Need help with 12v to 110v

[dsprint2000]

Hello,

I want to use some of my extra car stereo gear for my home stereo and/or shop. What kind of power source will I need to run this 12v DC equipment in my home?

Thanks,
David

 

[rockwithjason]

All you need is a 12VDC power supply with enough wattage to support the load you are looking to power. Perhaps a computer power supply could be made to work. Do a google search on power supplies and see what comes up.

Hello,

I want to use some of my extra car stereo gear for my home stereo and/or shop. What kind of power source will I need to run this 12v DC equipment in my home?

Thanks,
David

 

[BigEd]

I got mine at Radio Shack.

 

[Bradley Miller]

If your looking for a serious power supply, look under some RV sites for a power supply. I've got a 30amp Rivergate that I used to charge RC car batteries (3 chargers at 10 amps back in the good old days of 1200-1400 SCR's) and then as of late I've used it to test sub on a amplifier. It just depends on what you are wanting to power up, for a temporary thing one of those power packs that has jump starter function could be handy. Mine has a 12 volt lighter socket and a 110 volt power outlet built into it for powering up ??.

 

[Bradley Miller]

All you need is a 12VDC power supply with enough wattage to support the load you are looking to power. Perhaps a computer power supply could be made to work. Do a google search on power supplies and see what comes up.

I played with a computer power supply using some of the sites that had info. I was trying out upping the amps with another power resistor and ended up having a massive melt down. Popped 15 amp fuses in two battery chargers and fried internals on one (still worked though . . . stupid Radio Shack battery chargers!).

I'd be kind of leary of computer power supplies under high amp loads. I've had them fry in a computer before. My boss had a CompUSA generic one that literally caught fire in a PC . . . not something I'd want for a stereo/amp/etc... in a garage.

 

[Tom]

Depends on how often and long you plan on using them. A deep cycle battery and a charger work very well if you have the space. A cheaper alternative that will work also is a garden tractor battery and a small 'wall wart' charger. Heck, use any old 12v battery you have laying around.

 

[dsprint2000]

Thanks for the info - I'll look into that. Want to stay away from batteries as I will probably be using this in my home. Is there a way to have the input from the TV run thru a car stereo?

David

 

[Tom]

If the deck has aux inputs, no problem.

 

[Bradley Miller]

Thanks for the info - I'll look into that. Want to stay away from batteries as I will probably be using this in my home. Is there a way to have the input from the TV run thru a car stereo?

David

Method #1: Aux inputs . . .if it's this easy you are just livin' right.
Method #2: Cassette adapter -- If you are using a cassette based radio, then this is a good method. I assume your not really into hi-fidelty necessarily, but this is probably the best one for that because typically cassettes have better freq. response than FM. (Even low-end cassette and adapter has probably better top end than FM limited 15K top freq. response)
Method #3: FM Transmitter -- This one is going to be a hit/miss type thing. With all the MP3 players and such out there, the new generation FM transmitters might be pretty good. I didn't have great luck a few years back with them, but it might have been just isolated case. The really good ones are the ones that piped in between the antenna to inject the FM signal inline -- like the ones on CD players and such.

Tonight I picked up a smokin' deal on a 6 amp 12 volt power supply for running 12 volt fridges and other accessories. Normally $20+, marked down to $6. I've got the little fridge in the garage on it to stress test it before putting it away for safe keeping. If you run into problems with AC hum on a 12 volt adapter (cheaper ones) you can combat it with an appropriately sized capacitor (watch polarity). You don't need anything crazy (no 1 farad jobbers!).

 

[Bradley Miller]

Funny story: Years ago I did one of these setups in my room. I bought a new radio and had the old contraption sitting there. My sister's (at the time) boyfriend wanted the stereo so I sold it to him. Later I learned he had fried the stereo because he had plugged it in like I had. LIttle did he realize that I had a 12 volt converter . . . he just stuck the wires into the wall. I still don't know how he decided to put red/black into which side of the socket.

 

[dsprint2000]

Hey Bradley,

Thanks for the info. Just thinking of a different type of audio system as I am moving soon and am considering selling my Yamaha rack system that has served me faithfully. Was/am thinking that with the excess car stereo stuff I have I can make quite a nice system in smaller space and make it look kinda cool in a custom enclosure. I am definitley going to use car stereo gear in the shop though.

David

 

[Bradley Miller]

No problem. I'm still clutching on the old 1960/70(?)'s era console stereo system that I'm using in the garage. It had aux input and has really great warm sound and plenty of it. I'll probably string a line in from the server room to the garage to play MP3's off Linux box for grins. I built a platform and put the stereo (minus legs) above the air compressor and under my one garage window so I didn't lose too much space. I suppose one day I'll ditch the whole shebang and put a regular size radio in.