Pedal Bike System, help needed

[essoeasy]

First off , thank you in advance for all help and participation...

I have been researching DIY pedal bike systems for a couple days now and to be honest it is like trying to understand a foreign language.

I am trying to save money and I have (2) 6.5 Bose front door speakers that I have from my 2006 Tahoe after replacing the front speakers...

I also have a Rockford Fosgate Power 1000bd amplifier that i dug out of my closet.

My question to those who might know, would be , Can I hook up a 12v battery to my Amp and have the amp powering these 2 speakers efficiently and adequately?

Is that possible?

[Perry Babin]

What do you want from the stereo system?

You can use a 12v battery but the amount of run-time will vary depending on the system and your listening habits.

[Jatruh]

Also, I think that the 1000w amp would be overkill on those factory bose speakers. You could get a little class T amp, they work very well and don't draw much current.
I've built a few cooler radio's for the beach and they are only $20-30.

[essoeasy]

Thank you both for replying.... A speaker cooler system sounds awesome, was it loud and audible?

I am trying to save as much money as posible and here is the new Idea I have...


I have a pair of "M-Audio Studiophile AV 40" studio monitors(speakers) specs being

100-120V-50/60Hz,60w
220-240V-50/60Hz,60W
These speakers plug into my house wall outlet.

I would like to use these speakers and hook one speaker up to a 12 volt SLA power supply which will be attached to the rear of my bike above the wheel. The power supply I am looking to buy on payday, this Friday, would be:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000X5XTU

Battery-Biz Inc. 12 Volt 12 Ah SLA UPS Battery
Product Features
Guaranteed to meet or exceed original specifications
100% OEM compatible
Full one year warranty
This item is not for sale in Catalina Island
Sealed Lead Acid battery with 2 contacts on top.
Technical Details
Brand Name: Battery-Biz
Model: B-655
Item Package Quantity: 1

I am ultimately trying to accomplish what i see in this youtube video. I apologize for not having more knowledge about the situation... Plz check out the video and let me know if I should go with my one studio monitor to the 12v battery or if I should Go with attaching my Bose car speakers and purchising a T amp and the 12v SLA battery supply.

Video link below

Bicycle with Amplifed Sound System - YouTube

In the video I believe the 12v SLA battery source is encase within a fishing toolbox which is attached to the back of his bike.


Any suggestions, equipment recommendations, parts needed, modifications and/or better ideas to accomplish is greatly appreciated. Thank you so much.

[essoeasy]

This system would be playing as loud as possible constantly... Because I plan to take it to BBQ's, outdoor parties as well... An Ideal run time of 10 would be awesome

[Perry Babin]

Unless you're planning on BBQing very quickly, I assume that you meant 10 hours (not 10 minutes). If you want any significant volume (especially if you require any significant bass), you'll need more batteries than you'll want on a bicycle/tricycle.

The speakers are powered by AC voltage. Are you going to have an AC power source or were you going to try to use an inverter?

The T-amps are generally low power (only about the same power as a standard car stereo's internal amplifier).

Generally, if sound is needed at a location where there is no AC power, car stereos are used. In most instances, if someone with a car stereo sees that music is needed (as they may see if you bring your system), they may simply offer to play their system. If this happens repeatedly, there may be no need to build your system. I'm not trying to discourage you but at the same time I think you should realize that there may not be a big demand for the system that you're thinking about building.

[essoeasy]

I was planning on an inverter if I use the M audio studio monitors. Thank you for your response. I do plan on using this system quite often. I live in NYC and unfortunately there is no way to get your personal vehicle into city parks.. if so i would definitely have the system in my truck thumping. As far as bass, I am not worried about those frequencies I was just hoping to ascertain a decent mid-range and high frequencies but yet audible and can catch the beats and lyrics with as little distortion as possible.

Its been years where I wanted something a lil more than a boom box for out "outings" so i do know this stereo system would get great use and not to mention I will have it cranked full throttle on my bike rides....

[w_oswald]

Hi:
Just thought I'd throw in some of my experience for your consideration...

The inverter is (in my opinion) a bad idea. Reason being: amplifier circuits run off DC power supplies. Taking the DC from your battery and putting it through an inverter makes AC (120 V or whatever), which the amplifier power supply turns back into DC. See what I'm getting at? I don't offhand know the efficiency of a typical inverter, but I'd bet it's not good - hence a lot more of your valuable battery power will be wasted as heat. Ok: your proposed battery makes 12 Volts x 12 Amp-hours = 144 Watt-hours from a full charge (questionable if it will still be useable voltage near the end of its discharge cycle). Your 2 line-powered speakers take 60 Watts each (?), so that would give you a maximum of ~ 1 hour of play time; except that the inverter losses will reduce that even more.

Some years ago, my son built a backpack stereo for hallway entertainment at his school. It used a similar (~7 Ah) SLA battery, a little car stereo equalizer amplifier I had laying around, and a couple of random car speakers. I don't recall how long it would play on a charge, but apparently it was a big success at the time.

As for speakers, I've found that the aftermarket upgrade car speakers tend to be less efficient than OEM types. I dunno about Bose; their home speakers - I think - are not renowned for high efficiency, but those 6.5 inchers from your Tahoe might be just fine. I've found that shallow paper cone, full-range speakers - perhaps with whizzer cones - tend to make more volume from given power (and yes - not so much bass, as you already have conceded). Also, bigger is generally louder for the same wattage input. How big a speaker is feasible for your project? 8" or even bigger would be worth considering. You should be able to scrounge some old console stereo speakers or something similar for free (or close to it), for comparison with your Bose drivers. Why not experiment with some junk parts? That's part of the fun with DIY!

Good Luck,
Wilf

[essoeasy]

Thank you Oswald, I have decided i will be going with the car speakers. I am going to use the bose car speakers I have lying around and I'm going to purchase T amp. My question to you guys would be should I still consider the SLA battery or should I put my efforts towards obtaining a car battery?

I am under the impression with the SLA battery and the t amp and my bose car speakers I can easily get 8 hours of run time at loud volumes from this system...

[w_oswald]

Yeah - a SLA battery would be ideal for your application. Car batteries generally need to be kept upright, don't do well with deep discharge cycling, and might be heavier than you would want on your bike. You can get SLA type in a variety of sizes too. I've bought some replacements for a cordless lawn mower - ~$45/pc., that would still be manageable on a bike. For a cheaper alternative, take a look at batteries for riding lawn mowers - like a car battery but smaller, and sealed too so you don't have to worry about spills. I've gotten those at WalMart for ~$30. Hope this helps!