Testing car radios - what's needed?

[tallhair]

What is needed to power up and test reception ?

What size battery would provide the needed volts and ohms or amps w/o blowing anything?

I assume a few wires with alligator clips to attach the battery, a speaker, and ground

Probably a car antenna to plug in to get reception

 

[commando1]

An old car radio (5-7W) shouldn't draw more than 1A from a 12Vdc power supply.
So, a car battery if you have one or a cheap Radio Shack power supply is all you need. Forget about the ohms thingie.
A length of wire for the antenna is also fine.

 

[Fury440]

What is needed to power up and test reception ?

What size battery would provide the needed volts and ohms or amps w/o blowing anything?

I assume a few wires with alligator clips to attach the battery, a speaker, and ground

Probably a car antenna to plug in to get reception

I use all of that, except instead of a battery, I use a 12V DC power supply that I used years go to run a CB radio in my house. A 12v battery eliminator designed for CB is nicely filtered to eliminate 60 hz hum. They are about $50 but probably much less used.

 

[tallhair]

View attachment 80885 An old car radio (5-7W) shouldn't draw more than 1A from a 12Vdc power supply.
So, a car battery if you have one or a cheap Radio Shack power supply is all you need. Forget about the ohms thingie.
A length of wire for the antenna is also fine.

Stan would I snip off the connector and clip to POS and neg on radio power input then? Any sep ground needed?

 

[commando1]

Do you have one of these elcheapo multimeters?
I get them free with a Harbor Freight coupon.

You'll need it if you use an old computer peripheral transformer after you snip off the plug so you can determine which of the two wires inside the sheathing is pos. and neg.
Radios are either grounded by a ground wire or is grounded by through the chassis mounted to the metal dash.

 

[tallhair]

Do you have one of these elcheapo multimeters?

Yes an old needle type.

You'll need it if you use an old computer peripheral transformer after you snip off the plug so you can determine which of the two wires inside the sheathing is pos. and neg.

I should have an old power supply for something small like a radio or something. I'll use one of those and cut off the connector then use the multimeter to see which wire is hot then.

Radios are either grounded by a ground wire or is grounded by through the chassis mounted to the metal dash.

OK I'll try to ground the case to something then guess that can't hurt. I assume the old ones were grounded to the dash frame by being bolted into them.

 

[furyus 67]

I have an old car battery that I use. I've got some amp battery connectors that mount on the top posts that can easily attach bare wires to.When it's low I connect my old charger to it. You need to energize the power wire along with the remote/memory wire. Then connect the speakers . I can put some pics after work if you like. Or pretty much what Stan said. Shoulda read all the responses before I responded.

 

[tallhair]

I have an old car battery that I use. I've got some amp battery connectors that mount on the top posts that can easily attach bare wires to.When it's low I connect my old charger to it. You need to energize the power wire along with the remote/memory wire. Then connect the speakers . I can put some pics after work if you like. Or pretty much what Stan said. Shoulda read all the responses before I responded.

yes that would be helpful and please post pics. FYI these radios I'm testing first are all 60's to 70's or maybe early 80's so no memory in them.

I have a few later electronic radios I may check later though.

 

[saylor]

i will be the last one to argue with this whole plan, and that will work ^^ what hes talking about. you could remove that DC jack and solder clips onto each wire and make one right up.

but go to HFT and get a cheap DC power supply or something with 3v, 5v, 7v ,9v ,12v selectors.

i fried 3 things in a row once, by plugging in the wrong DC power brick into the wrong device (printer, scanner, and speaker set)... even tho the jack fit, the outputs of the bricks were very very different. and it cost me about $600 bucks, in about 30 seconds of time, to learn this lesson.

try not to die -

- saylor

 

[Big_John]

My rule of thumb has been that an old radio will draw 2 amps.

 

[tallhair]

Would a 6V battery power one? Just need to see if it powers on and can pick up stations I think. I'm not planning to power it long term.

basically testing to see if it will work in a car. I have a few radios to sell.

 

[commando1]

Would a 6V battery power one?

Two 6V in series will work.

 

[tallhair]

Two 6V in series will work.

Ah so it needs 12V. Didn't know if the power was cut down from the car battery.

So how does the 110/120 V power cords not blow them up?

 

[commando1]

So how does the 110/120 V power cords not blow them up?

I'm not sure what you are referring to when you say 110/120 power cords.
Picture?

 

[tallhair]

I'm not sure what you are referring to when you say 110/120 power cords.
Picture?

I meant power supply like you posted above. I have less than a basic understanding of electricity and electronic principals and or electronics if you haven't figured that out LOL.

 

[saylor]

that brick is a converter,, AC on one side and DC out the other.

i do not know if the radio runs 12v or something less.

 

[saylor]

Amazon product ASIN B000CSQK5E
if you wanna go nuts and be able to test lights, radios, and whatever 12VDC powered thing you can find

 

[commando1]

Oh, ok. The item pictured above is a transformer or aka a "power supply".
It converts 110v A.C. household current to a lower votage and current by means of smoke, mirrors, voodoo, and pixie dust...

 

[tallhair]

that brick is a converter,, AC on one side and DC out the other.

i do not know if the radio runs 12v or something less.

ahhh ... it's a profit power deal

I'm sorry cantflip ... I just can't help myself

 

[Big_John]

Best bet if you are "electrically challenged" is to use a 12 volt car battery. Then you aren't worrying about amperage draw, conversion to DC etc.