How do you keep your amps cool?

[mikeg321]

Do what Steve did in his Lexus. Some trunks have one way vents behind the trim panels, flip one side and mount some fans for an intake then mount some fans on the other side for an exhaust. Another thing I saw in the XXX truck that would really help is to take the back of the amp, make a new back out 1/4" MDF and mount some fans to it.

This isn't as effective as most people think. Your main heat-producing components are transferring heat directly to the heatsink (which is the metal case on car amps). You need the heat exchange to take place on the heatsink, and surface area is king there. That's why there's so many fins on them, the more surface area you have the more heat transfer can take place.

If it's such an inefficient method of cooling why do a lot of high end amps have built in fans?

[Swordlordboy1234]

well my next amp might have a fan built in but with texas heat i think a fan INSIDE and a fan blowing over/under is needed.

[gckless]

Depends on how you mount them. Computer fans need direction to their flow. They tend to blow air all over, in a general direction sure, but need a concentration point or some kind of channel to perform best. Push/pull helps a lot in most applications, but again depends on the mounting situation.The squirrel cage fans, or blower fans whatever you want to call them, are already fairly concentrated by design. You can't do push/pull with those.

What might be good, is to create a box that fits over your entire amp, and put 3 or 4 computer fans on each side blowing from left to right in a push/pull config.

Check out my super awesome paint skills:

[gckless]

Do what Steve did in his Lexus. Some trunks have one way vents behind the trim panels, flip one side and mount some fans for an intake then mount some fans on the other side for an exhaust. Another thing I saw in the XXX truck that would really help is to take the back of the amp, make a new back out 1/4" MDF and mount some fans to it.

This isn't as effective as most people think. Your main heat-producing components are transferring heat directly to the heatsink (which is the metal case on car amps). You need the heat exchange to take place on the heatsink, and surface area is king there. That's why there's so many fins on them, the more surface area you have the more heat transfer can take place.

If it's such an inefficient method of cooling why do a lot of high end amps have built in fans?

You mean like Mosconi? I'll show you why:

It's cooling the heatsink, just inside the amp.

But I know what you're talking about on some other amps. Components inside the amp get warm too, no doubt. It's just not the most effective way.

On a different note, why don't I get post quote notifications ?

I guess I should probably check and see if I can turn them on....

[Swordlordboy1234]

Very good skills ...

Posing pics to show limited space available. In the pics i can relocate wires to an extent to make room for stuff, but space is a premium in my trunk . Ill have SLIGHTLY more height, and slightly less depth and width with my new box coming in a couple days. ;) (new box is slightly smaller in all dims)

But here is a few pics of my current set up / shitty box with flexing braces and port walls.

[mikeg321]

Check to see if there's vents in your trunk. Circulating air in your trunk is going to bring the ambient temp down making the fan setup you go with more efficient. I think the cheapest/easiest thing to do would be to mount a squirrel cage fan next to the amp.

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_5283_PAC-CF-1.html

Edit: gckless's box idea would work good too and you could put a piece of plexi on the top to show off the amp.

[Swordlordboy1234]

Yeah, i think one of those, a relay kit, and a few other small things not mentioned but still needed to have this build 100% done (is there such a thing?)

Along with not living in texas during the summer again! LOL.