Showing posts with label auto. Show all posts
Showing posts with label auto. Show all posts
Thursday, October 23, 2014
With Auto Sound Systems Newest Technology isnt Necessarily Greatest Technology
We live in a world where music is our constant companion. We take it with us to the beach, to work, to exercise, even while riding bikes or talking on our cell phones. It only makes sense that in our cars we would like to have the best possible auto sound systems our hard earned dollars can buy. The problem is that new technology is being introduced to the market each and every day and many of us feel as though if we hold our breath just a little bit longer something even better and more spectacular will come along. We know that we will absolutely want to kick ourselves if we buy in to "this or that" companys auto sound system that was phenomenal yesterday, just before the next great thing hits the market.
The truth is that superior auto sound system technology exists already and the question isnt if it will hit the market but rather when. And when seems to be a pretty big question when it comes to emerging technologies. There are always so many things that control when the actual product will hit the shelves in stores or even how much supply will be available at that point in time. The really good news for consumers is that if you wait until that point, chances are the prices on the system you like now will probably lower significantly almost overnight.
While the geek in me would love to have the latest and greatest of gadgets at all times, the mom in me knows that the kids will need braces, new shoes for soccer, and (eventually) college tuition. For those reasons, I will continue typing on my sadly outdated eMachine and secretly long for the brand new Dell notebook while listening to the latest tunes on my iPod Shuffle while secretly longing for one of the new iPods, which is capable of playing video. I will live however, and will enjoy watching others play with their new gadget goodies while I learn about them and wait for the prices to drop (just like DVD players a few years back).
I am at least intelligent enough to realize that most of the time it is best not to be the first to buy a new product or an emerging technology. Let someone else take the risks associated with buying an essentially untried product while I sit back and listen to what they have to say. This way I can make an informed decision without bearing the scars associated with testing an untried product.
There are many things Im willing to sacrifice and many more things I give to my children as guinea pigs. The thing I have noticed quite often with them is that if it can survive a few weeks in their care, it is a pretty safe bet and might even be worth purchasing stock in the company. We all have some things that are more important to us than others and while I love technology there are other things I love more.
Music, however, is a very important part of my life and I do try to keep current with the latest and greatest when it comes to auto sound systems. My favorite at the moment is the Bose. Every piece of this equipment is designed with the idea of making music sound, as it should. You can get the biggest and greatest sound quality from this system without giving up half your trunk or your entire back seat. Bose is one of the more expensive products on the market when it comes to auto sound systems but it is well worth every penny.
When checking out your options for an auto sound system be sure to keep in mind that the most expensive product is not necessarily the best product-no matter what the salesman tells you. By learning as much as possible about all choices you may find that one of the less expensive systems is actually better suited for your auto sound system needs.
Monday, September 8, 2014
Choosing the Right Amplifier for your Auto Sound System
Finding the best amplifier for your auto sound system can be a lot easier if you take the time ahead of time to learn what you need and what will work best with the sound system youve selected for your car, truck, or SUV. It helps to understand what an amplifier does in order to purchase the one that will best suit your needs. An amplifier takes a small sound, adds a little boost of its own, and then turns it into a big sound. The more power your amplifier has, the better quality of sound it will provide. An underpowered amplifier will have a thin, tinny sound that is rather unattractive in an auto sound system, or any other sound system for that matter.
You should also take care to remember that the power rating of an amplifier is the maximum power it is capable of expending not the amount that it will regularly use. The RMS rating of an amplifier is a good indication of its power output. One thing that is important to remember is that you should never buy an amplifier based on the maximum output or RMS rating. This number is more often than not incredibly misleading. If a driving, thumping bass beat is important to you then you should make sure that your amplifier has a bass boost button. This button will or switch will give a little bit of a boost to your bass. Its something I can pass on by many bass lovers cannot live without. Not all amplifiers have this so choose wisely and according to your preferences.
When it comes to amplifiers there are essentially four major classes (there are other classes but they are not all that common so I will not dwell on defining them) that represent the quality of sound you should expect from the system.
1) A. This class has a great output of quality sound but wastes huge amounts of energy in the process of creating that wonderful sound.
2) B. This class is slightly better than A as far as it wastes less energy and slightly worse as it produces a somewhat inferior quality of sound.
