A/V Experts,
I'm going for a stealth install. Am installing two US Amps amplifiers in my Factory Bose Sub enclosure. The amps won't be going low impedance (4 ohms mono on one, two ohms stereo on the other). But their enclosure is basically sealed up and in Houston, where the ambient temp is 90F + for 9 months a year, I'm concerned I'm gonna have heat problems. Any ideas on keeping them cool? I was thinking of a few horizontal slots cut into the bottom of the subwoofer cover piece and maybe a fan on the inside to try and push air out of the subwoofer cover, but I doubt this will actually work. Thanks for any input you have. If fan(s) are a good idea, any suggestions/links on which one(s)?

 

I know in the past ive seen people use 12v computer fans super cheap and effective in cars since easy to get a 12v power to them.

 

I have yet to experience any problems. It will depend a lot on the efficiency of the amp's heat dissipation design of the heatsink, but I don't see you having an issue. Do the install without the fans, if you experience an overheating issue, add a couple fans to draw air across the heatsinks of the amps. I believe US Amps have thermal protection circuits so you will not cause the amp damage, it will cut power before any damage occurs. Just don't let it happen repeatedly, after the first thermal shut down, add your fans.

 

Not sure which fans would work for your set up however, they are a cheap investment for the sake of your expensive audio equipment. It's similar to a computer that must have proper inflow and outflow ... heat is the death of anything electronic. Don't risk it.

 

Yah the fans are like 3-10 doallrs depending on size and stuff.

 

I posted some pictures of my stealth amp install here(in 2004):
https://my350z.com/forum/audio-builds/88184-stereo-install-pictures-alpine-xm-and-focals.html

I also live in Texas, haven't had any issues with the amplifier so far, granted it does have a pretty large heatsink.

 

Even setting up a PC fan in the enclosure would work, without even venting it. The moving air should keep the amplifiers happily cool.

 

I have two 18-19" PPI amps...

I put a bose subwoofer cover where the passenger-side glove compartment was (so I have two bose subwoofer covers). Behind each of them is an amp. Recently, I put in two PC fans in the area between the two storage compartments (there is a small tunnel inside the compartments connecting the two), and faced the fans in the same direction (to create one-way flow of air). After putting those fans in, the amps ran much cooler..and they used to run pretty hot..considering the mono amp is 800x1 @ 4-ohms (not a digital amp).

Hope that helps...I'll try to snap a pic of the fan setup..its using metal bracing and the power is tapped from the cigarette adapter.

 

btw, make sure when you order fans, that they are relatively quiet..at first i was running cpu fans (that I had left over) and they were crazy loud. i eventually swapped them out for some quieter case fans.

heres a link..only $3:

http://www.svc.com/d12sl-12-bk.html