How to run 12v radio off AC current

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gdizzle

gdizzle

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Hey I have a 66 dart, and I have the old AM radio. I want to be able to plug it in, in my tool shed and hook up a speaker to it and listen while I work.
Is there some sort of Wallwart plug I can get that will give me the voltage and mA that i need in order to run the radio??
 
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gdizzle said:
Hey I have a 66 dart, and I have the old AM radio. I want to be able to plug it in, in my tool shed and hook up a speaker to it and listen while I work.
Is there some sort of Wallwart plug I can get that will give me the voltage and mA that i need in order to run the radio??
Click to expand...

A power adapter for an old cordless phone, router, modem or something like that, that puts out 12vDC and a minimum 1 amp output should do it as well.
Before I run out and buy something I check and see if I have something that will do it first.:D
 
I had an inverter given to me,was from a car stereo display cabinet. Works great. Would think you need around 5 amps. An adapter from my computer speakers had a higer output.
 
Tooljunkie said:
I had an inverter given to me,was from a car stereo display cabinet. Works great. Would think you need around 5 amps. An adapter from my computer speakers had a higer output.
Click to expand...

Are you sure about that 5 amp?
Sure it was .5 ma or something like that?
5 amps is up there with a mid power 12v battery charger.
 
Im basing my thoughts on fuse requirement for car radios,guess i could hook one up through my multi-meter. Most conventional car stereos run 10a fuse.
 
And wouldnt want to overload a wall wart...
 
gdizzle said:
Hey I have a 66 dart, and I have the old AM radio. I want to be able to plug it in, in my tool shed and hook up a speaker to it and listen while I work.
Is there some sort of Wallwart plug I can get that will give me the voltage and mA that i need in order to run the radio??
Click to expand...
I used to use a small power supply that put out 1 amp of power at 12 volts. I found under constant use, they heat up and either quit working or catch fire. 1 amp was more than enough for the speakers I had, and the power of the head unit.

Now I use a 12 volt battery, with a trickle charger. I did this because I wanted to run a modern head unit with bluetooth and hands free calling.

Now I can talk to Dad on the phone when Im working in the shop/ or play pod casts, or even music.

A few times, ive needed a battery in a pinch, and I always know my radio battery is charged and ready to go.
 
I was into doing this stuff back when I was 10 or so. I had a transformer from a old race car set. I powered all sorts of stuff. I guess I was ahead of my time. That was 50+ years ago. a 6 transistor radio that ran off as 9v. battery was a big deal.
 
Tooljunkie said:
Im basing my thoughts on fuse requirement for car radios,guess i could hook one up through my multi-meter. Most conventional car stereos run 10a fuse.
Click to expand...

I was taught that you want double the fuse size of the circuit, so 5 amp draw = 10 amp fuse, I would say you are on the money.
 
I used a battery charger in the past when I'm testing radios before install.
 
1....Hook up your radio to a working/ running car ........reason........running is 14V not 12. Use your meter with the radio tuned to a station and producing a fair amount of volume to measure the current draw

2....When you buy a "12V" supply, make sure the current is PLENTY "headroom," double is not too much. Most of this stuff nowadays are over rated

3....Make DAMN sure the thing is about 12-14V under load. Some of these "wall wort" and other supplys marked 12V are all the way from "barely 12" to more like 18V

4...As mentioned above, NOISE. The key work here is "switching supply" AKA switcher/ inverter. ANY supply that is lightweight is a switcher. Try to get a "transformer" supply which are bigger/ heavier typically older.

Frankly I know not why you wish to do this. There is NOTHING around here on AM worth listening to for long, and darn little on FM
 
grab an old 'power wheels' vented battery (like out of an alarm system, battery back up, etc)) and just charge it every so often. The battery chargers will produce a hum, and the 12v 1A common wall worts put out >>12V under no load. I think the super duper 60's car radios put out 1-3w.
 
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