marc_manny

Connecting plate amp to tempest

First time caller, long time listener.

For starters I will tell you what I think is correct, and if I'm wrong let me know.

Tempest runs at 8ohms unless you connect both voice coils, and then it runs at 4ohms.

To connect the voice coils you just solder a piece of wire between the 2. + to + and - to -.

My question is how do you then connect the amp to the voice coils?

Do you just connect it to one set of the coils and all is fine? or do you solder the amp wire to the middle of the wire you add?

How come when people document there building a sub or speakers they only cover the making of the box and not the wiring of it? I have only found a few sites that show some wiring. It may seem fundamental to some but it is the part I am most worried about. If I mess up the enclosure I can always build another one, but I do not want to fry any parts.

Thanks,
Marc

Patrick Sun

The Tempest voice coil connectors has 2 sets of spades on each terminal, so, simply connect one set of spade connectors from the first voice coil to the other set of spade connectors on the second voice coil (plus to plus, minus to minus). Then connect the cable from the amp to the spare spade connectors on the first voice coil terminals only to achieve a 4 ohm load.

Or you can do what I did, which is use a Dual-Input Terminal cup and simply did the bridging/paralleling at the terminal cup with the metal bridgej strips, and just ran cables from the cup to each set of voice coil terminals (which gave me connection flexibility without having to rewire the driver terminal connections inside the sub):

http://www.patcave.com/sunosub2/117-3919.jpg

http://www.patcave.com/sunosub2/118-3921.jpg

http://www.patcave.com/sunosub2/119-4363.jpg

http://www.patcave.com/sunosub2/120-4364.jpg

And here's my construction page of one of my Sunosubs:

http://www.io.com/~patman/sunosub2.html

"I am a leaf on the wind, watch how I soar!"
Patcave | 2006 Films | 2007 Films | Dragon Con 2007

marc_manny

Thanks Patrick, that's what I thought, but I wanted to make sure before I do anything stupid.

Since I am going with a plate amp I guess I should just connect the voice coils to each other and then connect the amp to one set of the coils.

Does it matter which set of spades I use?

BTW nice documentation. I did surf through your site before, but because there were no thumbs I was lazy and did not read all the captions. Thanks, again.

Marc

Patrick Sun

No, it doesn't matter which set of spades.

I've have been thinking about adding thumbnails, but it would make the page load slower, but maybe if I get bored I'll do it.

"I am a leaf on the wind, watch how I soar!"
Patcave | 2006 Films | 2007 Films | Dragon Con 2007

Ronnie Ferrell

Marc,

I had the same question as you when I built my Tempest so I took pictures to show others.


Homemade jumper cables


Jumper cables installed. Later I tucked a little polyfil under the wires the keep them from rattling against the back of the driver.


The extra set of spades to connect the amp.


Take care,

rfIf you want to be board to tears look here:

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Andrew S-

Just make sure you are wiring them in parallel and not series. Series will give you a 16ohm load and will reduce your power severly.

I personally like JL Audio's tutorial for wiring under their tutorial section.

Gerry S

Ronnie:

What type of cable did you use to build those jumper cables? Is that just speaker wire?

-Gerry

Brian Pokosh

deleted

Bob K

Marc,

The Adire site has a page that lays out how to wire in parallel very clearly. I used it when I wired up my Tempest. If you have a multimeter, you can double check your work by measuring resistance across the terminals -- you should get 4 Ohms (or very close, 3.9). The Adire page I'm referring to is http://www.adireaudio.com/tech_papers/dvc_wiring.htm

Good luck!

Adire Tempest Construction Pix: http://www.audiocircle.com/circles/m...view_album.php

Ronnie Ferrell

Yep! It's just cheap Home Depot 14-ga. speaker wire and "crimp style" spade connectors.

rf

[c]
Meet our new boy, Mousse![/c]