How to power a car subwoofer from my 120V outlet?

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RaiderJ

Diamond Member
Apr 29, 2001
7,582
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Since my big subwoofer (12" solobaric) is a target for thieves and my home stereo subwoofer just went out, I'm thinking about moving it inside. What do I need to power it from a regular 120V outlet - a power supply? Transformer? Is this even feasible? It's a 1000W setup, so it would need to pull a pretty good load.

Ideas?

EDIT: I have the Phoenix Gold 1200.1 Subwoofer and a Kicker 12" L7 1500W / 750W RMS subwoofer. Right now the subwoofer is in a big ported box running at 2 ohms.
 
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shuan24

Platinum Member
Jul 17, 2003
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I'm sure its possible, but I'd tried to get a friend whos more knowledgable if I were you.
 
Joemonkey

Joemonkey

Diamond Member
Mar 3, 2001
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get a high amperage AC to DC converter, splice the wires, and wire it up to a car amp, then hook speaker up to the amp
 
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shuan24

Platinum Member
Jul 17, 2003
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Originally posted by: Joemonkey
get a high amperage AC to DC converter, splice the wires, and wire it up to a car amp, then hook speaker up to the amp
Click to expand...
Be sure to use thick enough wires! Or it WILL catch on fire and burn your house down!
 
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spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
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Originally posted by: Joemonkey
get a high amperage AC to DC converter, splice the wires, and wire it up to a car amp, then hook speaker up to the amp
Click to expand...

done.

Just make sure it can output the necessary power. You should be able to check the current draw of the amp. Then just get one rated higher than that.

 
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PurdueRy

Lifer
Nov 12, 2004
13,837
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Originally posted by: RaiderJ
Since my big subwoofer (12" solobaric) is a target for thieves and my home stereo subwoofer just went out, I'm thinking about moving it inside. What do I need to power it from a regular 120V outlet - a power supply? Transformer? Is this even feasible? It's a 1000W setup, so it would need to pull a pretty good load.

Ideas?
Click to expand...

you won't ever pull 1000 watts to that in your home, I can guarantee that. Those numbers are just for those that wanna brag to others about their system.

Most speakers at loud levels hardly pull 60 watts
 
D

damonpip

Senior member
Mar 11, 2003
635
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The easiest thing to do would be to buy a 120v sub amp. Any of the amps here: Text would do the job.
 
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ahurtt

Diamond Member
Feb 1, 2001
4,283
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0
that 1000W is probably a peak rating, not a sustainable rating. Another thing they do to trick you is say you buy a setup rated for like 500W and it comes with like 4 speakers and a subwoofer. What they don't really tell you is that the 500W is total. So like each speaker would be a 100W speaker.
 
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RaiderJ

Diamond Member
Apr 29, 2001
7,582
1
76
Originally posted by: Joemonkey
get a high amperage AC to DC converter, splice the wires, and wire it up to a car amp, then hook speaker up to the amp
Click to expand...

Know of any places to get such an item?
 
B

bmacd

Lifer
Jan 15, 2001
10,869
1
0
you need what's called a directed power supply. Radio Shack carries them, and for about $40, you can get a (i think) 10 amp model.

-=bmacd=-
 
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iamtrout

Diamond Member
Nov 21, 2001
3,001
1
0
For your benefit OP, only take advice seriously from people who have done this before.

I have NOT done this, but car subs draw a HUGE amount of current, maybe around 30A? Your average AC/DC converter will NOT even come close to yielding this much current. I don't think it's just a matter of getting thicker wires. Thicker wires won't help if the actual circuitry in these converters fry under this much current.

Perhaps you could get a car battery charger? Wall outlet to battery charger, charger to battery, battery to your regular car amp, amp to your sub.
 
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spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
Originally posted by: rleemhui
Originally posted by: RaiderJ
Since my big subwoofer (12" solobaric) is a target for thieves and my home stereo subwoofer just went out, I'm thinking about moving it inside. What do I need to power it from a regular 120V outlet - a power supply? Transformer? Is this even feasible? It's a 1000W setup, so it would need to pull a pretty good load.

Ideas?
Click to expand...

you won't ever pull 1000 watts to that in your home, I can guarantee that. Those numbers are just for those that wanna brag to others about their system.

Most speakers at loud levels hardly pull 60 watts
Click to expand...

