Trying to go from 12v ac to 12v dc

[Duanee30]

This is my first post on this site so I'm not sure if I'm in the right place. I have a computer speaker system that I'd like to install in my car. It's a nice system and I don't have the money to buy a completely new system for my car, plus I just want to know if it can be done. Ok, so here's what I'd like to do. The subwoofer is run off of an amp that's in the subwoofer enclosure. It normally just plugs into a 120v ac socket. When I open the enclosure up I see on the transformer that there's 120v ac going to the transformer and then 12.5v ac going out to the amp. Is there anyway I could convert the amp to run off of 12v dc so that it will work in my car? I've included a picture of the transformer in the enclosure.

 

[Ben King]

you could make or buy an inverter

could you take a pic of all the wires that go out of the enclosure?

 

[davenn]

Is there anyway I could convert the amp to run off of 12v dc so that it will work in my car?

probably

you need to measure the voltage across that blue capacitor or across the red and black wires
that will give you the DC voltage you need

 

[davenn]

you could make or buy an inverter

not sure why you would want to do that ?

 

[73's de Edd]

The least invasive basic test / evaluation, would involve unsoldering just one of the YELLOW wires from the PCB and set it aside.
Then run 12VDC battery power to the RED and BLACK wires at the BLUE filter capacitor to then be able to evaluate the unit, to see if BATTERY power will still please you on its high level volume / power capacity.

That . . . . in being compared against the otherwise ~ 14VDC (High volume) -16VDC (Low volume) that the units AC power supply would normally be providing.
If so . . . . an installed DPDT switch wired in, might then provide change over capability between 12VDC car operation or the old home operation from AC power.

73's de Edd

 

[Ben King]

not sure why you would want to do that ?

Idk why I have not the best experience in electronics

 

[Ben King]

The least invasive basic test / evaluation, would involve unsoldering just one of the YELLOW wires from the PCB and set it aside.
Then run 12VDC battery power to the RED and BLACK wires at the BLUE filter capacitor to then be able to evaluate the unit, to see if BATTERY power will still please you on its high level volume / power capacity.

That . . . . in being compared against the otherwise ~ 14VDC (High volume) -16VDC (Low volume) that the units AC power supply would normally be providing.
If so . . . . an installed DPDT switch wired in, might then provide change over capability between 12VDC car operation or the old home operation from AC power.

73's de Edd

Greeeeat idea probably the best one

 

[Audioguru]

12.5VAC has a peak of 17.7V. When rectified the voltage is about 15.9VDC. When the engine in the car is running and is charging the battery then the voltage will be about 14V that is less than the 15.9V from the rectified AC so the maximum amplifier power will be reduced a little.

Connect the amplifier circuit to a fuse, not directly to the car battery.

 

[CDRIVE]

Greeeeat idea probably the best one

The answer Dave gave you isn't bad either.

Chris