amp overheating

[inkfx 3]

I'm wondering the best thing I can do to help my situation. It's been ridiculously hot here in San Antonio this summer and my SAE-1200D just isn't taking the heat well at all. My Cadence TXA1000D never had a problem but I guess with the extra power this SAE has the heat is causing trouble. The amp gets VERY hot to the touch and after a while goes into protect. At first I thought I had a problem with the subs cause they would make a strange noise before shutting off but it cuts out even when my HU is paused so I don't think I have a subwoofer problem.

Maybe mount something like 2 120mm fans on the bottom of the amp? How would I hook those up? Just wire them to the power/ground of the amp? I've also seen some people say mount them on the sides of the amp; would that be better? I have a bunch of extra case fans from my computer in all sizes so I have access to the fans no problem. Just wondering if that will help my problem or not.

[inkfx 3]

I think I'm actually just gonna move it to the inside of the car for the summer. I just don't think fans are gonna be able to help me move/eliminate the heat in my trunk.

[lithium 358]

I think I'm actually just gonna move it to the inside of the car for the summer. I just don't think fans are gonna be able to help me move/eliminate the heat in my trunk.

you would probably want to have the fans in a push-pull kind of set up, blowing across the amp. what size is your wiring? is the ground good? do you have the amp's gain set properly?

[inkfx 3]

I'm just starting to think with the heat, the fans wont do much. My wiring is 1/0, ground is fine (have the spot sanded and am using brass screws/washers/bolts), the gain is set to a little more than 1/2 of the way. although im getting the problem even if i set it a deal lower than that. im pretty convinced it's a heat problem. the subs sound and play fine, then after a few minutes it cuts out. since the sun has gone down, i haven't had them cut out.

is anyone else here in TX having problems with heat?

[sundownz 197]

If the amp is mounted under the trunk lid area with no cover it will get VERY hot just sitting there -- I had a black Civic a few years back and amps would blister your hand without even being powered on... just ambient heat.

[inkfx 3]

Did they still work with that heat? Or did you see any problems later down the road because of it? I could cook an egg on the top of mine.

I went for almost an hour long ride last night and didn't have a single problem. So I guess my suspicions were right about the heat. My car thermometer only read an outside temp of 83F last night. During sunlight hours, it doesnt go below 100F. So I think I will just end up moving it into the cabin until this summer heat goes away. That way it can enjoy some AC instead of being sealed inside the ridiculously hot trunk.

[jcarter1885 995]

I'm just starting to think with the heat, the fans wont do much. My wiring is 1/0, ground is fine (have the spot sanded and am using brass screws/washers/bolts), the gain is set to a little more than 1/2 of the way. although im getting the problem even if i set it a deal lower than that. im pretty convinced it's a heat problem. the subs sound and play fine, then after a few minutes it cuts out. since the sun has gone down, i haven't had them cut out.

is anyone else here in TX having problems with heat?

Yeah I have the same problem with my amps and my car is all black with tint so I know what you mean, honestly I just try not to push my system that hard in the day time neither. When I get in the car the amps are already hot to touch, so I just ride with my seats down and the a/c on higher then usually to give the amps a little more cooler environment and at nite when its cooler the windows are down and thats usually the best solution for the heat but you cant play it loud so it gives and takes. Im just going to take an approach the cover my trunk lid, rear deck with dampening and some type of heat insulation (the same thing Im gonna do with my hood since my engine gets extra hot and causes some extra voltage droppage (by .1-.3 volts during the day since my cars gauge reads 110 degrees) but at nite Im good. I got alot of work to get done to the car to block out heat since next summer will be exactly the same but worse.