shutting off. Went back to the installer/seller and he says that is common with amps. They overheat and instead of burning out will shut off to protect the unit. I run the unit only at volume level 15 and the damn thing shuts off maybe once every three days. What's the deal and what can I do to remedy this crap, annoying.

 

[MeanGreen03]

Is it in a well ventilated area? What ohms are your speakers / how are they wired and what ohms can your amp handle? I'm assuming it is for a sub(s).

 

[hulk161]

It is under my driver passenger seat. I don't know the ohms. It is for a single rockford fosgate 12.

 

[blueflamed03]

too small of a power wire, poor negative, or playing too low of impedance.

 

[hulk161]

It's wild. I've been to this shop three times and all they have to say is that is common due to the heat in the truck. This is a big shop also so I would think these guys know there stuff. I checked the amp earlier and the thing was hot as hell. I fear that if this keeps going on the damn thing will burn out. Got the work done in May and this has been going on know for bout three weeks. Any advice?

 

[matt14]

Where do you have your amp located. Improper air space will cause it to overheat. I have mine under the back seat like a lot of us do, and it has never cut off on me ( and i play mine hard all the time).

 

[hulk161]

Same here. Its under the back driver side seat. I dont usually go past 15.

 

[Eagle]

turn the gain down. turn the bass down.
turn any bass boost or bass eq down.
turn any "loudness" or "Media expander" off.

all those are 'gains' in addition to the one on the amp.

common for amps to overheat? NO.

Run warm to the touch, yes if they don't have fan cooling and a lot of air circulation.

 

[hulk161]

The thing shut off two days ago. It was hot as hell. Like two second remove hand touch. Another guy suggest a cooling fan but this thing is getting hot as hell. The truck is in the shop now till Monday but I will check all suggested.

Thanks

 

[oak510_tahoe]

Shouldn't get that hot, nor should amps shut off like the shop said. I had a kicker 1000.1 to a kicker L7, even with that on full blast it never shut off or got too hot to touch. My current setup a 300.1 gets warm, but not hot to the touch and I've run it for hours while driving. Something not right, you definitely check out the stuff mentioned above asap.

 

[matt14]

The thing shut off two days ago. It was hot as hell. Like two second remove hand touch. Another guy suggest a cooling fan but this thing is getting hot as hell. The truck is in the shop now till Monday but I will check all suggested.

Thanks

Where are you located? Is someone lives near you, they can either suggest a good shop or if they feel comfortable with car audio, diagnose themselves.

 

[hulk161]

In Chicago, Southside.

 

[matt14]

Search chicago and see if there are anyone around here that can give you a hand with this.

 

[HMFDZ28]

I would deff guess to venture its an issue with the wiring to the sub or the sub itself not matching. We run into this issue at work when customers try and add external speakers that are not the correct match to the radio and the Audio drivers burn up. Granted I am comparing Two-way radios but simmilar theory.

 

[hulk161]

Yea I'm gonna go to a shop on the northside that did a install for me before. They are pretty cool so we will see. I will post their response later today.

 

[01TX_Tahoe]

its gotta be a wiring issue or maybe they sold u a refurb amp... JL amps shouldn't be overheating that often..

 

[hulk161]

Well went to a different shop today. They checked the wiring and the ohms. The guy told me that its true what the other guy said its the heat. He said that this is common so he talked me into putting a fan on the amp. They said that this possibly will help. I banged the sounds coming from there and then home from the gym and no shutting off so far. They told me they let it bang in the shop for about thirty mins and it did get hot as hell so we will see. This is a higher end shop near downtown Chicago so I somewhat trust their opinion but he did warn me if it does shut down again let it cool off to prevent burning the thing out. At this point what else is there to do?

What do you guys think?

 

[Eagle]

I think it is wired at too low an ohm load, or you have the gains/boost too high to make it "bang" instead of play music. Or you are just simply playing the headunit too loud and inducing clipping that way.

Clipping will heat one up FAST. music will not.

If you turn the gain/volume down, your problems will disappear.

 

[hulk161]

I really dont blast it like that bro. I think all people play their music or Bang!! every once in a while and I am in that category. I'm 37 little to old to have the 1000 Mosquito sound in the trunk. Like I said before when it is loud its at 15 or 16 never any louder.

 

[Eagle]

the actual DB output has only a modest amount to do with it. I've seen people overheat amps without it being 'loud'. i;ve done it myself.

I overdrove the shit out of my old fosgate 125.2 between the bass eq and the level adjsutment on the xover. I could cook on it, but it still wasn;t super loud. In retrospect i should have gotten a 250.2 but I chose it because i had little room for anything larger and i made it work with ducted fan cooling.

in your case you said it is a 500 watt JL. which 500 watt JL?
is it a slash series?

what is the impedance of your subs as they are connected to the amp?

what is your amp sensitivity like? maximum?
headunit bass is at 0, or maxed out?
15 or 16 on the head unit means absolutely squat.
you could be overdriving the hell out of the amp at 1/3 volume if the gain was set up too high.

I still think you have way to much eq or gain somewhere.

try using it at 12 or 13 on the head, I bet the amp runs a LOT cooler. if so you have too much total gain.