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Want a little extra thump for low budget


The Hulk

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This is another option, I calculated 1.4 cu ft on this box.  Its not rhino lined but I believe it would be fine if it was elevated off the floor.  If my box comes in totally square I will more than likely send it back and get something like this.  It is 3/4" MDF.

https://www.overstock.com/Electronics/12-inch-Subwoofer-Box/2667496/product.html

Edited by Fman
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i cant even imagine much water getting on the floor back there but...if elevated whats the big deal? even in a car its subject to atmospheric humidity. behind the kick plate its not like its getting splashed nor can i even see water on the floor back there unless you are soaked and crawling up in there...elevating it 1" would i think eliminate any chance of it touching water. 

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I agree, my 2011 VLX had a standard auto box in it mounted directly to the floor.  I was shocked when I pulled the panel and discovered this.  I kept in touch with the new owner when I sold it two years later and there we no problems with the box.  So after four years there were no problems with the box.  Rhino lined is definitely a better setup but I would not hesitate to install a standard automotive box in a boat when elevated off the floor.  You could also rattle can any box with spray on bedliner for about $15 worth of product.

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12 minutes ago, The Hulk said:

so your sub "grill protector" is mounted to the outside of your kick plate then?

Correct the grill is mounted to the kick panel.  When I removed the kick panel all I needed to do was take off the grill, the sub was screwed directly to the box.

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2 hours ago, Fman said:

This is another option, I calculated 1.4 cu ft on this box.  Its not rhino lined but I believe it would be fine if it was elevated off the floor.  If my box comes in totally square I will more than likely send it back and get something like this.  It is 3/4" MDF.

https://www.overstock.com/Electronics/12-inch-Subwoofer-Box/2667496/product.html

Is that internal or gross external? 1.4 is a bit large for the rockford marine 12" IMO. 

 

2 hours ago, The Hulk said:

even in a car its subject to atmospheric humidity.

Soak your car's carpet and then close the doors for a week. Think of a wet boat or boat with standing water in the bilge, with the cover on. Direct splash is only part of it. 

Edited by MLA
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2 hours ago, MLA said:

Is that internal or gross external? 1.4 is a bit large for the rockford marine 12" IMO. 

That number is internal, with my blue collar math skills and the box angles upward which makes it a little more difficult to be exact... so definitely approximate.  I believe the Exile 12" XiD calls for a 1.3-1.4 cu ft, but sounds like the RF marine is not the same.

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Looks about right.  The back of the qbomb was pretty close the back wall which is why the heater has to go way up on the wall.  I had to remove the 4" diameter tube and then you have to work all of the rest of tubes and wires pretty much flat against the back wall and zip tie it.   The more you get that stuff to the back the father back the box will go.  I think you can see why you have to remove the backside of the hot tube if you put it in there.

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Those 4" lines are providing circulation to vent fumes when underway. Not sure I would eliminate them. I'm building my box and the 4" tube fits on the right side of the heater core. It doesn't add additional depth. Again, I'm not moving the heater in any way. With a custom box you can get the volume without that. 

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1 hour ago, pauley71 said:

Those 4" lines are providing circulation to vent fumes when underway. Not sure I would eliminate them. I'm building my box and the 4" tube fits on the right side of the heater core. It doesn't add additional depth. Again, I'm not moving the heater in any way. With a custom box you can get the volume without that. 

Got a pic of the box your making? Or how it fits.. may have to make one myself 

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I had to remove mine because I mounted my heater to close to the top vent in front of the windshield and I could not make it fit.  I did not lose sleep over it.  The vent still draws in fresh air when underway and air still can be drawn in the floor.  I did not seal that up. It is just not channeled direct.  If it worries you, work around it and keep it.

I believe they are not so much for fumes but the vents in the front of boats are to push fresh air into the engine compartment when the boat is moving to which is supposed to increase performance.   I think there are a couple of older threads on that topic and a video from Malibu stating that is the purpose.

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8 hours ago, store934 said:

I believe they are not so much for fumes but the vents in the front of boats are to push fresh air into the engine compartment when the boat is moving to which is supposed to increase performance.  

Any chance you could dig up that malibu vid? I would be curious if that is their official position. The USCG, ABYC and NMMA might have different thoughts on those bilge vents. They may indeed provide fresh air for the engine, but thats secondary. They absolutely are there to prevent gas fume build up in the bilge. 

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Sorry.  I hope I did not come acrosss as this is Malibu and their official stance.  

This is my opinion based on what I have read from others and seen as marketing.  It seems to be stated as being a performance feature and not a safety feature.  Mine was not even seated in the hole so it would  not have made  much of a difference from what I did.  I think it was a factory tour video as a feature and  "unique" rather than safety.   I could be wrong but thats what I recall.  I will see if I can find it next week on a PC rather than my phone. 

In the end I don't disagree with you and that it might be a safety feature and actually required and best practice.  Maybe they should put a safety sticker on it to protect me (or them) from me removing it.  There are plenty of other stickers (sarcasm :))

At the end of the day it does not keep me up at night removing it.  Everyone needs to make their own decision.

