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**dogbert** · 02-23-2007, 09:19 PM

Sounds like you're overpowering your tower speakers. Most good amps have a protection mechanism that prevents you from over-driving your speakers and/or frying your amp. You can turn down the output for the amp to prevent this from happening. I'd check your amp documentation to find out how to do this. It's pretty common to have to match the amp output with your speaker's capabilities. If you know someone you trust at a local car stereo dealer, I'd have them explain how to do this.

**zad0030** · 02-23-2007, 09:24 PM

If thats not the problem you could need a fan. We had the same problem only it would be out for about 15 min or longer.

**Jeff T** · 02-23-2007, 09:39 PM

Sounds Like User Error.

**BobbyD** · 02-23-2007, 09:39 PM

Heat was what the Dealer was telling me when I asked how to resolve the situation. Since the Amps are in the Passenger compartment where I can open the front and back to let the air pass through when driving and it didnt stop the problem.

I will try to find someone that can help me with the restriction of the amps output. Not sure if the calcs work out from the specs. The 1500 watt amp is running to the Kicker Subwoofer 12" with a peak power of 1500 watts and still has the same problem.

The tower speakers say they are good for 200 per side I am guessing that is per side of the individual unit (two speakers on each unit) which would then be able to handle 800 total watts which is being pushed by the Kicker 06ZX850.2 which would be just over the amount it could handle. I guess that is if they mean 200 per speaker not per unit then I would be double the amount and that may be the issue. I will have to try to contact the company that sells Fusion Speakers to find this out.

**BobbyD** · 02-23-2007, 09:42 PM

yeah Jeff it could be due to that I always try to stay from the DEU (Dumb end user) situation.

I'm not counting the User out as the possible issue.

**Jeff T** · 02-23-2007, 10:16 PM

Hey BD, is there only one input for speaker wire on each tower speaker unit? Meaning...one input per pair of 2? If so, the RMS rating would be for the entire unit.

**Tequilasun** · 02-23-2007, 10:22 PM

Two issues, heat being the first one. Do you have the Amp mounted directly to the side wall? So no air can move behind it? That amp does have a cooling fan right?

2nd. Is it wired so that the amp is seeing the correct ohm? If you bridge the speakers sometimes, the Amp will see 1 ohm which will cause it to clip. That Amp looks to be rated to 4 ohms, maybe you have a wire crossed and it is seeing 2 ohms?

**spharis** · 02-23-2007, 11:03 PM

Your amps are likely clipping as a result of the gains being set too high for the signal from the source unit. As a result they are going into protection mode. DO NOT continue to allow this to happen, as it will cause damage.

Amps can get pretty hot and still not turn off if the proper settings are enabled. You need to follow a tutorial on proper gain settings. I can retype it here if you cannot find it. You will need a multimeter and some test tones, and your head unit will need to repeat play tracks. This all assumes you have you amps properly wired.

Having an amp mounted bottom to flat surface will have no effect on cooling. The cooling fins off the front are all that needs ventilation. The PCB usually sits flush to the bottom anyway.

Here I found it and copited it

Originally posted by spharis

Gain setting tutorial:
First a brief explanation of gain adjustment. One problem many people make with a gain is that it is a "volume" knob. It of course is not. It is a way to match the head unit output RCA output power to an acceptable level for the amplifier, so that signal is at an opimum level when passing through the driver. Many radios have 3+, 5+, 1.5+ etc voltage. The gain sets this for the amp.

Tools you need......
1. A multimeter that can display AC voltage

2. A tone cd with tones in the ranges you play....
I usually use 40Hz for sub channels and 800Hz - 1400Hz or so for my mids and highs. If you have your highs on a channel, you can use 18000Hz+ for them. I can make tones for anyone who needs them. Just ask

Figure out what voltage you need to have on each channel using the manf. specs:
Ohms law regarding voltage
volts = sq.root of watts x ohms

So if your amp is rated to 200 watts @ 2 ohms, then you want to have 20 volts leaving the speaker terminals.
200x2=400.....sq root of 400 = 20 volts......

To setup......
1a. Turn the amp gain all the way down.

1. Put the tone cd in and set it to loop on the track, unless you have a length track.

2. Unplug at least one side of your speaker output.

3. Turn the headunit up to about 3/4 volume, this is a safe zone for most head units.....higher will result in the HU clipping the signal before it even gets to the amp.

4. Take a reading on the amp terminals in volts.....

5. Adjust the gain until it falls into the previously configured formula.

Repeat for the other inputs.

Once it is all done, hook all the speakers back up , and then adjust the levels for the speakers playing to loudly by turning them down....you do not want to turn up any gains as they are already at max.

If you still continue to have issues, you need ventilation, but this time of year, I think you may have other issues going on, maybe underpowered, maybe a bad groun, maybe a Mosfet going out. Your amps would only be overheating if properly ventilated 95 degree+ heat, and in the sun. Of course this is the proper and preferred method, you can also try the volume quicky....but it is not as reliable.

**chpthril** · 02-25-2007, 10:11 PM

Do you have the "E" tower? My tower amp was going into protect mode because the speaker wires were pinched under the tower leg where they passed through the gunwale.

I found that the holes in the clear rubber insulator did not match the tower stud hole the hole hole for the wires but the holes drilled in the gunwale lined up to the insulator so when the tower was bolted down, it pinched the tower speaker wires.

Don't know if this helps?

**Domsz06** · 03-02-2007, 09:35 AM

put a squirl cage fan on it like stinger makes.

http://www.cardomain.com/item/STISF3N

there it is. I have one on my amp now, as my ppi amps run hot. I'm running 4 on my new amp racks along with a blower running cool air from the bottom of the boat. I know my amps run warm, so not gonna take any chances!!

**mneal** · 03-02-2007, 11:37 AM

Hello, 1st time poster. Not a Tige guy , have adreaded I/O....so I will leave if required. :-) A good friend of mine is a Tige owner and regular here, that how I knew of the board and I stumbled in here due to insomnia. Anyhow, the amp may be getting hot and going into terminal shut down. A easy way to check is to simply feel the chassis of the amp, can you hold you hand on it? Most commercial electronics have a 85C thermal switch on the board. Of course depends on the chassis fin design , board layout , airflow etc. but you should be able to hold your hand on the chassis . It can even be uncomfortable. If you can hold you hand there and still shutting off it very easily could be a bad thermal switch tripping early. If you are able and dealer will not cover it, you could bypass thermal switch pretty easily to test. (requires amp dis-assembly).

**Domsz06** · 03-02-2007, 01:45 PM

well welcome, and I had insomnia as you could tell. All people are welcome, hope you like it as much as i do, as well as everyone else!

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Amps Cut Out for 30 seconds to a couple of Mins

Amps Cut Out for 30 seconds to a couple of Mins

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