Car amp in a home?

**JoshG** · 04-21-2006, 12:39 AM

Does anyone know how to put a car amp onto a regular computer? The trouble I am having is basically getting power to the amp itself. Any suggestions?

**2k1Toaster** · 04-21-2006, 12:52 AM

Use a PSU with a good solid 12v rail. Usually the yellow wire. I personally would just use the computer's PSU for the remote turn on lead, and then use some seperate source for the actual power like a cheap 120vac-12vdc transformer from Radio$hack.

**Vinister** · 04-21-2006, 01:00 AM

that simply wont work. a radio shack power supply will give you 1 to 2 amps, which might be enough to turn on a car cd deck, and might turn your amp on, but you'll surely fry it or activate the over-current circuit with a reasonably powered amp.

you'll need a real, professional power supply. Car stereo shops use them to power the demo boards. A decent 50 amp unit will run you a few hundred bucks. They are huge and get really hot.

In addition, car amps are (mostly) made to drive a 4 ohm load. House speakers are usually 8 ohms. Your 200 watt car amp will only make 100 watts at 8 ohms, so it will be pretty quiet, and might not be as good an idea as you think...

**SnyperBob** · 04-21-2006, 01:12 AM

well what kind of amps does a car battery put out, I think that's what he's asking.

Obviously it's 12 volts, how much amps?

**greenman100** · 04-21-2006, 01:21 AM

Originally Posted by Vinister

that simply wont work. a radio shack power supply will give you 1 to 2 amps, which might be enough to turn on a car cd deck, and might turn your amp on, but you'll surely fry it or activate the over-current circuit with a reasonably powered amp.

you'll need a real, professional power supply. Car stereo shops use them to power the demo boards. A decent 50 amp unit will run you a few hundred bucks. They are huge and get really hot.

In addition, car amps are (mostly) made to drive a 4 ohm load. House speakers are usually 8 ohms. Your 200 watt car amp will only make 100 watts at 8 ohms, so it will be pretty quiet, and might not be as good an idea as you think...

rampant misinformation here...

100 watts is only ~3dB quieter than 200watts.

a computer PSU can output ~20A on it's 12v rail. 12*20 = 240. That is more than enough to run a 200 watta amp.

Toss a SLA battery in parallel so that the amp has somewhere to draw if the load peaks over 20A

@SnyperBob: car batteries can generate nearly 1000A in a short-circuit condition. how much the car battery can generate is not the right way to solve this design problem.

**ilyassx** · 04-21-2006, 06:18 AM

Originally Posted by JoshG

Does anyone know how to put a car amp onto a regular computer? The trouble I am having is basically getting power to the amp itself. Any suggestions?

Hi,
Use the computer PSU it's work perfectly especially if you find the old AT PSU 200W, i'm using one with Pioneer GM-D510M to power my subwoofer in garge.

Cheers,

**2k1Toaster** · 04-21-2006, 12:15 PM

A PSU should work fine, but I wouldn't use the same PSU as waht your computer runs on. I wouldn't want anything to happen and then the "regulated" PC voltage go crazy and blow up.. I would use a spare that probably everyone has.

**e39dream** · 04-23-2006, 03:15 PM

I got a buddy who has 2 15" lanzars and some sickening amp running off A regualr car battery hooked to a trickle charger in his living room. He keeps the cahrger on all times and uses the 15's for his subs for home theater(from reciever sub outs). complete overkill. it does work however.