I am not trying to tell everyone it is grabage  and I am sure there is incremental value.  For me I am more worried about fumes at ignition and not while under power so I was okay taking out to meet my needs. If you are not, keep it.  

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13 hours ago, MLA said:

Any chance you could dig up that malibu vid? I would be curious if that is their official position. The USCG, ABYC and NMMA might have different thoughts on those bilge vents. They may indeed provide fresh air for the engine, but thats secondary. They absolutely are there to prevent gas fume build up in the bilge. 

Since gas fumes are going to settle to the bottom of the bilge, the only way the vents actually would work is when you are moving.  Additionally the hole that the vent hose is directed to is chock full of other stuff -- on my axis no fewer than five hoses from the factory (ballast and heater).  It's not like that ram air hose, to the extent it does much of anything, is "blowing out" the bilge with positive air pressure.  How fast would you need to go for the vent to do anything whatsoever?  My guess is that there's near zero air pressure at anything less than highway speeds, so if you only surf, or if you tow with your boat cover on, or if you moor your boat...

Gas fumes are denser than air anyway, so not sure that air introduced to the bilge will displace them?  Where would the gas fumes go, even with positive air pressure, since they can't rise?

I'm not saying that you are wrong about the intent of the hose, but IMHO the blower sucking air from the bottom of the bilge and venting it to atmosphere is much more important than a "ram air" hose to the bilge.  I've never heard of an MB blowing up for this reason, and MB doesn't even have these sorts of positive ventilation hoses.

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I was told by a reputable source those vents are actually for air flow for engine performance not removing gas fumes, I agree with SD they would do little or nothing for removing fumes in the engine compartment, that is what the blower is for.

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On 10/14/2016 at 7:55 PM, The Hulk said:

No idea if it's going to be possible to fit the q bomb snapped a pic.. it's going to be tough

rps20161014_225103.jpg

Your going to have to get a little creative, these install are not cookie cutter perfect.  I am confident you can make it work but might require a little bit of tweaking.  Make sure and really look at pulling out that kick panel as far as possible to free up some more space back there.

Here is another option for you, I would not have any problems using this box elevated off the floor.  Its 3/4" MDF, only 12" deep and looks like a solid build.

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_99723_Scosche-SE12R.html

Edited by Fman
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10 hours ago, shawndoggy said:

Since gas fumes are going to settle to the bottom of the bilge, the only way the vents actually would work is when you are moving.

That is why they are force fed by forward facing intakes. 

 

10 hours ago, shawndoggy said:

 Additionally the hole that the vent hose is directed to is chock full of other stuff -- on my axis no fewer than five hoses from the factory (ballast and heater).

Im sorry that experience is limited to only one manufacturer. Ive seen dozens of boats with dedicated bilge vent holes

 

11 hours ago, shawndoggy said:

It's not like that ram air hose, to the extent it does much of anything, is "blowing out" the bilge with positive air pressure.

How is it not doing exactly that? Underway, there would be positive pressure pressure in the bilge, forcing air out. Look at the rudimentary circulation schematic of the blower, and we take comfort in thinking it works. A dinky fan moves air out with an inlet hose somewhere else. 

 

11 hours ago, shawndoggy said:

Gas fumes are denser than air anyway, so not sure that air introduced to the bilge will displace them?  Where would the gas fumes go, even with positive air pressure, since they can't rise?

So you dont believe in blowers then?

11 hours ago, shawndoggy said:

I'm not saying that you are wrong about the intent of the hose,

LO thats exactly what you are doing as if I designed it :salute: I didnt say the design works, just stated thats its intent. Its been its intent LONG before anyone ever thought or cared about the engine's performance.    

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I believe in blowers!  They are sucking air (and potentially heavier-than-air gas fumes) OUT, right from the bottom of the bilge (though that dinky inlet hose that should be at the bottom of the bilge) and forcing it OUT of the boat through a continuous tube.  

Ever vented a computer case or home theater cabinet?  sucking air out is way more effective than blowing air in.  

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@MLA 

This is the video I was thinking of.  Fiberglass Engine Chassis System (which is what I assume these vent tubes connect to) creates active air induction that increases engine performance and the elimination of unpleasant odors from moisture.    About 7 minutes into the video.

 

 

Edited by store934
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10 minutes ago, store934 said:

@malibuskier2003   - You have the three vent heater core under there with 1 hot tube in the walkthrough and the two other in the kick panel or no hot tube in the walkthrough?

Hot tube in the walkway & I added a one in the kick panel (it's the bottom one).  

Dave

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just received my qbomb angled order from walmart: Again NOT Angled... so from what i gather the part numbers are the same but nobody on the web has updated photos and from what i can tell they no longer make an angled box if it carries the same item code. 

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no more angled boxes from qbomb...bummer

 

the angled box was 1.37 cu Ft.

the square box is about 2.2cu ft

how critical is the 1.3 cuft for the 12" RF sub?

 

found something that was interesting; http://www.beachaudio.com/Qpower/Qbcorvette112-p-798090.html but its only 0.8cuft

another one that is 1.1cu ft http://www.beachaudio.com/Qpower/Qbtruck112s-50-p-727224.html

 

 

Edited by The Hulk
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