So I'm riding on my way to a friends house. All of the sudden I see very thin smoke around me inside of the car so I pull over. I got out and started looking for the source. I couldn't figure out where it was coming from. The system was working fine. The car was running fine. My friend told me I should unhook the power wire for the amp so I did. Drove to his house and everything was fine. I was having really bad tranny bearing issues so I thought it was my tranny smoking. The next night I decided to hook my amp back up. Later that day I see very heavy smoke filling the car. I had the armrest on the backseat pulled down so I looked behind me and saw flames. However, the system was still pounding. I hurried to pull over and ran away from the car then then I thought twice. I wasn't gonna let my car burn up over a damn amp. So I popped the trunk, threw the sub, and everything else in the way then I grabbed the amp and threw it out on the ground. Luckily the fire wasn't that big. Once I got it out of the car the fire started going out and I was able to blow the rest of it out. So now I have no more amp. It was a Rockford Fosgate Punch 1500w amp and 1 Audiobahn AW1206T sub. Everything but the amp is fine. I have no idea what happened. It caught fire right where the ground and positive wires go.
My question is: what amp should i get. I want a cheap mono amp that will push the sub. That rockford wasn't pushing it like i thought it would. Something cheaper than $150.

 

Was it the amp itself that caught fire, or the wiring? If it was the amp itself, I'd get ahold of rockford and tell them what happened, see if maybe they'd send you a replacement..not that they WILL, but they might..

 

It was right where the wiring meets the amp so I can't say for sure. The way they make you connect them so close is stupid.

 

Are you sure you didn't have any stray strands of wire?

 

There may have been. I'm not sure. I really can't blame anybody but myself because the screws came loose and the amp was not bolted down. That may have played roll in it.

 

You are lucky that the whole car didn't go down. Sorry to hear about that though.

 

Wow next time make sure you install your amp properly. That is scary.

 

Mine did the same thing a few weeks ago... Didnt catch fire, just puffed out some smoke. I check the connects and found the Positive screw was loose. I guess the wire was moving around just enough to keep shooting sparks and must have gotten hot enough to melt a little of the divider wall. Tightened everything back up and still hittin today... You guys might take a minute and check that the connects are tight, it might suck to lose a ride over it.

 

if there's resistance, there will be heat as a byproduct. sad to hear about your amp, but next time make sure everything is secured tightly.

 

Yeah, if something like this happens with the amp installed properly, generally you can get it warrantied and the car repaired on rockford's wallet.

 

But the notion of a "proper install" has so many gray areas that I doubt Rockford or any other company will ever own up.

Was it self installed? If so, are you licensed, etc etc?
if not,
Doesn't the shop that installed it have insurance?
and it goes on.....

 

Ok. Thanks Guys. Now to my other question. Which amp to get with my current setup?

 

what gauge wire were you using to power the amp?

 

I had 4 gauge running but the amp is unable to hold that size so I had to put 6" of 8gauge on it in order for it to fit. I'm pretty sure that it came from the Positive and Negative constantly sparking against each other. Rockford placed those to wire connectors too close together. I won't be getting that one again.

 

Doesn't matter whatsoever how close together the connectors are, they should NEVER "constantly spark against each other" or spark at all, ever, once installed. What did you use to connect the 4 gauge to the 8 gauge? Sounds like it was a very sh!tty installation that caused it. No offense if you did it yourself, but lesson learned, and it sounds like itd be worth the money for a professional install.

As far as an amp cheaper than $150: Pyle or Rockwood. In all honesty you might as well run without a sub if that is all the money you can come up with for an amp. Or you can look into Profile, theyre the best of the worst.

 

First off. I'm only assuming that the wires were sparking. I have no clue what caused it. I'm going on assumptions. The amp was only a temporary setup for a few weeks so when the bolts came out I really didn't care. I am very aware of all the precautions of hooking up amps and subs. I've been on ebay and saw the same exact Rockford amp for $125 but I don't want that one again. I refused to pay anyone to install something I can do myself. I actually hate Pyle so that's out of the question. I would get a sony before spending that much for Pyle. I've never heard of "Rockwood".

 

and you should pass on without ever experiencing :ROCKWOOD: i Purchased one of their 1000watt amps in 93. Upon opeingin the 15 or so inch long amp it was discovered that there was about 10.5 inches of styrofoam. I quickly took it back and ended up with a Nice JBL GT series amp.


In that price range I would say look at the old soundstream rubicons or one of the hifonics zeus or brutus amps.

If you get it in hand when im in the area i can "properly install it for you". Im in the area often. To include this weekend. Also hit up bboystevie, hes in the md area as well.