Horror story....
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 517
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From: Orange Park
Horror story....
I installed my system :
Alpine 9815 HU
RF 501S amp for fronts
CDT HD62EF components with image enhancing tweeters in "A" pillars
4 gauge Steetwires amp wiring kit
Streetwires interconnects RCA's
14 gauge speaker wire to mids
16 gauge speaker wire to tweeters
Lightning audio 1 farad cap precharged prior to installation.
RF 501bd amp for sub (not powered up yet as I don't yet have my eD e8a.44 (on backorder) and Wlaurent enclosure)
I went to power it up for the first time and it played normally at low volume (defaults to 11 on HU I think) for about 3 minutes, I felt the amp and the side feeding the right side speakers was very hot to the touch, then it blew the 50A fuse leading to the RF 501S. I removed all the speakers, checked for any shorts, finding none I still taped all the ends of the terminals to avoid this possibility in the future, put in a new fuse then tried again and this time it did not blow the fuse instead it burned up all of my right side speakers. I could smell smoke coming from the right door panel and after disassembling smelled the smoke from the vent in the mids voice coil. Left side working normally. Removed smoked speaker and got out the multimeter. I checked the output of the right channel of the amp and it read get this: 46V DC constant!!!!
How is this even possible? Is there a transformer in the amp?
I called the retailer I bought the amp from and they said they would send me a new amp but would not cover the speakers...
I am out $200 for a new set of speakers. Maybe I will contact Rockford Fosgate and see if they will reimburse me for the damage their defective amp cost me. Any advice here? I know I hooked everything up properly and had no shorts anywhere...it was just a defective amp...the new amp will arrive on Monday and the new speaker set arrived in just two days from the time I ordered them....gotta be some kind of record!!
Kudos to thezeb.com for prompt service. 
Just thought I would share my horror story and see if anyone had any advice or similar problems happen to them. Thanks.
Alpine 9815 HU
RF 501S amp for fronts
CDT HD62EF components with image enhancing tweeters in "A" pillars
4 gauge Steetwires amp wiring kit
Streetwires interconnects RCA's
14 gauge speaker wire to mids
16 gauge speaker wire to tweeters
Lightning audio 1 farad cap precharged prior to installation.
RF 501bd amp for sub (not powered up yet as I don't yet have my eD e8a.44 (on backorder) and Wlaurent enclosure)
I went to power it up for the first time and it played normally at low volume (defaults to 11 on HU I think) for about 3 minutes, I felt the amp and the side feeding the right side speakers was very hot to the touch, then it blew the 50A fuse leading to the RF 501S. I removed all the speakers, checked for any shorts, finding none I still taped all the ends of the terminals to avoid this possibility in the future, put in a new fuse then tried again and this time it did not blow the fuse instead it burned up all of my right side speakers. I could smell smoke coming from the right door panel and after disassembling smelled the smoke from the vent in the mids voice coil. Left side working normally. Removed smoked speaker and got out the multimeter. I checked the output of the right channel of the amp and it read get this: 46V DC constant!!!!
How is this even possible? Is there a transformer in the amp? I called the retailer I bought the amp from and they said they would send me a new amp but would not cover the speakers...
I am out $200 for a new set of speakers. Maybe I will contact Rockford Fosgate and see if they will reimburse me for the damage their defective amp cost me. Any advice here? I know I hooked everything up properly and had no shorts anywhere...it was just a defective amp...the new amp will arrive on Monday and the new speaker set arrived in just two days from the time I ordered them....gotta be some kind of record!!
Kudos to thezeb.com for prompt service. Just thought I would share my horror story and see if anyone had any advice or similar problems happen to them. Thanks.
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 7,584
Likes: 1
From: Baton Rouge, LA
wow...
not to be getting off track, but did you check the speaker leads to ground for continuity?
honestly, i think it sounds like a bad amp. 46V DC = very bad...
yes, there is a transformer in just about any amp w/ power levels over 16 Wrms... some Alpines can post more HU power than other typical HU's b/c they come w/ a DC to DC coverter (transformer).
normal outboard amps also use transformers to step up voltage to get more power...
if you have some electronics background you'll recogize the formula : P=E^2/R (P=power, E=voltage, R=resistance) for a 4 ohm speaker, if there was no transformer, you'd be limited to power levels of:
P= (12 VDC)^2 / 4 ohms = 36 Watts (this is a peak number) the RMS would be closer to 18 Wrms... so, to get above 18 Wrms at 12 VDC, you would need a transformer of some sort. also, my example assumes no losses whatsoever and thus represents a 100% efficient system...
