wiring 3 subs to 2 channel amp

Hey guys, I'm not a huge car audio guy, I'd much rather spend time under the hood. However, I recently bought a sub/amp setup from a friend for next to nothing and I'm not very confident in how he had it set up. He had one channel running to each of 2 subs, and the third piggybacked off of one. I'm not a car audio guru, but I just can't see this being right at all.

The subs are 3 JL 10W0-8ohms in a sealed box. The amp is an SPL Z2X1600 2-channel. I know the amp is pretty generic and cheap, but if it gets the job done I'm cool with it for now. Not looking to win any bass contests.

Here's the relevant info I found on the amp:
    * 2 x 310 Watts Max At 4 Ohms
    * 2 x 370 Watts RMS At 2 Ohms
    * 1 X 740 Watts RMS Mono
    * 1 x 1600 Watts Max Bridged
    * Full Mosfet Power Supply
    * PWM Circuitry
    * Full Selectable Crossover Hi/Full/Low
    * Three Way Protection Circuit
    * 2 Ohm Stable Stereo
    * Tri-Mode Capable
    * Variable Low Pass 40Hz-120Hz
    * Variable Hi Pass 150Hz-1.5Khz
    * 18dB Bass Boost @ 40Hz.

So the question is...what would be the best way to set this system up? I understand the basics regarding amps and woofers, etc...but the 3 sub thing is confusing the hell out of me!

Do I run them in parallel, serial, bridged, what? Would I be better off dumping one woofer and just running two, one per channel?

Not sure if it matters...but the car is an '05 Impala 9C1. Currently has Pioneer DEH-P5900IB head unit and factory speakers. Those will be upgraded as well soon.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Curt

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2005 Chevy Impala 9C1
1972 Cutlass Supreme

Use https://www.the12volt.com/caraudio/woofer_configurations.asp link on the left side of the page for your woofer wiring needs.

This is your only usuable option for the three woofers.



I would recommend only using two of the woofers in parallel like this

Your friend didn't have a viable way to connect 3 subs to that amp so he just winged it.  Don't go that route...the result is an uneven distribution of power to the subs.  Use just two of them, and use the second wiring diagram that aznboi posted.  That load will be bridged across the two channels.

If you have a prefab box made for 3 subs, go ahead and leave the third sub in place and disconnected.  There is a lot of play with this particular sub model inasfar as sealed box volume goes:  for two subs you can provide anywhere from 1.6 to 2.5 cu ft of airspace.

If I were you, though, I would do some experimenting.  If you provide three separate speaker pair leads from the box (one pair per sub) you can experiment with what I said above and also with tri-mode configuration (it wouldn't be the end of the world to send more power to one sub than the other two, in all reality).  In this manner, you would connect two of the subs directly to channels one and two respectively.  The third sub would be bridged across those same channels.  The amplifier will work harder and get hotter in this mode, mind you, but at least you can test both ways and choose the way that works out best for you.

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Build the box so that it performs well in the worst case scenario and, in return, it will reward you at all times.

Great info, thanks guys! I think I'll hook up two in parallel as recommended first and see how it feels. I guess I can always hook up the third if needed. And yes, it's in a really nice box setup for three subs. If I do stick with two, I can just leave the third sub in the middle like a spare tire, in case one blows.

What is tri-mode? Could you explain the theory behind it briefly? Sounds less reliable, but more fun (usually the case, isn't it?).

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2005 Chevy Impala 9C1
1972 Cutlass Supreme

Info at https://www.bcae1.com/trimode.htm and follow the link it provides.

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Build the box so that it performs well in the worst case scenario and, in return, it will reward you at all times.

Thanks for the link. So theoretically, one sub would be getting more power than the other two? The box does indeed have three outputs, so playing around should be easy. I guess I'll just keep messing around until I like what I hear.

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2005 Chevy Impala 9C1
1972 Cutlass Supreme

Not "theoretically", but realistically.  Twice as much as either of the other two.

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Build the box so that it performs well in the worst case scenario and, in return, it will reward you at all times.