Best way to cool your amp?

[SleepingEclipse]

Here's my problem. I just installed 2-10" Advent subs with a VR3 amp(nothing too special, just bought it super cheap from a friend, and it sounds good in my car). Anyways, if I am sitting still the amp overheats within minutes. If I am moving, its fine(obviously the air is flowing and cooling it down). What do you guys have to cool your amps? I sometimes will be running my subs when parked, and don't want to have to worry about it overheating. What are you guys doing as far as what type of fan and hows it hooked up? Here is a pic of the subs as they sit now, in a truck box(the friend I bought it from got it from his brother who had a truck...and it's a giant box, and only fits in the backseat of my car).

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[tunerkid]

most amps shouldnt just oveheat while sitting there. my amp has only overheated one time ever, and it was on a drive to college. after 2 hours of NONSTOP pounding of the subs, they cut out, i flipped my back seat down, the amp was super hot, but after like 20 secs with the seat down, it started right back up. i would say your amp isnt the best, but you get what you paid for and since you got it super cheap, dont expect to have a perfect amp, there is really nothing you can do about it as far as i know. if its overheating while just sitting there, you could rig a fan, but that would be the gayest thing ever.

 

[f4st]

id imagine the gain is set too high on you amp. turn it down and that should solve your problem. as long as your amp isnt concealed anywhere it shouldnt have a problem with overheating.

 

[SleepingEclipse]

Alright. I think I will just run it at a lower volume if I'm sitting still. And I'll turn down the gain a little bit, I was tweaking those earlier so it would sound "cleaner".

 

[devlish]

check to make sure you are running the proper load impedance on your amp as well, that is usually a good cause for overheating and shutting down. as mentioned above, your amp shouldn't overheat from just sitting and playing. i've never had that happen

otherwise, you could find a nice way to rig a fan. RadioShack has cheap ones that you could install to blow across the top of your amp. try a small 12v computer fan, those usually work best. looks kinda goofy though

last option, buy a better amp when $$ is available and you shouldn't have that problem

 

[Mike1992]

Check out this thread HERE I bet you got your gain set to high, its not a bass control. Turn the gain down and turbo the bass up on your headunit.