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Hi everyone.
I have a small off grid set up.
480watts of PV with 300 to 400 ah of 24v battery bank (I can't remember the exact capacity, I could go and look it up if it's needed.)
I run an inverter for most loads. (Laptops, monitor, blender and power tool chargers etc.)
I also have a small 10amp DC - DC converter that produces 12volts for an LED lighting ring and a couple of 12v sockets.
Someone recently gifted me a car audio amplifier with a subwoofer and two 6x9 inch speakers. The amp is made by Kenwood and has no markings about it's wattage and searching the model number online doesn't seem very fruitful. However based upon it's size and performance we assume that it is under 1000watts. So assuming it's 1000watts it will either pull 84amps or 42amps depending on whether one would use the supply voltage or the operating voltage for this calculation. (I'm unsure at this point which is relevant... Any comments welcome.)
I want to run this audio from the system for occasional party use. (Day to day we have a lovely little efficient iPod dock.)
My first attempt was to buy a 20amp DC - DC converter that produces 12v from 24volts. This works and the sound system is great.
I knew however that this item was under rated at least by half if not a quater... For full audio performance it's obviously no good. It does work fine at reasonable volume levels though, any higher and the amp cuts in and out unable to get the power it wants.
However, after about ten minutes of pumping dance music at a volume where it doesn't cut in and out this little 20amp converter is burning hot, really really hot and smells like burning.
It's not a decent solution, it was cheap though and I am learning.
(Going back to what I said above, is the amp rating of these units based upon the 12v or the 24v side? (I assume it's the lower, 20 amps at 12v, not 24v. Does what I'm asking make sense?)
So what I want to know is, now I'm prepared to spend good money to get this working properly what's the best way to do it?
My thoughts:
1) Get a new 12v deep cycle battery exclusively for the sound system and somehow charge it from the 24v bank.
2) Get a larger DC - DC converter that makes 12volts at 42 or 84 amps whichever it is that I need.
3) Buy a high amp 12v DC mains power supply and power it through my inverter. (Inefficient though)
4) Buy a new solar charge controller and make my main battery bank 12v (This is the least desirable and expensive because I would have to change my inverter as well.)
Anything I've missed? Any ideas?
Many thanks.
I have a small off grid set up.
480watts of PV with 300 to 400 ah of 24v battery bank (I can't remember the exact capacity, I could go and look it up if it's needed.)
I run an inverter for most loads. (Laptops, monitor, blender and power tool chargers etc.)
I also have a small 10amp DC - DC converter that produces 12volts for an LED lighting ring and a couple of 12v sockets.
Someone recently gifted me a car audio amplifier with a subwoofer and two 6x9 inch speakers. The amp is made by Kenwood and has no markings about it's wattage and searching the model number online doesn't seem very fruitful. However based upon it's size and performance we assume that it is under 1000watts. So assuming it's 1000watts it will either pull 84amps or 42amps depending on whether one would use the supply voltage or the operating voltage for this calculation. (I'm unsure at this point which is relevant... Any comments welcome.)
I want to run this audio from the system for occasional party use. (Day to day we have a lovely little efficient iPod dock.)
My first attempt was to buy a 20amp DC - DC converter that produces 12v from 24volts. This works and the sound system is great.
I knew however that this item was under rated at least by half if not a quater... For full audio performance it's obviously no good. It does work fine at reasonable volume levels though, any higher and the amp cuts in and out unable to get the power it wants.
However, after about ten minutes of pumping dance music at a volume where it doesn't cut in and out this little 20amp converter is burning hot, really really hot and smells like burning.
It's not a decent solution, it was cheap though and I am learning.
(Going back to what I said above, is the amp rating of these units based upon the 12v or the 24v side? (I assume it's the lower, 20 amps at 12v, not 24v. Does what I'm asking make sense?)
So what I want to know is, now I'm prepared to spend good money to get this working properly what's the best way to do it?
My thoughts:
1) Get a new 12v deep cycle battery exclusively for the sound system and somehow charge it from the 24v bank.
2) Get a larger DC - DC converter that makes 12volts at 42 or 84 amps whichever it is that I need.
3) Buy a high amp 12v DC mains power supply and power it through my inverter. (Inefficient though)
4) Buy a new solar charge controller and make my main battery bank 12v (This is the least desirable and expensive because I would have to change my inverter as well.)
Anything I've missed? Any ideas?
Many thanks.
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