hey ya. i have a planet audio amp that used to be in my old car, but i'd like to use it as a bass amp for my passive subwoofer for my dolby 5.1 setup. i'd like to know what kind of power supply i should use for it. it puts out about 200 watts rms, but i totally doubt i will get even remotely close to that. (it's a smaller room, so a little bass goes a long ways) i'm not going to use a car battery, because of the gases they let out, and i would have to keep charging it. i'm thinking of just using a battery charger to power the amp. or do they make something specific for this application?

 

step down xfrmr 120ac/12dc

 

If you already have a power source for the sub, I'd suggest keeping it that way.....Home theater systems are designed to work with the components properly.....

 

You need an industrial transformer and rectified into a transistorized power supply to give you high current rating. Not to mention HEAT SINKS

 

Sure, all you need is a 12v power supply that can supply at least as much amperage as the fuse ratings on your amp.

Remember that to get 200watts you will need a 4ohm woofer. Most home speakers including subs are 8ohm which means that you will only get HALF of your rated power.

It would be much cheaper to just buy a home amplifier.

 

but it is much cheaper to keep what i have and buy a battery charger for it. thanks anyways

 

A battery charger can't supply the amperage needed to run your amp. Sure it will come on but you won't be able to turn it up very much before you run out of juice. And you will probably have some humming coming through as well.

I thought I would try to do the same thing over 15 years ago and ran into the same problem. Seems simple but isn't unless you spend some money.

 

dude a step down will work just fine just the one i mentioned above im an electrician even tho i thot this post was retarded excuse me if you think im rude! but a xfrmr like i mentioned will cost u highly and u might as well sell the amp and just keep the money that you spend on a xfrmr and just buy the house one

 

yep yep.....

If there is already a unit controlling the 5.1, leave it that way...if you HAVE to have more power, get a home theater amplifier....

 

no, i think i don't think i clarified things correctly. i have a 5.1 amp. it has a subwoofer out on it, but of course, it's not powered, it's just a mono rca connection. i was wondering if i could hook up my old car amp to power my subwoofer, which is a 200 watt passive sub in a downward firing box.

i wouldn't need that much amperage, probably not more than 50 amps at 12 volts, which a battery recharger could handle. i would probably only need about 30 amps normally, i don't need the sub loud, just something to fill in the bass

they also make battery chargers that can put out up to 120 amps, so that you can start the car with it. i would never need that much amperage though

 

I think you should DEFINATELY buy yourself a battery charger. If it doesn't work for your application, you can at least charge up batteries with it. :D

I found this that you might be interested in, they are using computer POWER SUPPLIES to hook up to their amps. Seems a better way than the battery charger and should be pretty cheap to.

http://forum.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/1/4033.html