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Thread: how hot can the SLS trunk compartment get?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    saratoga ca
    Posts
    114
    My Cars
    2001 525i Touring

    how hot can the SLS trunk compartment get?

    Hey all, I am putting 2 amps in the SLS compartment. They generate some heat; terminal shutoff is at 75 Celsius. Is there any danger in the enclosed space to the SLS wiring on air lines? I am going to insulate them as well as i can and add heat sinks to the amps. How about the panel itself? Should I replace the insulation on the bottom of the cover panel as well?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    West London/Heathrow - UK
    Posts
    7,204
    My Cars
    03 530dT - Ex Police Car
    Hi,

    Depends on the type of amplifiers mainly. If you use Class A/B ones and which are usually larger units, then you'll need to consider temperatures. Get a good amount of air that sees the heatsinks of the amps and you should be ok depending on the RMS power output, how loud you like to usually listen and of course good/proper electrical connections will all play a part.

    When I was evaluating the setup I put in my Touring, I initially had wanted some higher quality Genesis amps. When I found they were larger units, I didn't want them in the SLS or under floor location. I instead went with more efficient, smaller Class D amplifiers instead. Although we don't get anywhere near as hot as the USA, we have had some hot days and I've played my amps hard in our 'heat' and they've never gone into Thermal Runaway - where the amplifier shuts down as a safety measure due to excessive heat.

    I mounted my amps here;



    That's the area just in front of the load cover, as my car didn't have any of the OEM audio modules there and was empty, my two Arc Audio amps fitted in super easily. If I'd had modules there, then I'd have looked at the rear left cubby where the OEM amp would be and done away with that and perhaps gone for a small footprint 5 channel that can fit there nicely.

    If you do go ahead with your choice, then be prepared to have your amps shutdown quite often. You need a way for the hot air to escape that enclosed area. Insulating will keep the ambient temp in that location higher and also, it's not good practice to try and add heatsinks to the original design heatsink as it's been designed for optimum heat dissipation given it's rated power output etc. You could add water cooling if you go this route and that's usually done in high(er) end audio installs.

    Cheers, Dennis!

    Cheers, Dennis!

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