hey all

i have 2x 12" Rockford P2's in the boot of my new E36 318is.
along with a 4channel audisons amp for my speakers, and a 800watt monoblock pioneer powering the subs.

my clarion dvd tv screen headdeck max's at 33.
ive tuned all the amps n shit properly so max i ever go to is 30. sounds best around 28.
anyway

i recently decided to turn the subs around (just for curiosity), so now the magnets are sitting out of the box, into the boot.

they go about twice as hard now.
but my problem is:

when i put volume to about 23 when my engines off, the subs cut out.
when the engines on, i can go to my usual 30 with no trouble at all.

why would this be?
do i need a capacitor? another battery?

Cheers
Evan

Sounds like the battery is struggling. Mine did the same so I got myself a truck battery and bobs your uncle.

Why are you running your system with the engine off?

This could be the cause of your problem to begin with...also sounds like your box was not properly designed for your subs to begin with. Flipping your subs around like that essentially increases the volume of your enclosure because the cones are not extrenal instead of internal...taking up a lot of volume.

lol wtf truck battery :S :S
wouldnt be better off getting a 2nd of the same??

Why are you running your system with the engine off?

This could be the cause of your problem to begin with...also sounds like your box was not properly designed for your subs to begin with. Flipping your subs around like that essentially increases the volume of your enclosure because the cones are not extrenal instead of internal...taking up a lot of volume.
yeha man i dno, i got the 2 rockfords off a mate, box came with them when he bought them.
the subs are designed to go either way, but yeah i guess the box is designed for cone out.
so u reckon another battery or a capacitor??

I would suspect that you may have ruined your current battery by running your system without the engine on. Running the power down over and over. Big no-no...couple seconds, no big deal, continuous...asking for trouble. The alternator in your car doesn't completely CHARGE your battery like most people think. More accurately it just maintains the charge. So if you run your batter down (system on / engine off) over time this will ruin your battery.

Take your battery to your local auto store and have it inspected. It may have enough life left in it to run your vehicle...and your system and low power, but no longer have its original full capacity.

If this checks out...THEN explore upgrades.


Just my $0.02

I would suspect that you may have ruined your current battery by running your system without the engine on. Running the power down over and over. Big no-no...couple seconds, no big deal, continuous...asking for trouble. The alternator in your car doesn't completely CHARGE your battery like most people think. More accurately it just maintains the charge. So if you run your batter down (system on / engine off) over time this will ruin your battery.

Take your battery to your local auto store and have it inspected. It may have enough life left in it to run your vehicle...and your system and low power, but no longer have its original full capacity.

If this checks out...THEN explore upgrades.


Just my $0.02


i c... fair call... good idea.. i dont normally run it with the engine off.
but ill admit, while installing other accessories and adding stuff to the system, ive had to jump it twice in the last 3 weeks. so sounds like your $0.02 could be my fix.. ill see how i go.
cheers

i c... fair call... good idea.. i dont normally run it with the engine off.


I assumed you did...because that was the thread title. Anyway...check it out. When I troubleshoot I always look at when I currently have first and make sure everything is operating properly before I more on to upgrades...even if the upgrade is the direction I end up taking.


On a side note about the batteries...I just have to replace 2 batteris in our diesel bus (RV) because they had been run down too many times (coupled with 3 years of Florida heat). I could jump it and it would start fine. You could run it for hours on a long trip, stop for gas and it was start find. But if you let it sit for a few hours ~6+...it would lose just enough juice so that it wouldn't start again without a jump. New batteries solved the problem. I found out that I had been leaving an antennae amplifier on all the time...I never use it and therefore didn't even know I had it! :embarrasm

I found out that I had been leaving an antennae amplifier on all the time...I never use it and therefore didn't even know I had it!

haha that sucks... anyway cheers for the help man..
get the bat checked asap n see where i go from tehre :P

Ev

i had the same problem in my e36 //M. Although i didnt continuously run my sysytem with my engine off. Once i installed my 2 farad cap all of my woes disappeared. Haven't had to jump my baby since.