Car Stereo power draw

[rvr6000]

Have been thinking about installing a car stereo with CD player on the deck in a weatherproof case so I can be done with dragging the little boombox back and forth. My plan is just to have a couple outdoor speakers mounted under the pergola. What is the typical power draw for a car stereo so I know what size transformer to get?

 

[rvr6000]

Disregard....the unit I was kinda eyeing up has a 10amp fuse in back.....that kinda answers that.

 

[RobertF]

That seems pretty high, I use an old car head unit in my garage and I have it hooked up to a 3 or 5 amp supply. As long as I don't crank the speakers up all the way I don't blow the fuse.

 

[Cougar]

Used to have a car stereo, an 8 track, in my bedroom on the dresser, hooked to a car battery in the drawer. That's all I had to work with.
Sounded pretty good.

 

[Greatbear]

Typical car stereo headunits with four channels draw maybe 5 or 6 amps maximum at full blast with all four channels driven. Cut this not quite in half if you are only using a pair of speakers.

 

[mrb]

computer power supplies make great (and cheap) power supplies for car stereos.

 

[garboui]

http://www.automationdirect.com/adc...osed_Panel_Mount_(RHINO_PSS_Series)/PSS12-100

something like this would be perfect. although what mrb suggested is another (potentially) free alternative if your comfortable navigating your way around modding the supply for gp use.

 

[mrb]

http://www.automationdirect.com/adc...osed_Panel_Mount_(RHINO_PSS_Series)/PSS12-100

something like this would be perfect. although what mrb suggested is another (potentially) free alternative if your comfortable navigating your way around modding the supply for gp use.

all you have to do to the computer power supply is hook 2 wires together to get it to turn on.....

 

[hifi_hokie]

You might find that the head unit can't provide enough power without running into excessive distortion - I really wouldn't expect any more than 10-15W before THD starts getting nasty, even for casual listening.

 

[gatchel]

all you have to do to the computer power supply is hook 2 wires together to get it to turn on.....

Here is some information on what mrb is talking about:

http://www.wikihow.com/Convert-a-Computer-ATX-Power-Supply-to-a-Lab-Power-Supply

 

[rvr6000]

mrb and gatchel - thanks for the help. I just tossed out an old computer box a few weeks ago but a buddy has a power supply I can have. Will have to give this a try.

 

[wuck]

all you have to do to the computer power supply is hook 2 wires together to get it to turn on.....

Computer supplies require a minimum load on the 5 volt output in order to start, check the label. Also, newer supplies are "Soft Start", they're in standby all the time & require a signal line input to turn fully on.

The mods in the link gatchel provided address both these items:

Here is some information on what mrb is talking about:

http://www.wikihow.com/Convert-a-Computer-ATX-Power-Supply-to-a-Lab-Power-Supply

Pat

 

[ishiboo]

Computer supplies require a minimum load on the 5 volt output in order to start, check the label. Also, newer supplies are "Soft Start", they're in standby all the time & require a signal line input to turn fully on.

The mods in the link gatchel provided address both these items:


Pat

Some do, some do not. Some will cleanly regulate with only small load on the 12v side. Older supplies are better though, especially AT which eliminates the "soft start" you mentioned and they tend to work better without all the busses loaded, as the times have shifted to lower and lower voltages.