Dead Subs

**AudiMV** · 05-23-2008 05:24 PM

My subs have been periodically have been cutting on and off for about a month then suddenly last week my subs cut off and stayed off....i checked the fuses and all the connections making sure they were secured...my subs will start working for a couple minutes then cut out again....does anybody have any idea what i should look at or some tests to run to see what exactly is malfunctioning?? Thanks!

**zrowcool** · 05-23-2008 05:30 PM

more than likely they are blown. need more details on your setup but most time when a sub's voice coil is overheated it will stretch and play for just a sec then cut off again.

**audinutt** · 05-23-2008 07:09 PM

Originally Posted by zrowcool

more than likely they are blown. need more details on your setup but most time when a sub's voice coil is overheated it will stretch and play for just a sec then cut off again.

I agree or your amp is crapping out.
you need to get a multimeter and check the resistance on the woofers.

-richard

**djwimbo** · 05-26-2008 12:37 AM

Check the continuity of the voicecoils. Obviously if they're supposed to be 4 ohm, and read less than 3.2 or so, you've most likely melted the voicecoil. Depending on the amp and how your speakers are hooked up(series or parallel), you amp may not be able to handle the impedance of the speakers.

Another good thing to check is the Voicecoil leads. I've seen numerous leads break and people think the sub is junk, when it can just be resoldered.

**AWDios** · 05-27-2008 11:14 AM

Originally Posted by djwimbo

Check the continuity of the voicecoils. Obviously if they're supposed to be 4 ohm, and read less than 3.2 or so, you've most likely melted the voicecoil. Depending on the amp and how your speakers are hooked up(series or parallel), you amp may not be able to handle the impedance of the speakers.

Another good thing to check is the Voicecoil leads. I've seen numerous leads break and people think the sub is junk, when it can just be resoldered.

I read that to test if the voice coil is the problem, you can also just try pressing on the center of the sub, and if it starts working then that's your problem.

I'm a complete electrical and audio noob, but I'm pretty sure I have this same problem, so I may have to look into resoldering to see if that helps. Happen to know of a published DIY for that? If not I'll do a search, and see.

**djwimbo** · 05-27-2008 10:26 PM

Originally Posted by AWDios

I read that to test if the voice coil is the problem, you can also just try pressing on the center of the sub, and if it starts working then that's your problem.

I'm a complete electrical and audio noob, but I'm pretty sure I have this same problem, so I may have to look into resoldering to see if that helps. Happen to know of a published DIY for that? If not I'll do a search, and see.

I've never tried pressing/collapsing the voicecoil to try and see it it revives or not. I've checked a few out that way to see if I melted the voicecoils(done that a few too many times). It makes a cool noise, and sometimes if you're really lucky, it'll stick where ever you push it to.

As far as the lead to the voicecoil, I don't know of a DIY. I'd look around to see if there's an audio shop that's actually respectable(not Best buy) that could do it. That is if you're not sure what you're looking at or doing. It wouldn't be expensive if you went that route.
... The Rockford Fosgate assembly plant is about 6 miles from my house. I learned b/c I had friends that worked there.