Older Rockford Fosgate Amplifer

Hello Fellow Elctronic Junkies -- I have a situation here that I can't understand.  I haven't called Rockford yet to confirm this, so I thought I'd poll the audience here at the12volt.com to see if anybody had noticed this difference in one (or two) of Rockford's design.

I have in my posession two Rockford Fosgate "Power 500a2" amplifiers.  To no degree of certainty, I believe they are from the 1999 to 2000 or 2001 model line.  Both are exactly the same model.  "Power 500a2", same demensions.  Same power ratings.  Same chassis/heatsink casing, etc.  Both exhibit the option of the "Punch Bass Remote" recepticle (which looks like a conventional RJ-11 telephone jack).  The emblem tag on the heatsink says, "Power 500a2."

Now onto why I'm writing all this technical crap.  The "Punch 500a2" does not have the pass through RCA terminals for feeding your signal out to continue the system branch circuitry.  My "Power 500a2" came stock with #4 AWG power input terminals, the "Punch Bass Remote" input and pass through RCA terminals for feeding out signal to system branch circuitry.  On the Punch 500a2, there are line level inputs, no Punch Bass Remote input, and two #8 AWG Positive (+) power input terminals and like wise for the Negatives (-); which is strikingly odd because it begs the question, "Why didn't the engineers just use #4 AWG input terminals?"

The manual for the Punch 500a2 indicates this fact in the provided illustration.  The illustrators or plotter drew it and it's there.  However, the same exact amp that I have (and owned since 2000), previous to an unusual discovery, uses #4 AWG power input lugs.  The manual for the Power 500a2 indicates that.  Having mentioned detail, according to the manual for the "Punch 500a2", it does not contain the dB slope adjustment feature.  Why does this particular "Power 500a2" have it and only have one single #8 AWG Positive (+) power input lug, which is likewise for the Negative (-)?!  It's supposed to have #4 AWG lugs!!!  Very strange!  Can somebody help explain this to me?

the punch 500a2 and the power 500a2 are two different amps.  chassis size is the same but the punch should be black and the power grey.  

more importantly, these amps are not capable of the same output.  primarily because the punch 500 does not handle 2 ohm mono loads very well.  i know, i know, the lit says they do.  but nothing is a substitute for hands on experience. 

so there is a power difference in addition to the  other stripped down features you listed. 

I don't know if I wrote to much or became confusing to you guys after all that but here it is plain and simple.  The way I should have said it.  Two of the same exact amps.  Both Power series.  One of the amps accepts ONE #4 for the power input and the other amp accepts ONE #8.  If I'm correct, the design for the single #8 amp was modified during that year to accept a single #4.  I have pictures to prove it.  And the only person who will confirm that is a Rockford tech in AZ when I call him on monday.

dragonrage: it is a big deal.  To me, at least.  When you're passionate about the uniformity of the installation and how appealing it can be to the eye, it matters during competition judging.  And #8 AWG can not always handle the power you're talking about, especially when you take into account the number of woofers and wattage handling they are, moreover, the current demand.  Which in my case is outside of normal.  I'm using two Power 500a2's to push four of the 12 inch Power RFR-1812 models.  That's one Power 500a2 bridged mono into a 4 Ohm load, feeding two 12's wired in series.  That glamour audio #8 will get hot.  I know this because I melted some Streetwire #8 in the same configuration.  So in some instances, #8 is insufficient.  This is where the rating of the wire jacketing comes into play.  I would not wire my kitchen range with #8 audio power cable, because of the the rating of the jacketing, which is why the NEC doesn't list it for residential or comercial appliance usage.  The jacketing would never be able to withstand the current at 40 amps with that particular jacketing.  But #10 Xane can. It's Nickel coated copper stranded and rated for 105 degrees celcius, which far exceeds wire rated for the same value announced in Fahrenheit.  Xane is used in industrial frieght locomotives because of the harsh conditions and severe amperage demands.  I have all gauges of this stuff and I'll be using it because it's the best and it's free where I work.  For the record, a good electrician will use a service entrance rated #8 aluminum (SE) for a range, because if it's superior jacketing quality!  lol!

jeffchilcott:  you are correct.  the pass thru RCA's are for feeding other amps for the daisychain.

customsuburb:  you are also on the money.  But my amps do not have the double #8 feeds.  I just made that statement for comparison because 500's didn't have the double #8 feeds for inputs.  The 800's did.  And the point I was trying to make by mentioning that was to emphasize the fact that Rockford used double terminal slots for two #8 wires for high current.  I'm just questioning thier design theory because it doesn't make sense.   They never thought to employ the #4 lug until the halfway through the manufacturing process for the Power 500a2.  They just cured the problem by moving to a #4 input lug.  Which is one of the amps I got. And that has me wondering why they didn't do it in the first place!  lol!  I was rambling like a moron and confused you.  And thanks for the wiring diagram.  I'm sure you spent more than a few minutes crafting that to help me out, which I truely appreciate.  Therefore, you actually helped me.  Thank you, sir.