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-   -   External Power for ICE, can it be done? (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/car-entertainment/24967-external-power-ice-can-done.html)

Hi all,

I was thinking of something and was wondering whether it could be done or not. Is it possible to have some way with which one can connect the car ICE to an external normal 220 volts power source..so that if one opens the boot and decides to have a party of somekind, fuel and car battery are preserved...is something like this possible? has anyone ever done something like this? how much would it cost?

Thanks alot
I hope i was clear enough

Hi Vidvai,

There is a solution for what you are talking about.

Its kinda like a UPS (Uninterupted Power Supply) in your car, kinda.

Sam will be able to give you more information as i think he has recently done some research on these.

cya
R

I think it is possible. I have seen a similar set up in a RAM.
The system could be from a AC power source as well. The guy explained to me how it worked but after seeing that setup, my senses were numb and didnt understand a word he said.
It had 2 Rock Ford P3 15" Subs, 4 T series amplifiers, and God knows how many speakers and woofers inside the cabin, one LG LCD/Plasma TV and PSII.

I was thinking along the same lines. Because, if i put a UPS(w/o a dedicated battery) between my ICE and the car battery, then the UPS would have an AC connection, which when connected to any power source would "untrip" the UPS from the car battery.
I guess that is what is needed..although..deep inside I have no idea of what i am saying. stupid:

You will needing a AC to DC power supply to power the setup. The rating of the power supply will depend on the load you plan to put on it. Like Sam Bhai made the eyeballer and used a 150 amps power supply to run the setup indoors. You dont need a UPS just a AC to DC power supply capable to give the juice to the setup...

The eyeballer had the following config...
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/115059-post1026.html

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/115063-post1027.html

WOW!
Actually thing is, that i will need something to automatically switch between car power and the AC power, when the plug is plugged in. Even if not automatically, i will need some sort of switch to do it.
Also, what do i tell my friendly neighborhood mechanic? As in, what instructions do i give him?

So you want a switch with which you can switch between the external power and car battery?

So Weird,

I replied in the morning and it's not there! Maybe I'm a newbie that's why.

Sure vidvai, you can get a 12V external power supply. e will need to know how many amps and speakers you have, to decide how many amperes you need. The power supply can be even more powerful than your battery.
Be prepared to spend though :) it's not cheap.

Oops..the last sentence made me skip a beat. On this forum, when people say expensive, i get scared, very scared.

Well, i have one sony 554, one 12" pio sub, 2 6X9s pio, and 2 sony explods(6.5"). The HU is kenwood dpx 701 double din.

How expensive would it work out to? Why would it be so expensive?

Well yes. Actually, i just want a convenient way of running my car audio through a normal electricity plug.

A normal 12 volt car battery charger would be enough for your application, and a spare battery along it.

Sam, he needs one of the PSUs you had for the eyeballer at Vahan Yatra, maybe a tad smaller.

You need a 220VAC to 14V DC adapter capable of delivering 50A.

Vidvai,

A decent 50A power supply would cost more than all of that equipment put together. A high end one would cost about 4 times the money you spent for all that equipment.

It would have to be a switch mode supply (A transformer based 50-60A supply would be mammoth), perfectly regulated, with forced cooling.
Components that go to make this would be expensive.

However 50A is an over estimation. You could manage with a decent 25A power supply. Expect it to cost about Rs. 12000/- -15000/- for a nice quality regulated SMPS.

Thanks alot Sam, Navin and Vivek. But this is working out to be alot alot over what i had expected it to. So i guess i will just scrap it, for now at least, till the time i can probably DIY it all.

Thanks a lot guys, just hope this thread helps others.

the 554 puts out about 50W rms x 4 = 200W. assuming 50% efficiency it would need 400W. add a bit more for the HU and you could be looking at 500W.

500/12 = 40A. since you dont get 40A components of the shelf i suggested 50A.