How do I make a simple houshold circuit with a utility battery?

Question

Okay, so I have a utility battery (which basically is like a car battery) and I am going up north for the summer and I want to be able to run a stereo. But because there is no electricity at the place I'm going it's not just plugging it into a wall. Also I want to run a big stereo not one of the small ones that you can carry around with D batteries in it. So I have the battery, and was hoping that some one could tell me where to go from here. My biggest worry is the current flow, do I need some type of converter to convert energy so that my stereo won't fry? Or will a switch and an outlet do the job. Thanks to anyone who can help me out.

Answer 1

You need an inverter.
I install AC (wall plugs) in cars so people can run tvs and plug in hair dyers when they are camping etc.

You need to check to see how many watts your stero draws but here are some links to inverters

http://www.shop.com/op/~200_Watt_Power_Inverter-prod-27288540-36104714?sourceid=3

http://www.powersystemsdirect.com/Car_Automobile_400Watt_Power_Inverters_Cigarette_Adapter_c27_50.php

http://www99.epinions.com/pr-Shop_Tools-Coleman_Powermate_200-Watt_Power_Inverter

Answer 2

The problem is going to be that your stereo is made to run from the wall outlet which means it wants AC power to run. The battery sources DC power. The only easy way I can see around this is to open up the stereo and find where the AC power is converted to DC (there will be some kind of rectifier circuit in the stereo). The problem is that you also need some more information to find out what DC voltage level the stereo expects out of the AC to DC converter built into it.

Answer 3

First of all, a car battery only provides direct current. A household plug-in stereo requires alternating current. You could use a converter, but when you convert you lose efficiency. Furthermore a "big" stereo could easily require 100 watts of power, for this power requirement your battery won't last a half hour. Power generation and national grid are an extravagant luxury that we all take for granted. Unless you want to haul a large generator and the fuel to run it, you need to set more modest goals for your listening enjoyment.