How to Use a Car Amplifier In a Home
Car audio amplifiers are built to operate in the car environment. This environment differs from the home in a very important way - power. Our home electrical systems utilize 120-volt alternating current (AC), while cars use 12-volt direct current (DC). These systems are not compatible, so if you tried to plug your car amplifier into a home electrical outlet, you will damage the amplifier. But with the use of a power converter, you can use a car amplifier in your home, if you choose.
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Things You'll Need
- Power converter
- 10-gauge amplifier power cable (red)
- Wire cutters
- Wire strippers
- 10-gauge amplifier ground cable (black)
- 16-gauge insulated copper wire
- 10 mm Allen wrench
- RCA patch cables
- Phillips screwdriver
Instructions
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1
Place your power converter near the amplifier and a convenient wall outlet or power strip. Be sure the power converter you use produces a 12 to 15 volt DC output.
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2
Cut a length of red power cable long enough to reach from the input terminals of your amplifier to the output terminals of the power converter, using wire cutters. Remove 1/2 inch of insulation from each end of the cable.
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3
Cut a length of black power cable long enough to reach from the input terminals of your amplifier to the output terminals of the power converter, using wire cutters. Remove 1/2 inch of insulation from each end of the cable.
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4
Cut a length of 16-gauge copper wire long enough to reach from the input terminals of your amplifier to the output terminals of the power converter, using wire cutters. Remove 1/2 inch of insulation from each end of the cable.
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5
Loosen the terminals of your power converter, marked + and -, with a 10 mm Allen wrench. Loosen the terminals of your amlpifier, marked + and -, with a 10 mm Allen wrench. Loosen the terminal marked REM on your amplifier with a 10 mm Allen wrench.
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6
Insert the ends of the red and 16-gauge wire into the + terminal of the power converter. Tighten with the Allen wrench to hold the wires. Insert the end of the black wire into the - terminal of the power converter. Tighten with the Allen wrench to hold the wire.
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7
Insert the other end of the red wire into the + terminal of the amplifier. Tighten with the Allen wrench to hold the wires. Insert the other end of the black wire into the - terminal of the amplifier. Tighten with the Allen wrench to hold the wire. Insert the other end of the 16-gauge wire into REM terminal of the amplifier. Tighten with the Allen wrench to hold the wire.
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8
Plug one end of your RCA patch cable into the amplifier RCA inputs. Plug the other end into the RCA outputs of your audio device.
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9
Loosen the screw terminals of the amplifier's speaker terminals with a phillips screwdriver. Insert the wires leading to your amplifier into the terminals and tighten.
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10
Plug the power converter into a wall outlet or power strip and turn the power switch on when you wish to operate the amplifier.
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