I very, very, very much disagree (at least for subs)

I have measured my amplifiers before and some do indeed draw 6 amps AC on 120V. Especially subs as they need a good amount of power.

My post was just to make sure the converter will cover the max current draw of the amp.

 
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Merlyn3D

Platinum Member
Sep 15, 2001
2,148
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Don't forget to test your capacitor for charge and discharge it before use. This can be done by pulling it off the board and placing the contacts on your tongue.
 
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Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
81
You need to know how much current your amplifier draws at 12V.

Then you need to find a power supply that puts out MORE than this.

Once you have figured this out, search for DC power supply on eBay.

Pyramid makes some nice ones for realitivly cheap.
 
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shuan24

Platinum Member
Jul 17, 2003
2,558
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Originally posted by: Merlyn3D
Don't forget to test your capacitor for charge and discharge it before use. This can be done by pulling it off the board and placing the contacts on your tongue.
Click to expand...

that is sooo wrong. Yet so right! :D
 
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RU482

Lifer
Apr 9, 2000
12,689
3
81
one easy and terrible way to do it would be to have a deep cycle or car battery and a battery charger. Of course, I'm not sure how much noise that charger will add to the system, so you might want to disconnect it while running your system
 
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Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
81
Originally posted by: redly1
one easy and terrible way to do it would be to have a deep cycle or car battery and a battery charger. Of course, I'm not sure how much noise that charger will add to the system, so you might want to disconnect it while running your system
Click to expand...
The charger shouldn't add any noise.. Think of the battery as a HUGE capacitor.

It's probably not feasable, though. He would still need to know the amperage draw of his amplifier, so he could calculate how long he could run the sub and how long it would need to recharge before being able to be used again, lol..

For about as much as a battery/charger, he could get a 13.8V power supply...
 
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iamtrout

Diamond Member
Nov 21, 2001
3,001
1
0
http://www.crutchfieldadvisor.com/ISEO-.../current_affairs.html?print=1&page=all

Ok, I think I got it figured out. Taken from the crutchfield website, say that you have a 500W amp, and your car's electrical system is 13.8V. 500 watts divided by 13.8 volts equals 36.2 amperes.

So if you use that radio shack thing in my above post, it does 25A continuous, so your amp should only be a maximum of 345W (25A x 13.8V) if you want to use the radio shack power supply.
 
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spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
The only problem with figuring out current draw by just taking the power rating of the amp is amps are not 100% efficient. You lose a lot in heat - any where from 20-50%.

The amp manufacturer should be able to provide max current, if it isn't listed on the amp itself.
 
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PurdueRy

Lifer
Nov 12, 2004
13,837
4
0
Originally posted by: spidey07
Originally posted by: rleemhui
Originally posted by: RaiderJ
Since my big subwoofer (12" solobaric) is a target for thieves and my home stereo subwoofer just went out, I'm thinking about moving it inside. What do I need to power it from a regular 120V outlet - a power supply? Transformer? Is this even feasible? It's a 1000W setup, so it would need to pull a pretty good load.

Ideas?
Click to expand...

you won't ever pull 1000 watts to that in your home, I can guarantee that. Those numbers are just for those that wanna brag to others about their system.

Most speakers at loud levels hardly pull 60 watts
Click to expand...

I very, very, very much disagree (at least for subs)

I have measured my amplifiers before and some do indeed draw 6 amps AC on 120V. Especially subs as they need a good amount of power.

My post was just to make sure the converter will cover the max current draw of the amp.
Click to expand...


How did you measure your amplifier? I am saying that the driver itself won't get 1000 watts.
 
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spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
with a handheld tester on the AC outlet.

And for sure you can deliver 1000 watts to the driver.

I know wattage numbers can be overstated, but some amplifers do indeed deliver that kind of power in the home and car world.
 
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PurdueRy

Lifer
Nov 12, 2004
13,837
4
0
Originally posted by: spidey07
with a handheld tester on the AC outlet.

And for sure you can deliver 1000 watts to the driver.
Click to expand...


I didn't say the driver couldn't handle that. I said under normal listening conditions(indoors) the driver itself will not use 1000 watts of power. The amp might pull that...but amps are inefficient. Thats all I am saying.
 
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MikeMike

Lifer
Feb 6, 2000
45,885
66
91
get two wires, plug them onto the subwoofer

then plug the other 2 into the outlet.

assuming you did this right, the sub should start to move.

there ya go
 
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