Thread: Amp in Glovebox, heatissues.

One question, do you want it done cheap and quick or do you want it done right. if you're trying to amp sub boxes a small amp that fits in a glove box wont do. I got a small 2 ch amp that drives 80 watts that would barely fit in the glove box but all it drives is my center channel. plus you may get some line interferrance because it may be too close to the stock electronics in the car esp the ventilation fan and ac on top of the other equiptment you have stocked up in there.
One place i would suggest depending on other variables is mounting the amp underneith the passenger seat. Just no glove box to much heat and interferrance

Originally Posted by pancit175

if you're trying to amp sub boxes a small amp that fits in a glove box wont do. I got a small 2 ch amp that drives 80 watts that would barely fit in the glove box but all it drives is my center channel.

As far as amplifier size goes, just a small 100-200 watt amp would actually do it for subwoofers. My friend is running a really cheap amp that says it does 200 watts, and it actually is acceptable, and very small. It is a really cheap amp though, doesnt even have a low pass filter, so I am going to find an inductor for him. So basically, getting an amp that could push a sub and that could fit in a glovebox isnt impossible. Of course, with all the other stuff in there, it would have to be a huge glove box.

As for heat, I really dont know if it would be an issue.

After saying all of that, it seems kind of silly to me to fill up a glove box with that stuff. Their is a difference between putting something into a car, and actually installing it. If you ask me, putting all of your stuff in your car is just that, but I wouldnt consider it an actual installaiton. Of course, their are the situations where you cant modify your car, but if the car is yours, and modification is not an issue, please dont just throw everything in the glovebox. You will be happier if you do it the right way.

Matt

Originally Posted by mbuchman

As far as amplifier size goes, just a small 100-200 watt amp would actually do it for subwoofers. My friend is running a really cheap amp that says it does 200 watts, and it actually is acceptable, and very small. It is a really cheap amp though, doesnt even have a low pass filter, so I am going to find an inductor for him. So basically, getting an amp that could push a sub and that could fit in a glovebox isnt impossible. Of course, with all the other stuff in there, it would have to be a huge glove box.

Matt

I don't think you can accurately make such a broad assertion that is the suggestion that 100-200W is "enough" for "a subwoofer". It all depends on the subwoofer! Some subs don't do well with <500W RMS, much less 100-200W (which may not be enough to even move the sub much). Cheap subs tend to have low power requirements, but many of the better subs really do need 300+ watts to perform well, and some need 600+ W to perform as intended.

You COULD put an amp in the glovebox, but why? You could mount it under the rear baffle in the trunk and it'd be out of sight and out of mind. If it's a small amp, it'd be easy to run 8ga to the amp in the trunk and a set of interconnects.

I've installed alot of amps underneith the passenger seat given that there is enough clearance. I only do it if there isnt any type of control modules of any sort nearby to cause any interferrance, if there isnt any ventilation ducts that would make it difficult to mount the amp to the floor, and if i can securely screw it to the floor.
As for heat, it shouldnt be an issue because it's not as a closed space like your glove box. the only type of heat issue is if the amp had a fan on it that the output was blocked. but if were you planing on installing it in the front you dont need to use 8ga wires at all thats just too much for whats needed. all you really need is 16 or 18 ga wire for the speaker wire. and you'd have to run a new set of power wires to the new amp. You could loop the speakers through the factory system i do it all the time also, its kinda weird but it works and save you from sending wires all over the place and your factory wires should be able to take the signal from the amp.