Painting Amp Heatsink !

[mattmcss 10+ year member]

Alrite, I'm going to be picking up a kicker SX900.4 amp tonight, that was powdercoated dark purple, and I want to paint over it with some metallic blue, or black. I'd more than likely be using rattlecans, I can't afford to have it powerdoated again. Any thoughts on, should I do it or shouldn't I ?

of course, I'd scuff between coats, and before I painted at all, just wondering if there were any negative affects of painting over powdercoating.

Click to read more...

 

[Bake 10+ year member]

I would strip the Powder Coat off rather than paint over it. I think it would be eaiser that trying to get the paint to stick to the powder. Plus less paint should aid in cooling.

 

[mattmcss 10+ year member]

how do I get the powdercoating off ? sand the chit out of it ? or is there some product that can be used ?

 

[mattmcss 10+ year member]

up

 

[revrider1 5,000+ posts]

Take the heat sink completely off, sand it down and then paint it...

 

[Blazin_Jason 10+ year member]

Would need something like aircraft stripper or a tiger torch. You can also sand it off, but that's slow. Personally since it's already powdercoated, it can be coated again. I'd check locally to see how much to have it painted a different color. They wouldn't have to strip it down unless it's VERY heavy/thick.

 

[mattmcss 10+ year member]

Alrite, i just picked it up, it looks good but I think I'm going to try and sand it off with an orbital sander tomarrow, and than go from there with the paint thing.

 

[HiAmplidude 10+ year member]

are you sure it's a good idea to be insulating the heat-dissipating surface of the heat sink? There's a reason most heat sinks are only anodyzed for color and even then, it's a trade-off to efficient heat release.

There may be enough surface area to be ok, but I'm just bringing this up as a point to consider.

 

[mattmcss 10+ year member]

well, thats one of the reasons i've posted, its a kicker sx900.4

I was looking at the amp, I'm not sure if the top part is much of a heat sink, I'm sure it does some heat dissipation but I don't know about how much.

Perhaps polecat can chime in ?

 

[HiAmplidude 10+ year member]

well, thats one of the reasons i've posted, its a kicker sx900.4
I was looking at the amp, I'm not sure if the top part is much of a heat sink, I'm sure it does some heat dissipation but I don't know about how much.

Perhaps polecat can chime in ?

OK, I'm not personally intimate with that specific amp, but let's approach this from a common sense perspective and maybe that'll help you with your choice of what to do.

True heat sinks will generally be finned aluminum (or channeled or in some form that increases their surface area). Aluminum is used in place of some other materials because of its easy machining, resistance to damage, and price (although still expensive).

Now, amp makers still want to impress their consumer visually because there's really not all that much to them, so they're given flashy shapes and fancy paint jobs. But, not all of the time the colors you're looking at is paint. It's not even powder-coating (although some is).

Anodizing is an expensive process to getting "color" onto raw aluminum, so amp makers will try to employ that process to as little material as possible while maintaining the "look" they're after, but it's probably one of the best ways to color while not drastically affecting its capability as a heat sink. And, although the non-heat-sink-specific parts of an amp (metal, that is) are not as significant to reducing heat, they are still part of it, and may even transfer from one heat sink to the other via heat conductivity (under the paint/powder-coat).

So, those things being considered, take a look at the factory amp. What part is it that you're wanting to color? On the original surface was it raw aluminum or anodized aluminum? If so, if it were me, I'd strip whatever powder-coating and everything else off of it and leave it raw.

Now, if it was (factory original) painted, powder-coated, plastic, chromed, or anything else that may insulate the surface, my guess is: it's not a significant heat dissipating part of the amp and you're absolutely fine painting it or whatever else you want to do with it.

Does that help a bit?

 

[mattmcss 10+ year member]

yeah helps a lot, i found this side pic which might show a little more about the design of the amp, I think the fins you see on the ends are the main heat dissipators.

http://ampguts.realmofexcursion.com/Kicker_SX900.4/outside2.jpg

I'm not sure what the finish is on the top, but I don't like whats on it now. I mean, maybe what I'm painting is just a cover ?

 

[zfactor 10+ year member]

it will be fine to paint but get all the old stuff off first.. stripper or bead blast it then seal/primer and repaint... or do it the best way and have it re-powdercoated they will strip it for you and should be to bad price wise ive had local guys do it for me for like 50$ the whole deal stripping and re-coating

 

[revrider1 5,000+ posts]

I have never had a heat issue with the amps I painted. I do try and get most the paint off of them though...

 

[HiAmplidude 10+ year member]

yeah helps a lot, i found this side pic which might show a little more about the design of the amp, I think the fins you see on the ends are the main heat dissipators.
http://ampguts.realmofexcursion.com/Kicker_SX900.4/outside2.jpg

I'm not sure what the finish is on the top, but I don't like whats on it now. I mean, maybe what I'm painting is just a cover ?

Good pic. Looks like it's just a cover dude. You'll be a-ok

 

[djman37 5,000+ posts]

it also LOOKS like there are intakes on the ends???