I've read a lot of post on this forum as a well as others regarding stereo upgrades. My question is: Do car amps damage the electrical charging system on our Baggers?

Thanks

 

It would depend on the power draw of the amp. A lot of the amps used on bikes are car amps.

 

When reviewing the spec sheets of the different car amps what should I be looking for? What is an acceptable power draw?
thanks

 

There are a couple of factors that come into play, such as what equipment you already have on your bike. Also what year is your bike, I believe it was 07 when they started putting in the stronger stators. Hopefully somebody with more knowledge will chime in, but as a general rule, most modern amps that will fit in your fairing, or not take up your saddlebag will be ok. What car amps are you looking at, the rockford fosgate and JL mini amps or Arc audio are reasonablely priced, and will supply more than adequate power.

 

I run 2 of the ALPINE PDX4.150 amps. That's 1200 watts on an '06, and I run the factory charging system & battery.

Don't think you'll need more than that.

 

Are there any technical audio members on this forum? I know companies like Yaffe and others resell small footprint car amps for Harley applications, but I'm looking for information on what is an acceptable amp/watt draw. I'm asking because I hear feedback about over loading the system and burning out stators. I've even seen stereo config. that run a separate battery in the saddle bag.

Thanks

 

The Arc 125.2 and Elf E2125X are popular 2-channel upgrades for Harleys. I've had the Elf for one year without issues, linking it up to two 6½" Biketronics-Hertz speakers and Hogtunes Tweeter Pods. The 3Ω BT wire in parallel with the 6Ω Pods to give a 2Ω output, which maximizes the amp's power (125w x 2 RMS).

I think the biggest issue with car amps is size, as few of them will fit under a fairing.

 

I've been running 1200 watts for 3 years with no problems. Be careful of the snake oil salesmen !!!