building a test bench

Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=95384
Printed Date: July 03, 2025 at 2:53 AM

Topic: building a test bench

Posted By: johnb5784
Subject: building a test bench
Date Posted: July 06, 2007 at 10:09 AM

Hi everyone. This is my first post on here. i been installing steros and creating enclosures for a few years. I'm building a test bench layout with a headunit, speakers, amp etc.. so i can test used equipment that i recieve from time to time. i have a small power supply that does allow me to power up a headunit and run some speakers. but i was wondering if anyone has any recommendation on some good power supply's so i can run a headunit, amp and subs to do some testing.

Also if anyone has any pictures of there testing setup please post so i can get some better ideas then what i have!!

Thanks
John

Replies:

Posted By: haemphyst
Date Posted: July 06, 2007 at 12:48 PM

Tripp-Lite makes top-notch linear power supplies... Heavy and expensive to boot, but you won't want to skimp on the power supply.

You're going to want at LEAST a 40A power supply, and I'd suggest bigger, especially if you are going to be testing much higher than around 300WRMS. It's probably gonna cost you about 175 to 200 dollars, keep that in mind.

There are some new switch-mode power supplies ot there, Radio Shack has one rated 25A for about 100 dollars in most of the stores, but I am just a fan of old-school, 60Hz driven, IE core, power supplies. Enh... what're ya gonna do? posted_image

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It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."

Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: July 06, 2007 at 5:54 PM

Do you have access to some broken ATX computer supplies. When they fail it is usually the 5 or 3.3 volt sections that fail. A 300 watt supply has a 20 amp 12 volt supply.

Posted By: aznboi3644
Date Posted: July 06, 2007 at 6:14 PM

I have a 25 amp Radioshack power supply...it is light

I used it to power a 400 watt amp but it kept shutting down...prolly cuz of low voltage...I'm sure it would have worked if I had a battery paralleled with it

Posted By: Steven Kephart
Date Posted: July 06, 2007 at 9:22 PM

Honestly for testing used equipment to see if it works, I have never needed a really large power supply. You really don't need to test the equipment at it's limits to know if it works, you just need to know it turns on and produces sound. But then having a large power supply available can come in handy, especially for demo purposes. posted_image