Subs smell

[Banditnib]

Hi! Just gonna give some info on my setup before going into my concern. 

-I’m running two Deaf Bonce SA-302’s.
-Have two D5100R’s and a stock battery (duralast gold).
-320 amp mechman alt.
-2 runs of ofc knukonceptz 1/0g wiring. 
-Power wires are all fused.
-Multiple grounds, only 2 ring terminal stacks per ground.
-lc2i for amp signal, so I have stock head unit.
-Taramps 5k MD 1ohm.
-Subs are in a custom enclosure.

So I tuned my subs with an oscilloscope with a 40 hz tone and made sure the sine wave was good and wasn’t clipping. I did just install these subs, not even a week ago. I don’t know why my subs are smelling. Is it just because they are new? Because I’m 99% sure I’m not clipping them. Any tips or advice would be great, as I do not want to ruin my investment. Read in some places it’s normal with new subs, others say it’s damaging them.

[Joe X]

One possibility is that your subs are still on the break in period and need a couple of weeks for the suspensions to loose, yet you can use the scope to see how stable is your input power at the amp terminals,  even If the voltage drops for less than a second to less than 12.5V you can be having issues, those full bridge amps are a problem anytime your electrical is not perfect, even if your ground is not exactly great or any connections are not so tight problems can result even if your electrical components are good, if you did not do the big 3 you should do that immediately.

[Banditnib]

4 hours ago, Joe X said:

One possibility is that your subs are still on the break in period and need a couple of weeks for the suspensions to loose, yet you can use the scope to see how stable is your input power at the amp terminals,  even If the voltage drops for less than a second to less than 12.5V you can be having issues, those full bridge amps are a problem anytime your electrical is not perfect, even if your ground is not exactly great or any connections are not so tight problems can result even if your electrical components are good, if you did not do the big 3 you should do that immediately.

Oh okay, I think I may need to go back and double check my grounds and my connections. I did use a wire brush on my drill and got all the paint where my ground is. But you never know! And that’s my bad I forgot to mention that I do in fact have the big 3 done as well. Thank you for the advice! Once I get the chance I’m going to check this all out

[Joe X]

29 minutes ago, Banditnib said:

Oh okay, I think I may need to go back and double check my grounds and my connections. I did use a wire brush on my drill and got all the paint where my ground is. But you never know! And that’s my bad I forgot to mention that I do in fact have the big 3 done as well. Thank you for the advice! Once I get the chance I’m going to check this all out

 

Only if your scope connected to the amp POWER  input terminals show sudden voltage drops that go below 12.5 volts, if you don't have such drops you don't have to do nothing.

 

Best of luck and if you have any questions let us know.

 

Edited September 8, 2023 by Joe X

[Kyblack76]

Which overlap did you use? ?????  0db, -3.5, -5, -10,-20 ???? And you checked if your clean at the HU, and then at the amplifiers? Through and through?  

If the smell is sweet ,. it could be the glue on the coil,....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

or, your baking your coils........  guess well see in time.  And, Joe is correct, those boards are pretty dirty to begin with.  Can you show a picture of the scope while running the tone (and at what overlap)

 

Edit- and i dont know why dropping to 12.4 would cause any sort of clipping,.. if set up right.  Hell id set the dd1, at -7.5db over lap, with the car off. 

But thats just me. 

Edited September 9, 2023 by Kyblack76

[Banditnib]

On 9/9/2023 at 9:42 AM, Kyblack76 said:

Which overlap did you use? ?????  0db, -3.5, -5, -10,-20 ???? And you checked if your clean at the HU, and then at the amplifiers? Through and through?  

If the smell is sweet ,. it could be the glue on the coil,....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

or, your baking your coils........  guess well see in time.  And, Joe is correct, those boards are pretty dirty to begin with.  Can you show a picture of the scope while running the tone (and at what overlap)

 

Edit- and i dont know why dropping to 12.4 would cause any sort of clipping,.. if set up right.  Hell id set the dd1, at -7.5db over lap, with the car off. 

But thats just me. 

I used a 0db 40hz tone. I didn’t check the headunit because I’m running the lc2i. I don’t think I’m dropping voltage, but I still haven’t looked. I have a lot of power so I figured it wouldn’t be a factor. The sine waves are still wavy when I set it, it doesn’t go flat when I set it. Although, these subs are pretty much brand spanking new, only been playing them for 8-9 days. I only haven’t checked yet because I’ve been busy, plan on messing with it this weekend.  I definitely need to bc they smell. It’s honestly not that bad or noticeable right now plus my amp and subs barely get that warm. It’s 80-90° where I’m at right now so I figure they’d be warm to some degree. Would you recommend using a -5 db test tone instead or 0db?

[Kyblack76]

22 hours ago, Banditnib said:

I used a 0db 40hz tone. I didn’t check the headunit because I’m running the lc2i. I don’t think I’m dropping voltage, but I still haven’t looked. I have a lot of power so I figured it wouldn’t be a factor. The sine waves are still wavy when I set it, it doesn’t go flat when I set it. Although, these subs are pretty much brand spanking new, only been playing them for 8-9 days. I only haven’t checked yet because I’ve been busy, plan on messing with it this weekend.  I definitely need to bc they smell. It’s honestly not that bad or noticeable right now plus my amp and subs barely get that warm. It’s 80-90° where I’m at right now so I figure they’d be warm to some degree. Would you recommend using a -5 db test tone instead or 0db?

0db eh?  0db is as clean as you can get (provided your tone is clean in the first place, -5 would be "louder/more overlap or gain")

      Then that should be clean as all get out. (for what i played, i loved -7.5, which is "louder/more "gain" ) 

  So, smell, is it a sweet, like sugar smell? Im not familiar with your drivers, tho, i know DB makes nice nice drivers. Seems like you have a scope, as you mention your waves are wavy, which, i dont really get. What you want to avoid on a scope, is a square line.  To me, if they arent hot (the drivers) , i think your smelling the coil/former glue cooking off. I know when i get my sp4s a hundred years ago, a few songs in, .. laying into it, id get this sweet/sugar smell.  Long story short, i ran those things hard (those here that know me, know) and competed with the for around 5 seasons. Never ever had a coil issue. Did loose a spider on two after 4 plus years of hammering the fuck out of them. But no thermal issue. And i was tripping day one when i powered them up. 

If your cone is decently cool, id suspect your fine. Run em... and run em how you want to.  I think you are fine, and come back in a few weeks after beating on them. Ill bet the smell, damn near goes away.