does anyone know how i can run a car stereo off a domestic 240 volt supply?
I thought of plugging in a 12volt battery charger to the mains and then connection the stereo directly to the charger but I dont know if this would work or if the charger could handle it fora long period.
Someone else suggested that I could use a transformer to connect to domestic.
Does anyone know how it could be done/give me a basic laymen's guide as best way to takle the problem?

cheers
megan

the battery charger option should work, in theory.
just need to be mindful of the current draw of the stereo v's the output of the charger.

you either get a cb power supply or use your battery charger with a 12volt battery otherwise no car stereo

Battry chargers usually have a very dirty (unfiltered) waveform and will hum like mad thru the system.
Use a lead acid battery of some description to help reduce A.C. hum.

If you are not using large amplifiers then a simple CB power supply as mentioned by POD will do.

L8tr
E

u can sorta do it that way....

but if its not for permanent use...just hook it up to a car battery!...much easier and much less dangerous.

I have tested a car stereo off main before but i used a veriac and a nice chunky bridge.

A transformer is your safest option. Charger is not recommended due to the dirtyness of the juice as mentioned above and I could be wrong but it will drain the hell out of the charger and more than likely break it as it over heat trying to supply the power.

yeah go the transformer...depending on how much u wanna draw..can be cheap..

Begs the questions though...

Why do u want to do this?

thanks for the advice - i think i will go for the transformer idea, not sure how much i need to draw - enough for a pretty decent car stereo system.

why i want to do it...ahh all will be revealed in about 6
weeks time! mwhaha


any extra advice will be appreciated!

cheers
megan

If its a decent system with a bit of grunt them, when the amps ask the question, the system will "pump" and distort like hell on bigger doof doofs.

You'll need a really hairy chested power supply to run even a modest power amp at reasonable listening levels.
Consider that a 100watt amp at full output will draw in excess of 8 amps not to mention the rest of the electronics and you are calling for a really big power supply to run it distortion free.

Just use a 4 or 6 amp CB power supply with a lead acid battery as a "capacitor" and your system will run trouble free.

The CB power supplies are heavily filtered for AC hum and hard regulated at 13.8 V which will keep your battery topped up enough and you can forget to turn off the power supply and be confortable in the knowledge that at least you didnt fry the power supply or cook the battery like a battery charger may.
Remember, your rock box will not demand full output all the time so even a small power suppy of just a few amps will be sufficient with the aid of the backup battery to supply the big grunt when needed.

Dun get too dazzled in science dude. Apply the KISS principle!

have fun with it dude.

BTY, running a car system as a home system is often a very good strategy particularly when running FM radio as in nearly all cases, the FM receivers in car systems are far and away better as far as noise rejection and sensitivity and even the cheapest of car radios can outperform spectacularly, the very best HI-Fi tuners on not much better than a bit of wire dangling out the back as an antenna.
Consider the running environment of a car with noisy RF from ignition systems, alternators and sofort!!!

L8tr
E

dont forget those fuses

ok thanks - so my shopping list should be:
1. 4 or 6 amp CB power supply
2. lead acid battery

thanks heaps for all the advice guys

Donkey, what do you mean about the fuses?



[Edited on 19-9-2004 by 75_kombi]

if u are gonna use a transformer the last thing u want is to find out you wired it wrong and get full current from the wall...not pretty.

You know what they say "Once the smoke comes out, you can't get it back in"

ok cool, thanks


i found this 6A power supply on ebay - is this what i should be looking for?

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=296&item=57...

that will do the job,youll probably need a deep cyclic battery as they take the running of things better

so.... what voltage should the battery be...12volt?

[Edited on 19-9-2004 by 75_kombi]

Yes