3) A/B. This resembles either A or B as far as sound and energy waste goes depending on the volume. Lower volumes will utilize the class A qualities of the amplifier while louder volumes are more in keeping with class B.
4) D. This class is primarily decent for producing a good bass sound and little else. The quality of sound and amount of energy wasted are both only moderate and neither are very impressive.
Of course this is the bare bones run through of the very basic amplifier basics. Another thing to note is that many people simply refer to amplifiers as amps rather than saying the entire word. Its slang but its so common that no one will blink if you do it. In fact you are far more likely to get funny looks for calling it an amplifier. Regardless of the small talk an amplifier isnt the end all be all of an auto sound system. It is only important if you feel it is important and many sound systems work splendidly without an extra amplifier to confuse the process and raise the price.
Whenever you decide to buy a new auto sound system for your car, truck, or SUV there is a moment of exhilaration and excitement as this is often a decision youve mulled over for quite a while rather than a spur of the moment decision. This exhilaration is promptly followed by a moment of complete and utter fear, as most of us have no clue what we really need. Hopefully, this has helped you decide whether or not you will need an amplifier and if you will, perhaps you can make a more educated and informed decision as to the type of amp you need.
Friday, September 5, 2014
Professional Installation of Auto Sound Systems Imperative
One of the biggest decisions that people need to make when deciding on an auto sound system is the decision of whether or not have the system professionally installed. On the one hand, it will add a pretty hefty fee to the bottom line but you just might find that the fee is well worth the expense youd have to pay to fix any mistakes you might make along the way. The truth of the matter is that installing an auto sound system is not an easy task and requires no small degree of skill and concentration. Im not sure about you but Im in short supply of both when it comes to technical matters such as this and would much rather not risk my car, which will cost a lot more to repair if I make a mistake than the couple of hundred dollars that professional installation might require.
When it comes down to it there are many benefits to having your sound system installed by professionals. Below you will find a few of these benefits.
1) Sound systems are huge investments. Most automobiles come equipped with a marginal sound system at best. Many people will spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars on upgraded materials for sound systems but then skimp on installation. The result is a sound system that is very unlikely to provide the actual quality you paid for. Professionals train for months, even years, in order to learn how to properly place and install each component in order to achieve the best possible sound inside your automobile. If you do not have the training you cannot possibly expect the same results. Protect your investment by making the extra investment of a professional installation.
2) Saving money in costly repairs. This is especially important when installing in dash auto sound systems. You will be pulling out pieces and parts and may even need to make adjustments to the available space in order to get a new sound system to fit in the space allotted for a sound system in your automobile. Professionals not only have the skills to handle these types of adjustments without damaging your dash or automobile but also the tools that might make the difference between making a tiny adjustment and a huge mess. Dont risk the need to pay for factory repairs from your carmaker to fix the mess youve made of your automobile.
3) Sound systems arent cheap. For this reason alone you need to make sure you arent putting your brand new sound system at risk by foolishly attempting the installation for yourself. Even if you purchase the extended warranty on your system you may find that the warranty is void if you did not have a professional installation performed. If you have a professional installation the warranty is generally in tact if problems are found with your equipment during the installation process. In other words, having a professional installation is another layer of security for your investment.
4) Someone else is responsible for goof ups. This is probably the best reason on earth to spend the extra money on a professional installation. If something goes wrong during the process, it is someone elses fault and you do not have yourself to blame. Even better than that, someone else is responsible for fixing the mistake and covering the cost of any damage that may have occurred. This reason is enough for me to add another hundred or so dollars to my investment and take the time to have a professional installation. If something goes wrong on a thousand dollar piece of equipment or a thirty plus thousand dollar automobile, I want someone other than myself to yell at. But hey, thats just me.
Sound systems greatly affect how much we enjoy our time in our cars, trucks, and SUVs it only makes sense to get the best sound system we can afford to improve the quality of the time we spend in our automobiles. Dont ruin the investment by skimping on the installation, it could cost more in the long run than you realize at the time of the purchase.
