The sound-off and car show season are starting and competitors need to start thinking about their battery supplies. If you are competing then you should have your car battery fully charged before going into the judging lanes. Once the process has started it is usually with the car's engine off. The mistake many of us make is to show off the system ahead of time, draining the battery. If you are at a car show displaying your vehicle usually you can get electricity by paying a few dollars. There are many import car shows at night without sufficient lighting outside. This can be a problem since you can't fully demo your sound system, lights and other gadgets. Here are some tips on taking care of this problem.
12 Volt Power SuppliesFor the most part, power supply systems are primarily used by automotive retailers and manufacturers wishing to effectively display audio, video or lighting systems. Power supplies may also be used by individuals involved in various types of autosound competition. Large, current consuming SPL vehicles require that the batteries be fully charged to ensure maximum output from the audio system. Some car audio competitors have taken to charging their batteries in between runs with the aid of these highly efficient power supplies, a much more sensible practice than running the engine for an extended period of time.
Twelve volt power supplies are simple to connect and are designed to be very practical in installation. All of them have a positive and negative post with a level meter or a LED to indicate they are on. Positive post gets connected to its counterpart on the battery; be sure to have a fuse or a circuit breaker within 18 inches from the battery for protection. The negative gets connected to its battery post counterpart. You should normally use at least a 4 ga. wire for connections. Some power supplies also have a jumper or a switch that allows you to control the output of the power supply from 12.0 to 14.1 volts. You should always use a breakaway connector so that it can be disconnected easily. They also come with an electrical cord to connect it to the wall socket. A good thing to do is to make a box with a handle in which it fits perfectly so it can be easily stored when not in use. If you plan to show off your car frequently at shows then you might consider mounting it permanently in the car, maybe in the trunk area. Many installers mount an electrical outlet under the car and spray it with under coating to blend with the undercarriage of the vehicle. The outlet used is designed for outdoor home or business applications, which has a lid with a spring to prevent moisture or dirt from getting in to the socket.
There are a few companies that offer a good and reliable 12 volt power supply. When choosing what size to buy always add up the total amperage of the products that are going to be in use when it is connected and then select the one that is of higher amperage.