(btw, if i botched here, let me know... i'm not an electronics type by trade, just by hobby.)
is thezeb.com an authorized dealer of RF? this may or may not make your life easier.
as far as the speakers go -- i would DEFINITELY contact RF (regardless of authorized or not... but they may tell you no if unauthed), tell them the story, and explain to them calmly but firmly that you would like them to pay for the damages to your speakers.
related (but unrelated) story...
i once purchased a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) for my PC a few years ago. the second night i had it, it sparked off internally (somehow) and caught fire. luckily i was in the same room w/ it, and i prevented any fire damage (especially scary since it was on a carpeted floor). this was a smaller UPS that i used for powering my file/print server, hub, firewall, and cable modem. it ended up seriously damaging my hub, and caused problems w/ components of the other items...
i made the phone call to the UPS manuf. and got a relatively uncooperative tech... i firmly insisted i talk to his supervisor, and after a calm and short conversation was told to replace everything and send them the bill... which i did, and which they reimbursed me for...
it can be done, and the biggest thing that will help you do it is by being firm and calm...
not to be getting off track, but did you check the speaker leads to ground for continuity?
honestly, i think it sounds like a bad amp. 46V DC = very bad...
yes, there is a transformer in just about any amp w/ power levels over 16 Wrms... some Alpines can post more HU power than other typical HU's b/c they come w/ a DC to DC coverter (transformer).
normal outboard amps also use transformers to step up voltage to get more power...
if you have some electronics background you'll recogize the formula : P=E^2/R (P=power, E=voltage, R=resistance) for a 4 ohm speaker, if there was no transformer, you'd be limited to power levels of:
P= (12 VDC)^2 / 4 ohms = 36 Watts (this is a peak number) the RMS would be closer to 18 Wrms... so, to get above 18 Wrms at 12 VDC, you would need a transformer of some sort. also, my example assumes no losses whatsoever and thus represents a 100% efficient system...
(btw, if i botched here, let me know... i'm not an electronics type by trade, just by hobby.)
is thezeb.com an authorized dealer of RF? this may or may not make your life easier.
as far as the speakers go -- i would DEFINITELY contact RF (regardless of authorized or not... but they may tell you no if unauthed), tell them the story, and explain to them calmly but firmly that you would like them to pay for the damages to your speakers.
related (but unrelated) story...
i once purchased a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) for my PC a few years ago. the second night i had it, it sparked off internally (somehow) and caught fire. luckily i was in the same room w/ it, and i prevented any fire damage (especially scary since it was on a carpeted floor). this was a smaller UPS that i used for powering my file/print server, hub, firewall, and cable modem. it ended up seriously damaging my hub, and caused problems w/ components of the other items...
i made the phone call to the UPS manuf. and got a relatively uncooperative tech... i firmly insisted i talk to his supervisor, and after a calm and short conversation was told to replace everything and send them the bill... which i did, and which they reimbursed me for...
it can be done, and the biggest thing that will help you do it is by being firm and calm...
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 517
Likes: 2
From: Orange Park
Thank you both for your advice....
I thought there must be a transformer in the amp to get that kind of voltage on the output of the amp.
I did not purchase the amp from thezeb.com, I purchased it from etronics.com (the speakers were from thezeb.com) I will contact RF and see what they say. As far as I know etronics.com is an authorized RF dealer.
The 46Vdc is there at the right channel output of the RF 501s regardless if the RCA is plugged in or not. I have since disconnected everything for the right channel to or from the RF501s amp (RCA interconnects and speaker leads) and it still reads 46VDC. I will indeed ohm out all wires prior to installing the new equipment. I am using the left side of the RF501s which is functioning normally and the stock wire to the stock mid and tweeter from HU internal amp for the right side temporarily until I get the new equipment in. Thanks again for your help. Later, Ron
I thought there must be a transformer in the amp to get that kind of voltage on the output of the amp.
I did not purchase the amp from thezeb.com, I purchased it from etronics.com (the speakers were from thezeb.com) I will contact RF and see what they say. As far as I know etronics.com is an authorized RF dealer.
The 46Vdc is there at the right channel output of the RF 501s regardless if the RCA is plugged in or not. I have since disconnected everything for the right channel to or from the RF501s amp (RCA interconnects and speaker leads) and it still reads 46VDC. I will indeed ohm out all wires prior to installing the new equipment. I am using the left side of the RF501s which is functioning normally and the stock wire to the stock mid and tweeter from HU internal amp for the right side temporarily until I get the new equipment in. Thanks again for your help. Later, Ron
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 517
Likes: 2
From: Orange Park
Update:
I replaced the bad amp with a new one and new CDT HD62EF's and found the problem was partially with the amp and partially with intermittent grounding of speaker wires on passenger side. I removed the door panels and taped up the terminals and the speaker hole lip in the door skin rerouted speaker wire away from power leads and presto my system now ROCKS!!! Thanks all for your help.
P.S> still waiting for my backordered e8a.44 and Wlaurent enclosure so temporarily installed a 10" Sub and cube enclosure for base.
I replaced the bad amp with a new one and new CDT HD62EF's and found the problem was partially with the amp and partially with intermittent grounding of speaker wires on passenger side. I removed the door panels and taped up the terminals and the speaker hole lip in the door skin rerouted speaker wire away from power leads and presto my system now ROCKS!!! Thanks all for your help.
P.S> still waiting for my backordered e8a.44 and Wlaurent enclosure so temporarily installed a 10" Sub and cube enclosure for base.
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Registered User
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 7,134
Likes: 3
From: Columbia, MD
Wait a sec, was the speaker wire intermittent ground there with the amp to begin with? If so, grounding out the input multiple times will NOT do good things to the output stage...in fact, given enough pops, you could turn the stage into a DC current source (i.e., a speaker coil melter). If that's the case, Rockford doesn't owe anything...