Saturday, August 9, 2014
Auto Turn Off Battery Charger Wiring diagram Schematic
This Auto Turn-Off Battery Charger Circuit Diagram for series-connected 4-cell AA batteries automatically disconnects from mains to stop charging when the batteries are fully charged. It can be used to charge partially discharged cells as well. The schema is simple and can be divided into AC-to-DC converter, relay driver and charging sections. In the AC-to-DC converter section, transformer X1 steps down mains 230V AC to 9V AC at 750 mA, which is rectified by a full-wave rectifier comprising diodes D1 through D4 and filtered by capacitor C1. Regulator IC LM317 (IC1) provides the required 12V DC charging voltage.
Auto Turn-Off Battery Charger Circuit Diagram
When you press switch S1 momentarily, the charger starts operating and the power-on LED1 glows to indicate that the charger is ‘on.’ The relay driver section uses pnp transistors T1, T2 and T3 (each BC558) to energise electromagnetic relay RL1. Relay RL1 is connected to the collector of transistor T1. Transistor T1 is driven by pnp transistor T2, which, in turn, is driven by pnp transistor T3. Resistor R4 (10-ohm, 0.5W) is connected between the emitter and base of transistor T3.
When a current of over 65 mA flows through the 12V line, it causes a voltage drop of about 650 mV across resistor R4 to drive transistor T3 and cut off transistor T2. This, in turn, turns transistor T1 ‘on’ to energise relay RL1.
Now even if the pushbutton is released, mains is still available to the primary of the transformer through its normally open (N/O) contacts. In the charging section, regulator IC1 is biased to give about 7.35V. Preset VR1 is used for adjusting the bias voltage. Diode D6 connected between the output of IC1 and battery limits the output voltage to about 6.7V, which is used for charging the battery. Pushing switch S1 latches relay RL1 and the battery cells start charging. As the voltage per cell increases beyond 1.3V, the voltage drop across resistor R4 starts decreasing. When it falls below 650 mV, transistor T3 cuts off to drive transistor T2 and, in turn, cuts off transistor T3.
As a result, relay RL1 de-energises to cut off the charger and red LED1 turns off. You may determine the charging voltage depending on the NiCd cell specifications by the manufacturer. Here, we’ve set the charging voltage at 7.35V for four 1.5V cells. Nowadays, 700mAH cells are available in the market, which can be charged at 70 mA for 10 hours. The open-schema voltage is about 1.3V. The shut-off voltage point is determined by charging the four cells fully (at 70 mA for 14 hours). After measuring the output voltage, add the diode drop (about 0.65V) and bias LM317 accordingly.
Auto Turn-Off Battery Charger Circuit Diagram
When you press switch S1 momentarily, the charger starts operating and the power-on LED1 glows to indicate that the charger is ‘on.’ The relay driver section uses pnp transistors T1, T2 and T3 (each BC558) to energise electromagnetic relay RL1. Relay RL1 is connected to the collector of transistor T1. Transistor T1 is driven by pnp transistor T2, which, in turn, is driven by pnp transistor T3. Resistor R4 (10-ohm, 0.5W) is connected between the emitter and base of transistor T3.
When a current of over 65 mA flows through the 12V line, it causes a voltage drop of about 650 mV across resistor R4 to drive transistor T3 and cut off transistor T2. This, in turn, turns transistor T1 ‘on’ to energise relay RL1.
Now even if the pushbutton is released, mains is still available to the primary of the transformer through its normally open (N/O) contacts. In the charging section, regulator IC1 is biased to give about 7.35V. Preset VR1 is used for adjusting the bias voltage. Diode D6 connected between the output of IC1 and battery limits the output voltage to about 6.7V, which is used for charging the battery. Pushing switch S1 latches relay RL1 and the battery cells start charging. As the voltage per cell increases beyond 1.3V, the voltage drop across resistor R4 starts decreasing. When it falls below 650 mV, transistor T3 cuts off to drive transistor T2 and, in turn, cuts off transistor T3.
As a result, relay RL1 de-energises to cut off the charger and red LED1 turns off. You may determine the charging voltage depending on the NiCd cell specifications by the manufacturer. Here, we’ve set the charging voltage at 7.35V for four 1.5V cells. Nowadays, 700mAH cells are available in the market, which can be charged at 70 mA for 10 hours. The open-schema voltage is about 1.3V. The shut-off voltage point is determined by charging the four cells fully (at 70 mA for 14 hours). After measuring the output voltage, add the diode drop (about 0.65V) and bias LM317 accordingly.
Author : Y.M. Anandavardhana
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