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infinity kappa midrange freezing in cold

Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=110780
Printed Date: May 08, 2024 at 9:00 PM


Topic: infinity kappa midrange freezing in cold

Posted By: justtegit
Subject: infinity kappa midrange freezing in cold
Date Posted: January 18, 2009 at 7:02 PM

I have had Infinity Kappa 6.5 components in my front doors for about 3 years. I used to live in Atlanta though, so this is my first really cold winter (moved to NY).

My front left midrange has been freezing in this last week or two of 20 degree weather.   After about 20 minutes of the heat on in my car it will thaw out enough to sound crackly - and then after a few more minutes it fully thaws out and sounds perfect. I removed the speaker and inspected it, and it appears fine and there was no visible ice on the unit or any ice inside my door. Thus, I believe it is the aluminum heatsink clamping down on the voice coil or something to that effect. I find it odd that only one of the two is doing it though.




Replies:

Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: January 18, 2009 at 8:14 PM
Was there a plastic baffle behind the OEM speaker that got removed for the install?  The manufacturer knows water gets into the door, so they generally channel the water away from the speakers and electronics mounted inside the door.  The speaker should not be getting wet.  If you mounted it, and it is not in the traditional spot for a speaker, you may have to install a baffle or some kind of moisture barrier behind the speaker to keep it from getting wet. 




Posted By: justtegit
Date Posted: January 18, 2009 at 8:18 PM
i did remove the baffle to install the speaker(my doors are very shallow)...but it freezes even when it is dry.




Posted By: soundnsecurity
Date Posted: January 19, 2009 at 11:07 AM
there is still moisture in the air that gets into the speaker

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Posted By: justtegit
Date Posted: January 19, 2009 at 8:09 PM
soundnsecurity wrote:

there is still moisture in the air that gets into the speaker


I fully understand that - but short of installing it in an airtight enclosure there is noway to prevent ambient moisture from getting into the speaker. My point was that my doors are not leaking onto the back of the driver so it is not actually an ice buildup. Frost from ambient moisture maybe, but not ice. Also - if it were the ambient moisture as the sole problem I would think both drivers would freeze. The moisture content of the air isnt going to vary much from one side of my car to the other.




Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: January 19, 2009 at 8:19 PM

I am sure they put that baffle there to keep the speaker dry. 





Posted By: boogeyman
Date Posted: January 19, 2009 at 9:19 PM
 could be the ferrofluid if used in the speaker freezing....Ive heard of that before.




Posted By: justtegit
Date Posted: January 21, 2009 at 6:42 AM
boogeyman wrote:

 could be the ferrofluid if used in the speaker freezing....Ive heard of that before.


Ferrofluid is only used in tweeters - it is my midrange that is freezing.




Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: January 21, 2009 at 8:16 AM
Swap the left and right speakers.  If the problem remains in the same door, replace or get a new baffle to keep the freezing speaker dry. 




Posted By: audiocableguy
Date Posted: January 21, 2009 at 10:22 AM
"Ferrofluid is only used in tweeters."

Sorry, this isn't true.




Posted By: kassdog
Date Posted: January 21, 2009 at 10:27 AM
Purchase R/S problem solved.




Posted By: DYohn
Date Posted: January 21, 2009 at 10:57 AM

Sounds to me like you need to move to where it's warmer.

Seriously, if you don't use a vapor barrier to protect your speakers then there is no telling what might happen.



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Posted By: justtegit
Date Posted: January 25, 2009 at 4:34 PM
kassdog wrote:

Purchase R/S problem solved.


what is R/S?




Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: January 25, 2009 at 8:06 PM

Remote Start unit.   He was suggesting that you start the vehicle and let it warm up before you go outside.    An expensive way to fix an easily repairable problem.

Did you try swapping speakers or placing baffles behind the speaker yet?





Posted By: ragsports
Date Posted: January 26, 2009 at 5:20 PM
Check this out, Parts express makes baffles just for for reason, this should fix your problem and they are very cheap https://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=260-788





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