Building a audio cooler

[Turnt Audio 10+ year member]

I want to build one of these. I have all the stereo equipment I will need laying around, so I think all i would need is a big cooler and car batteries to power it. What do you guys think? how many car batteries should i use?

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[fasfocus00 5,000+ posts]

i did one a few years ago with a 55 gallon cooler. it was pretty cool, 2 6.5" marine speakers and an MP3 marine HU. I used a small marine battery and put a 12v solar charger on the cover. not sure if the solar panel did anything but the unit died after 6 hours on the river.

 

[Dirtrider4eva 10+ year member]

just buy a boom box. IMO its too much work and difficult for the little you get out of it.

 

[Why So Cereal? 5,000+ posts]

One 12v deep cycle.

That's all that's on my golf cart pushing the system and it's never shut off on us.

It has 2 sets of Boston SR coaxs, a kicker l7 8 and an alpine pdx f5....

 

[Turnt Audio 10+ year member]

I plan on using a Kicker L5 12" sub and 2 6x9 speakers with a touchscreen deck. Dont think theres a production boombox like that.

 

[Turnt Audio 10+ year member]

I dont have a car right now, so I cant wait any longer to put my stereo equipment to use. In the cooler, Im using a Kicker 12" L5 sub and 2 Rockford 6x9 speakers.

Can I get a sub and 2 speakers to run off a 3 or 4 ch amp (I have both)? Or would it be better to use an amp just for the sub and run the speakers directly to the deck?

Having a big sub right next to speakers in the same enclosure, wouldn't that mess with the speakers' sound? Should the sub be sealed off from the speakers or other components in the cooler??

 

[J31Rob 5,000+ posts]

just buy a boom box. IMO its too much work and difficult for the little you get out of it.

Just because it's difficult for you doesn't mean it's impossible.. lol.

It looks cake with the proper tools. I've got 2 Optima Yellowtop D34s for sale if you're interested. Would be perfect for your application.

 

---------- Post added at 09:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:14 PM ----------

 

..and yes, I'd try your best to keep the airspace separate between the speakers and subs.

 

[Turnt Audio 10+ year member]

Its been easy to build, all you need is a jig saw and drill. I need to know...how should I connect the deck directly to the battery and to the speakers (no amp)?

*I am using an amp for the sub,and I know how to do that.

 

[skylineTT 10+ year member]

This is what you will want to do..

In order to wire the head unit to the battery, you will run a wire from the battery Negative to the Black (ground) wire on the head unit harness, then you will tie the Red and the Yellow wire on the head unit harness together and run a wire from the battery Positive to those. Now this will turn your head unit on and keep it on, what I advise you to do next, is buy an On/Off switch and mount it to the outside of the cooler. Run the switch to the RED wire of the head unit and it will allow you to turn the unit on and off without losing your presets.

You will also be able to wire the Remote wire from the head unit to the subwoofer amplifier so that the amplifier turns on when you hit the switch.

 

[Turnt Audio 10+ year member]

Thanks, I can play music thru the speakers now. Should i put a fuse inline with the deck's power wire?

 

[snoopdan 5,000+ posts]

You should fill the cooler full of water.

 

[Fi-brations 10+ year member]

I've never heard of these, do you still use it as a cooler? or is it just a novelty?

 

[quackhead 10+ year member]

I want to build one of these. I have all the stereo equipment I will need laying around, so I think all i would need is a big cooler and car batteries to power it. What do you guys think? how many car batteries should i use?

I am not sure of the airspace requirements of the sub you intend to use, but if you gonna do it, go big..be the envy of the lake..of course, you need a truck to haul it... Tundra 420

 

[quackhead 10+ year member]

oh, yeah, one more thing op, if you go with the 420, u can upgrade later and go real big...say 2 DP 21's and a Stetsom 7k....just putting some ideas out there..