[SOLVED] powering a 12 volt car sound system using 240 volt

[lee1993bass]

hi guys i need to set up a car sound system in my work shop
i have 3 car amps rating together at 4000 watts i want to run 2 x 1200 wat subs and some 6x9s and a few door speakers
i would to get a 12 volt power supply to runs this any ideas on what spec supply i need

 

[sizzling]

This is not easy. If in the UK a single wall socket is rated to about 3KW (3000 watts) so that’s a problem as your peak is higher. Also a car has a battery which is very good at delivering the high power spikes needed for audio. To get a power supply capable of delivering these very sharp peaks in power is likely difficult and I’d expect very expensive.

 

[Darkbreeze]

You just need a power transformer/converter for 230v to 12v that is AT LEAST 25-30 amp capable. A 50 or 60 amp capable converter would be better, just to be on the safe side if you plan to run the system in the upper 20% of capacity for any length of time. There are many of these on Amazon, Newegg, Ebay and other sites.

https://voltage-converter-transform...-220-volt-ac-to-12-v-13-8v-dc-converter-50amp

Whether or not your outlet can handle it is another story, and if necessary you might require a special outlet to be wired in with additional gauge thickness and higher wattage capability but I sort of doubt it. I really doubt they'd be allowed to sell commonly available converters and transformers that exceed the capabilities of the common electric code, which is primarily international. Asking an actual electrician though, which you could likely do easily by simply stopping into the office of any reputable electricians front office, might be the best way to get a locally accurate answer.

 

[kanewolf]

hi guys i need to set up a car sound system in my work shop
i have 3 car amps rating together at 4000 watts i want to run 2 x 1200 wat subs and some 6x9s and a few door speakers
i would to get a 12 volt power supply to runs this any ideas on what spec supply i need

Start by looking at the current requirements on your amps. That is the determining factor.
To handle the surges in current required by the subs, you may have to add a couple of large capacitors to the output of your DC supply.

 

[Darkbreeze]

To handle the surges in current required by the subs, you may have to add a couple of large capacitors to the output of your DC supply.

This might even be compulsory, although, I have a system with about the same draw as the OP, in my car, and my 90 amp alternator handles it fine even with the rest of the vehicles requirements. Considering that 90a is rather low compared to most vehicle's alternator systems these days, you'd think it would be otherwise.

I've actually disconnected my cap for the bass amp because it seems to do better without it. Might just be due to being a lower quality cap but the guy at my local sound shop who has been doing this for like 30 years or more says that the majority of them these days are garbage and mostly he recommends simply getting a higher capacity alternator than caps because he's had a hard time finding caps that actually do what they are supposed to for audio systems anymore. I tend to bow to his knowledge of such things if and when I'm in doubt, but a lot of audio forums seem to back that assessment as well so it's a consideration at the least.

 

[kanewolf]

This might even be compulsory, although, I have a system with about the same draw as the OP, in my car, and my 90 amp alternator handles it fine even with the rest of the vehicles requirements. Considering that 90a is rather low compared to most vehicle's alternator systems these days, you'd think it would be otherwise.

But your car has a 12V battery that can instantaneously supply 400A. Without a battery, you have to compensate with capacitors.