Hi All,

I've run into a perplexing situation and I'm not really sure where to go from here, so I'm hoping for some HDForums help .

I have a 2015 Ultra Limited with a Sony AX-7000. I was using an MD4110 amp in front to power 2 PA601CX in the fairing and some JL Marine speakers in the lowers but then decided to go with the GZ Yellow Baskets in the fairing. They sounded ok in this config, but wanted to try a bit more power so I picked up a DB Drive EX4 800W 4channel amp. That's where my troubles began .

I hooked up the amp, set my gains, and all seemed well in the garage but on a test ride after about 20 minutes the amp would cut out if I had it above a certain volume (think...30 on the AX-7000). Some suggested my gains might be high as I'd set them with the bike not running. I reset the gains with the bike running but still the issue persisted, and then the whole amp quit. No power.

I reached out to DB Drive and they replaced the amp under warranty. I recently got the replacement and am just installing today. Lo and behold - I connect power, ground, and remote and guess what? Still no power! The protection light comes on momentarily when the bike is turned on and then goes off, but the power light never comes on. I do have two output channels on the DSR1 hooked up to channels 1 and 2 on the EX4 via RCA just in case it needed some audio input to get it going in addition to the remote wire.

Some additional info.....I have a DSR1 as my DSP up front and I've tried using the DSR1 remote out to the amp, as well as the direct remote out from the head unit which is working currently with the DSR1 and two JL Audio amps in the tour pack. Either way - same result. No power at the amp. The DSR1 powers on successfully from the wiring harness for power, ground, and remote (not directly wired to the battery - used a harness I picked up from I think American Hardbag which has been there since the original install of the DSR1).

Still - swapping the remote wire to the same head unit remote that is powering the DSR1 and JL Audio amps in the back has no effect. I've tested my power, and remote wires and both are carrying sufficient voltage even with the bike off to power the amp, ground wire continuity checks out between the ground wire I ran from the negative battery terminal and the end of the wire where it plugs into the amp.

What gives? Could they have sent me a "brand new" bad amp? Did they repackage my old amp as new and send it back to me? Currently no speakers are connected to the output side of the EX4, but I'm not sure that would make a difference. The protection light only comes on for a second when the bike is turned on and then goes off. I would think if there were an issue with something related (thermal, power, speaker impedance) it would just stay on?

There's no switch on the EX4 to specify how the unit remotely turns on as some amps have, I've obviously checked the fuses from the wire I ran from the battery to the amp and they are good, and I'm getting about 13.3 volts at the power wire where it plugs into the amp with the bike off. Remote wire from the head unit is putting out about 12.7 (again with the bike off).

I can reach out to DB Drive again, but want to make sure I'm covering all my bases before I do. Any suggestions?

Thanks All!

Roger

 

First question. How are specifically setting your gains?

 

Thanks! Initially I set them with a DMM. All equalization, base boost, enhancements, etc. turned off on the head unit, bike running and set according to the chart in the sticky for 200W, 4ohm, not bridged.

At this point though I'm not setting gains at all since the new amp does not have power.

 

Thanks! Initially I set them with a DMM. All equalization, base boost, enhancements, etc. turned off on the head unit, bike running and set according to the chart in the sticky for 200W, 4ohm, not bridged.

At this point though I'm not setting gains at all since the new amp does not have power.

 

Trying to follow your steps. Where did you connect your remote turn on for the amp? I ran my two amps and my dsp all piggybacked to a single remote turn on.

 

I'm with Teed. Sounds like that remote source could be an issue.

No clue how u have everything all interconnected thus the remote is the lowest hanging fruit. My DSP turns on all my amps. My accessory harness tap turns on my DSP. Not the HU.

T

 

What size wire are you running for the power and ground? 8ga min is needed.

 

I know this might sound simple, but did you check your fuses? I had a similar situation once turns out the fuse was blown. Sometimes the little things can drive you nuts forever.....

 

Try disconnecting your outputs/speakers on that amp, it could be seeing a short
Thats why you see protection light up. could be.

 

Thanks everyone! I've connected the remote wire to the amp to the head unit's remote. Initially I was using the remote out of the DSR1 but swapped to the head unit remote when it didn't power on. Didn't make a difference either way. When I put the meter on the head unit's remote wire I got 12.5 volts with the bike off. The remote from the head unit is powering the DSR1 as well as two JL amps in the tourpack. The DSR1 and the head unit get main power/ground from the accessory harness. All are powering on correctly.

I'm running 8 gauge power/ground from the battery to the amp in front as well as the tourpack amps. Fuses are good. Currently no speakers on the amp in front. I'm probably going to dismount the amp in front and try it out with the tourpack wiring in the back to see if it powers on then. If it doesn't I'm going to chalk it up to a bad amp and reach out to DB again.