Inverted amp mounting

cruisedave

Hello All,
I'm in the process of my first install and have a question regarding anyone's experience with an upside-down mount of 2 Polk amps. I have a 500.4 now, and for my birthday my lovely wife surprised me with a 1200.1 to power my SR124 DVC (sealed). I have a '00 VW Jetta and I actually use the trunk on a weekly basis, so I need the room.
I was considering mounting the amps upside-down in the trunk, to the shelf behind the headrests. I also have room to mount 1 or 2 cooling fans (if needed) next to and/or behind the amps.
I know that heat dissipation is a concern and that it is generally said that amps should be mounted upright - anyone have any experience with this? Also, I figure that since the 1200 is only powering one SR 124, I will probably end up with the gain only half way up or so, so that might help to reduce the heat production.
Any thoughts or comments?

Thanks!
-Dave

chu

I wouldn't recommend mounting any amp upside down because of the heat sink location. Can you mount it on it sides?

cruisedave

I can't really mount them on the sides, although I'll have to take another look at that option now. Initially I though that there was just not enough flat area to mount 2 amps. I might be able to cut out some carpet though, and do it that way. Ill have to check.

chu

You can also stack/layer the amp on top of each other (like a stair).

Vital

If have enought space under your rear deck "shelve" to fit 2 PA amps here's your perfect solution:

-Build another shelve to imitate yout car's shelve (any wood will do, should be easy)
-Secure it a few inches below your car's "shelve"
-Secure amps right on top of your new home-made shelve.

Basically your amps will be right inbetween your car's and your custom shelves AND will be mounted the right way, not upside-down.

KINDA something like this, but neater lol
I actually wanted to do this to my car but there's just not enought space



edit: i quess this pic is to small to actually see something lol. Well, u get the idea.

cruisedave

Thanks - that might be what I do with the shelf - I do have the room there and was thinking that might fit well. i even have some extra carpet from the sub box that I can use to cover it all. I'll do it in the next few weeks and post some pics when done. Thanks everyone for your advice - this new guy can use all the help I can get!

arun1963

You don't mount an inverted amp cause hot air rises. The heat dissipated by the amp would continue to envelope and surround the amp. The amp would get no ventilation and it would clip and shut down. Over a period the amp would fry. Its not the placement of the heat sink but simple physics that dictates this.

Installer4life

If you happen to have the Monsoon system in your Jetta then you will notice that the monsoon amp is not inverted and it is mounted to your rear deck. The only amp I have been successful in mounting inverted is the JL Audio slash series but this amp has an excellent design...

tk421

threaded aluminum spacers.

suspend the amp, facing up and allowing adequate air flow above it, using threaded aluminum spacers.

a threaded spacer is like a hollow tube but with screw threads inside. you can use lock-tite if u are afraid that the screw/bolts may run loose.

here's a pic courtesy audiworld.com:

catch22atplay

A/D/S power plate amp it looks like. He's got the right idea there for mounting.

cruisedave

tk421 wrote: »

threaded aluminum spacers.

suspend the amp, facing up and allowing adequate air flow above it, using threaded aluminum spacers.

a threaded spacer is like a hollow tube but with screw threads inside. you can use lock-tite if u are afraid that the screw/bolts may run loose.

here's a pic courtesy audiworld.com:

That looks great - where can I find those spacers???