How to make a Car Power Amp work on AC power using a PC power supply
Author: admin // Category: Home Theater Amplifier
I saw a thread where people were asking how they could make their Car Amp work in their home, I found where someone had managed to make one work with a PSU from a computer. People wanted a tutorial on how to do it, so I played with the idea and came up with this. I am NOT responsible if you blow something up, or if you start a fire, but This is a fairly safe project.
Use a standard computer PSU, no internal modification required, remember if you open a PSU, there are parts in there that WILL shock you, even un-plugged.
I cut one of the molex connectors off of the PSU, but there are ways to do this without damaging the psu.
On higher power PSUs there are more than one rail inside the psu for power, each providing only part of the rated wattage, so, I made sure I hooked both strands of molex connectors to the amp because I know that it will draw from both rails. Some PSUs may have more.
Just common sense tells me DO NOT HOOK UP MORE WATTAGE TO THE AMP THAN YOUR PSU CAN PROVIDE! and remember that the amp itself wastes some power for the LEDs and about 30 percent in heat, so, dont connect 650w of speakers with a 650w psu. I would stay below 400w on the speakers.
I dont know much about these car amps, I usually deal with DJ audio/home theater equipment, so make sure you know what speaker impedance is, and how to figure it, and make sure you dont under power the speakers
Hope the video helps! feel free to email me with questions/requests at SARGENTSCRUFY@gmail.com
Duration : 0:6:4
Tags: AC, AMP, car, head, how, make, On, or, pc, power, supply, to, unit, using, work
July 17th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
is 250-300 watts …
is 250-300 watts enuf to power a 800 watt suply (MOSFET AMP)
plc reply fast !
July 17th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
@tylrlttle56
Im …
@tylrlttle56
Im sure you can, make sure you hook them up in paralell not in series, or you will get 24volts and that would cause a fire, and a bad day, lol Dont experiment if your not willing to loose the equipment however. Good luck and let me know how that goes! I just built a DJ rack with car head units and 4 PSUs powering one 12″ woofer six 10″ speakers, eight 6″, and two horns. I need to post a video response on here.
July 17th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Thanks alot man …
Thanks alot man that helped me out… i had one question though can you use 2 pc power supplies on 1 amp? like wire them in sequence so that you have double the power? also i noticed i have the same computer tower case as you.
July 17th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Thanks alot man …
Thanks alot man that helped me out… i had one question though can you use 2 pc power supplies on 1 amp? like wire them in sequence so that you have double the power? also i noticed i have the same computer tower case as you.
July 17th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
thankyou so much, …
, thanks again.
thankyou so much, your knowledge is gold, the motherboard short trick saved me
peace
July 17th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
hi. can someone …
hi. can someone help me i have 1000w sumbwoofer and a 260w amp what power PSU would i need?
July 17th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
hi. can someone …
hi. can someone help me i have 1000w sumbwoofer and a 260w amp what power PSU would i need?
July 17th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
@bonemantis Ok, …
@bonemantis Ok, Well I’ve found a 1000watt PSU for $130-150 range its a cooler master brand. As far as the AMP goes, didnt know that a under powered amp will blow high power handling speakers. These JBL’s are supposed to be liquid cooled, The car stereo shop that sold them to me saw my in car setup and said a better power amp would be better (better sound), but nothing about blowing the JBL’s. Not doubting you, just shocked. Now I need to find a amp.
July 17th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
@beercap007 So …
@beercap007 So youre gonna need to spend some money if you want good sound.
1200-Watt Power Supply= $ 300
1200-watt amplifier= $ 280
July 17th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
@beercap007 You …
@beercap007 You should probably buy a new amp, because a 500 watt amp isnt going to be enough to power 2 1000 watt subwoofers, it will give you some sound but not much, and if you turn up the volume too high youre gonna blow the sub.
I would recommend you getting at least a 1200 watt amp, and a 1200 watt power supply, 1200 watts psu is the most that there is. I dont think theres a 2000 watt power supply. And all of that is expensive, and that will still not be enough to turn ur subs full volume.
July 17th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Hey I got power to …
Hey I got power to the amp the light comes on and its not dim at all. But the subs dont go on? I dont know whats wrong with it.
July 17th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Hey I got power to …
Hey I got power to the amp the light comes on and its not dim at all. But the subs dont go on? I dont know whats wrong with it.
July 17th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Hey I got power to …
Hey I got power to the amp the light comes on and its not dim at all. But the subs dont go on? I dont know whats wrong with it.
July 17th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Hey I got power to …
Hey I got power to the amp the light comes on and its not dim at all. But the subs dont go on? I dont know whats wrong with it.
July 17th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Hey I got power to …
Hey I got power to the amp the light comes on and its not dim at all. But the subs dont go on? I dont know whats wrong with it.
July 17th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Hey if the Power …
Hey if the Power supply is bigger then the amp is that ok.
E.g A 1500 watt power supply powering a 1000 watt car amp
July 17th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Hey if the Power …
Hey if the Power supply is bigger then the amp is that ok.
E.g A 1500 watt power supply powering a 1000 watt car amp
July 17th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
very cool video …
I am also making my speaker portable so I can take it outside on my back deck patio when I have my patio speakers on.
very cool video buddy, I’ve been wanting to do this for like 2 years now… I have a band-pass box with 2 10″ 1000watt JBL, and a 500watt (isn’t a true 500) amp LEGACY brand. What size power supply should I go out and pick up to power this? I have a 5.1 home theatre system, but lets face it… most of the bass boxes in such systems suck, so I’m looking to beef it up a little
July 17th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
@OEAbass
it will …
@OEAbass
it will run it, however you run the risk of burning the unit out if you pull too much current. most PC power supplies have a safty feature where they will trip off before damage occurs, so you should be allright. tying the wires together works on most psus, especially good on psus that have mutible power rails, however on advanced units (in my experience) like ones with PCIE power outputs tend to trip off and not come on with all rails tied together.
July 17th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
I’m using a GOOD …
I’m using a GOOD 250 watt power supply. It’s not one out of a computer. it’s a good one. Can i use it to power a 600 watt amp? I’m powering a subwoofer. And also, should I use multiple yellow wire to go to the 12v on the amp? People say it makes it more stable?!?!?!
July 17th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
if connect all the …
if connect all the yellow wires the amp and all the black wires to the negative of the the amp you will get more power!!!
July 17th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
great video! I want …
great video! I want to connect a 12″ 1200 watt peak power sony xplod subwoofer with a 500 watt bazooka amp to a dell inspiron 550 pc. I have a logitech z cinema sound system if that is important, however what kind of power supply would i need? Please reply thanks, and again, great video
July 17th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
would adding a …
would adding a capacitor help?
July 17th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
i really need your …
i really need your help. i accidentally cut off that connector….. what colors would the wires have to be to turn on?
July 17th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
just wondering can …
just wondering can you use more than one psu to get more power from it as iam wanting to build somthing like this in my garage for a tester as it costs a fortune in keep charging car batteries and its a fourtue to get a proper converter