Noise from Hogtunes amp install
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Road Master
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 921
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From: Junction City, Kansas
Noise from Hogtunes amp install
I installed a Hogtunes amp and speaker kit along with a Boom audio amplified in fairing antenna. They both use the cig lighter for power so I have them both powered by it. When I got it all done I fired up the stereo and everything worked fine but at low volume levels you can hear a little noise coming through the speakers. I just thought it was just normal noise from running an amp but started to wonder if it may be a problem from running the antenna from the same power source. Can anyone give me an idea if the noise is normal or I need to find a different power source for the antenna. Thanks.
Former Sponsor
Joined: Apr 2009
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Does it happen with the bike not running?
Unplug the antenna from the radio first and see if the noise is still there. The antennas proximity to the amp may be picking up some RF from the amp.
Also, switch the radio to aux with no audio playing and see if the noise is still there.
Let us know what happens.
Unplug the antenna from the radio first and see if the noise is still there. The antennas proximity to the amp may be picking up some RF from the amp.
Also, switch the radio to aux with no audio playing and see if the noise is still there.
Let us know what happens.
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Road Master
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 921
Likes: 8
From: Junction City, Kansas
It does it with the bike running or not. You can only hear it at low volume so once you are riding and have the volume up some it wont be an issue but I just want things to be right. I will try Aux when I get home. Thank you for the advice.
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Road Master
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 921
Likes: 8
From: Junction City, Kansas
The wires going to the cig lighter are for a 12v switched power source so the amp only powers on when the ignition switch is turned on. It connects to the pos and neg of the cig lighter.
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 274
Likes: 3
From: Portage, IN
I would suspect a ground issue...Most noises in car audio come from ground issues. I would ground the amp and the head unit to the same ground and find the best most direct ground that you can. I am not very familiar with audio for bikes but do a lot of car stuff...Usually the battery will ground to the frame via a nice big ground point. It may ground to the engine as well, or there may be a nice path from frame to engine. If the ground from the battery to the frame is good, clean and tight then I would look for a good spot on the frame to ground the audio to or a good dedicated ground lug. I would NOT ground the amp or the radio to the cig lighter...
The radio and amp and antenna are all connected. If one of them has a good ground and the other two don't the poorly grounded components will try to seek their ground thru the well grounded component and give you noise. if you are not sure if the grounding spot is good, take a simple volt meter and put it on DC volts. Put the black lead from the meter to the battery negative and the red meter lead to the spot of your grounding. It should read 0 (zero) volts. If there is a reading of a volt or more, the ground is bad. Clean it, tighten it or move it to another good ground source...
Also I am not familiar with that amp but car audio amps will have a dedicated power to them from the battery and there will be another wire that powers up with the key on. This is called the "remote turn on wire". The power from the battery should be on a pretty robust wire, but the remote turn on does not have to be a large gauge wire at all.
The radio and amp and antenna are all connected. If one of them has a good ground and the other two don't the poorly grounded components will try to seek their ground thru the well grounded component and give you noise. if you are not sure if the grounding spot is good, take a simple volt meter and put it on DC volts. Put the black lead from the meter to the battery negative and the red meter lead to the spot of your grounding. It should read 0 (zero) volts. If there is a reading of a volt or more, the ground is bad. Clean it, tighten it or move it to another good ground source...
Also I am not familiar with that amp but car audio amps will have a dedicated power to them from the battery and there will be another wire that powers up with the key on. This is called the "remote turn on wire". The power from the battery should be on a pretty robust wire, but the remote turn on does not have to be a large gauge wire at all.
Last edited by WillyD; Jan 25, 2012 at 09:27 AM.
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