Random popping through subwoofer

I'm still having this odd problem. This is a new problem, though, in the sense that it didn't always do this.

Randomly, I will get a popping sound through my subwoofer. Sometimes it's really loud, sometimes not as loud. Sometimes there will be several pops at once like a machine gun, sometimes just one. Sometimes there will be no popping for minutes... sometimes it's every 15 seconds or so. Recently I had about 3 days of no popping. Now it's giving me an occasional pop or two when I turn on the headunit.

Related hardware: Optima red-top, factory 140-amp alternator, Sony CDX-C680 headunit, Xtant A3001 amp, IDQ12 sub in a 12" driver's side stealthbox.

Wiring: 4ga from battery to 8ga dist. block in rear. 8ga from positive to a 30A radio shack fuse, to the sub amp. 8ga from negative to the 4ga ground distribution block, which goes to the body of the car in the hatch area (a factory ground location).

More information: often when it pops my Xtant sub amp will flash the yellow light, which the manual says is overcurrent.

More information: this happens with or without the car on, so it doesn't seem to be related to the alternator or voltage regulator, right?

What do you guys think is the problem? I'm not hearing any popping through my 4-channel amp, so it seems specific to the sub.

Need any more info, just ask. But please share your thoughts!

------------------
Solomon
What's life all about? (http://w3.one.net/~roz/meaning.html)
Silver '95 Camaro Z28 M6 (http://w3.one.net/~roz/cars/z28/): 14.3 @ 98.7 - With problems, but will improve!
White '90 Cadillac deVille (http://w3.one.net/~roz/cars/cadillac/): 16.3 @ 81.4 - Not likely to change soon.
Learn the basics of tuning your OBDI LT1 PCM! (http://w3.one.net/~roz/cars/z28/tuning.html)

Start by checking for shorts in the speaker wires going to your sub. Either at the sub, the amplifier or pinched somewhere in between. You may have an intermittent short somewhere.

Same thing happened to me when I was wiring the power wire for my new alpine.

turns out, when I removed the passenger side trim to get under the dash, I pinched the rca line running from the unit to the amp in the back. it was shorting out to the metal screw bolting the trim on.

I took it out, reinstalled, and everything's fine. hope that helps.

(it made the most noise when I first turned the stereo on, or during quiet times of songs...this is when I could notice it most, I guess)

Well, I think I figured it out.

I had been noticing that it seemed to be much worse when it was hotter outside...

Yesterday it was in the 90s and popping like crazy, so when I got home I looked at the amp again.

Sure enough, the overcurrent light was flashing with each pop as usual... but I noticed the light under it was dimly lit--overheating.

So, the question is... is this an internal problem, or something I can fix with better external cooling?

Right now the amp is mounted on a carpeted board that is bolted to the rear wall of the hatch, next to my 4ch amp (both on same board). It looks to have plenty of airflow.

The amp is black, and perhaps it could be in sunlight, since I took that carpeted flap off the rear deck. Would putting that back on, and keeping the sunlight out of there, solve the problem? Or am I going to need some kind of fan (ugh) or the like?

Thanks for the thoughts and continuing help.

------------------
Solomon
What's life all about? (http://w3.one.net/~roz/meaning.html)
Silver '95 Camaro Z28 M6 (http://w3.one.net/~roz/cars/z28/): 14.3 @ 98.7 - With problems, but will improve!
White '90 Cadillac deVille (http://w3.one.net/~roz/cars/cadillac/): 16.3 @ 81.4 - Not likely to change soon.
Learn the basics of tuning your OBDI LT1 PCM! (http://w3.one.net/~roz/cars/z28/tuning.html)

I've had my amp running in direct sunlight on HOT days, and it's never done that. I would look at either a power or ground problem, perhaps even an ohm issue.

I doubt it's the cooling to be honest.

your sub is probly blown.when a voice coil goes usually the wires can touch and short the amp which can cause the overcurrent light. even though the sub will play it can be blown. push on the cone slightly if it has a coarse sound instead of smooth its blown. hope i helped