Running a car stereo off 120V -->Stereoinstaller?

[mamzak]

I want to hook up a car stereo system for my box at work, but be able to run it off a normal 120V outlet. I've been looking around for 12V power supplies but I'm not sure of the power requirements I'll need. I want to run probably 4 speakers off the deck (just a normal 1-din clarion deck) I also bought a little self powered 8" sub for use with a home theatre system, and that has it's own built in amp.

For example, would something like this have sufficient power to run the system? http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAu...mid_PS8KX.aspx

[TurboJake]

Not too small if you just want to do the deck and 4 speakers with a 120v self powered sub.

So, yes!

[Vtec?lol]

I use a battery charger/maintainer from walmart and it works great for $19

[TurboJake]

I will say, the amperage of that unit may be on the low side. So if you're pumping the deck loudly, it might not be up to the challenge.

[mamzak]

Do you guys know where you can find power supplies suitable for running car stereo's, aside from online?

Jake, what kind of specs should I be looking for? 10A? Wattage?

[TurboJake]

Honestly? I've done it using a power supply from an ancient i486. Back before ATX and the thing you turned on was the supply itself.

This will do ya plenty.

http://www.katerno.com/detail.php?s=117071

[mamzak]

Ugh, That one looks perfect except with shipping to Canada it totals $137!! :(

[Cosmic Serpent]

I have used a computer power supply in the past and it works great :)

http://www.instructables.com/id/Turn-Computer-Power-Suppy-into-Car-Audio/#step1

[416stroker]

buy a transformer like a industrial one.



Edit: never mind 12v one cost to much 24v ones are much cheaper.

[stamar]

Actually almost every laptop power supply sends out 14.8 volts.

[mamzak]

Actually almost every laptop power supply sends out 14.8 volts.

Yeah but the amps aren't enough to run a stereo system I don't think. Lap-top ones are like 2A.

[TurboJake]

Actually almost every laptop power supply sends out 14.8 volts.

Wrong, as you always are.

[u3b3rg33k]

You want boatloads of clean, 12VDC? easy:

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=500W+PSU&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=13016415457492124182&sa=X&ei=XPxvT6qZFcf10gHap7DcBg&ved=0CIEBEPMCMAM

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&q=atx+extension+cable&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=2288929464558095534&sa=X&ei=tPxvT9WFKIfy0gH54vneBg&ved=0CIUBEPMCMAE

Jumper the green wire to a black wire on the main ATX connector, enjoy 150W per pci-e connector (feel free to use the 8 pin CPU power connector as well) - scale PSU up until you have enough amperage. run a little bit of ballast load on the 3.3v and 5v lines (not needed on newer DC-DC models like corsair's AX line), ignore any connector with a "-" value, and enjoy stupidly clean 12V.

[Wh33lhop]

Wrong, as you always are.

Still, even 100W or so which is on the high end of laptop power brick's ratings probably wouldn't be enough to run a deck plus 4 speakers at ~13W RMS plus a separately powered sub (not even including overhead/efficiency). But if you could find some laying around, you could run a few of them in parallel, maybe to a regulator.

[TurboJake]

I'm not saying to use them.

I'm just pointing out that stamar's advice is always useless and wrong.

But any old ATX power supply will work just fine. I already said the ancient Pre-ATX i486 (i386, pentium I, even pentium II) power supplies work really well too.