I want to power my amplifier from a transformer in my room. It is a 12V /
25A amp transformer. When I rectify the output I get 11.9V but as soon as I
connect a cap to it the voltage rises to 17.4V. I connected a load to it and
then it drops to about 16.3V. Is it OK to use this high voltage on an amp
that is suppose to handle 14.4V?

I think it depends on the amp. Some SPL comp "amps" are optimized for high
voltages. Many of these specialty amps are only optmized for DB comps and
are only capable of playing tones and sine waves. I dont think they can
handle the full audio spectrum.

Search the termpro.com forum, many DB competitors lurk there. Many are
sponsored veterans and REALLY know their stuff.

Garrett


"Johan Wagener" wrote in message
...
I want to power my amplifier from a transformer in my room. It is a 12V /
25A amp transformer. When I rectify the output I get 11.9V but as soon as
I
connect a cap to it the voltage rises to 17.4V. I connected a load to it
and
then it drops to about 16.3V. Is it OK to use this high voltage on an amp
that is suppose to handle 14.4V?

In article ,
"Johan Wagener" wrote:

I want to power my amplifier from a transformer in my room. It is a 12V /
25A amp transformer. When I rectify the output I get 11.9V but as soon as I
connect a cap to it the voltage rises to 17.4V. I connected a load to it and
then it drops to about 16.3V. Is it OK to use this high voltage on an amp
that is suppose to handle 14.4V?



No. The standard capacitor rating in automotive electronics is 16V.
Beyond that they gradually degrade and produce gas. Eventually they
explode with great force. Automotive electronics almost never uses
capacitors rated higher than 16V because the next rating, 25V, is much
more bulky. It's assumed that 16V is the lethal point for the entire
automotive electrical system.

Overall it sounds like the transformer is going to give you trouble.
Household AC varies and the load your amp draws varies. You'll be
constantly tripping the protection circuit on both ends of the amp's
input voltage range. The input filter caps will be exposed to a
destructive voltage even while the protection is tripped.


Amps meant to be driven off transformers have a different design.
There's no DC-DC inverter, for one. They're also designed to tolerate
high ripple and a very wide input voltage range so bulky voltage
regulators are needed for the output stage.