hooking amps to cpu power supply question

[Beatkeeper1 10+ year member]

I have an amp with 600 watts rms Could I combine 3 computer power supply's

+12v wire to attain the necessary power? Each computer power supply can consistantly put out 20 amps on the 12 volt line

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[Mike465 10+ year member]

Upgrade your main power run to a 2/0 guage wire into a distrubition block. Run a 4/0 guage wire form the distro block to the amp and a 8/0 or 10/0 guage wire from the distroblock to a 6 fused distro block with ground block like this.

Then you will run 16 guage power wires to the 6 fues distro block and fuse each power wire with a 30 amp fuse. Then you will run a 16 guage ground wire for each power supply to the ground block on the 6 fused distro block. After all that run a 8/0 or 10/0 guage ground from the ground block on the 6 fused distro block and ground to the cars frame. If you need a wire diagram PM me.

 

[DJ Nitrous 427 10+ year member]

that sounds right..but i think its 14ga not 16

 

[Horsemanwill 10+ year member]

y not just get a battery charger? lol

 

[scoob8000 10+ year member]

How long do you plan on running it this way?

 

[Trey803 5,000+ posts]

plate amp would be cheaper I think

 

[netzero 10+ year member]

Plain and simple, no, you cannot combine three power supplies like that. Use one big one. Computer PSUs arnt prime, but you'll be surprised even if you use one of those.

 

[jrobb 10+ year member]

no... just run power directly from ur battery

 

[Mike465 10+ year member]

no... just run power directly from ur battery

It need to be fused

 

[Beatkeeper1 10+ year member]

I should have been clearer in my first post. I'm taking some of my olf car subs and amp and hooking it up to my home theatre system. as for cost concern, a 300 rms plate amp runs about a 150 bucks. 3 20 amp computer power supplies are about 60 and can put out 720 max and 310 rms. I thought maybe I could fuse them, put them in a distro block and run them to an amp like a battery bank would run a car's audio system. anyone else have any input?

 

[netzero 10+ year member]

I know exactly what your saying... trust me, you can't combine power supplies like that it wont do what your thinking it will.. Your best bet is to get a higher end psu that can handle closer to 30 amps and then just keep the gains low. Build the box right and even with 100-200 RMS it will sound good. My 10 amp sh*t psu and a 200 watt max, crap pioneer amp on two crap pioneer subs shook my house... lol

 

[Beatkeeper1 10+ year member]

ok netzero maybe i'll even look into a server psu, sealed or ported the way to go for movies inside the house?

 

[netzero 10+ year member]

Ya servers might handle a good bit more, nice thinking. For HT, a lot of factory subs are tuned high for performance and space issues. Around 35 is the highest I would personally go. I like to hear everything and give the sub a broad range and tune low, close to 25 Hz and set hpf's to around 100 Hz. 22-100hz is a very nice range for HT application. The best box's iv heard were down firing, about 5 In off the ground with a round port. Aim it in a corner if possible or at a wall and you will be very happy. Depending on the sub, distance will effect it a bit, but generally give it 8+ feet away from the ear for best results. gl man!

 

[netzero 10+ year member]

Sorry, I meant to say, sealed would be great for SQ, but you can have the same effect with low tuned ported box. You'll get a bit more efficiency and a bit more output that way.