Original way to use car radio as a garage radio

[John Canon]

This could be a dream. I take a 12 volt AM radio. I connect 2 lead acid batteries (6 volt each) in series with 4 gauge jumper cables. I use a C-clamp to attach the antenna to the window sill in the garage.

Then I can listen to the radio in the garage just like Grandpa did. Maybe I am still dreaming.

 

[crutschow]

I take a 12 volt AM radio. I connect 2 lead acid batteries (6 volt each) in series with 4 gauge jumper cables.

That should work fine, no dream, but you don't need 4 gauge wire, as that's for carrying starter level current.
For the radio you shouldn't need anything larger than 16 gauge.
But put a 10A fuse in series with the battery wire to protect against accidental shorts.

 

[Bluejets]

What re-charges the battery..??

 

[John Canon]

Oh-oh. I think I have an old Canadian Tire battery charger in the closet somewhere. I am pretty sure it does 6 and 12 volt charging.

 

[crutschow]

Oh-oh. I think I have an old Canadian Tire battery charger in the closet somewhere. I am pretty sure it does 6 and 12 volt charging.

Yes, but chargers don't but out a steady DC, they use the battery for that.
So you'd have to connect it to a 12V battery to get smooth DC.
Also the charger by itself will likely output a much higher voltage than 12V.

 

[Bluejets]

Simple to put on a 2 way switch, charge when not in use.
No problem with excess voltage, car alternators do it every day.

 

[ramussons]

This could be a dream. I take a 12 volt AM radio. I connect 2 lead acid batteries (6 volt each) in series with 4 gauge jumper cables. I use a C-clamp to attach the antenna to the window sill in the garage.

Then I can listen to the radio in the garage just like Grandpa did. Maybe I am still dreaming.

I think you'll also need a pair of speakers, no?

 

[crutschow]

No problem with excess voltage, car alternators do it every day.

I was concerned that the output voltage on the battery charger without a battery load would go above the 14.5V or so maximum voltage of an alternator connected to a battery.

 

[Bluejets]

I think you'll also need a pair of speakers, no?

AM radios were mono , not stereo.
May have been front and back but mono just the same.
Some even had the speaker built in to the radio.

 

[Bluejets]

I was concerned that the output voltage on the battery charger without a battery load

Op made no mention of running without a battery....

 

[Martaine2005]

This could be a dream. I take a 12 volt AM radio. I connect 2 lead acid batteries (6 volt each) in series with 4 gauge jumper cables. I use a C-clamp to attach the antenna to the window sill in the garage.

Then I can listen to the radio in the garage just like Grandpa did. Maybe I am still dreaming.

I didn’t see this as a question.
I thought he was telling a story of how grandpa listened to his car radio in the garage.
Especially the part about using a ‘C’ clamp to hold the antenna!.

Martin

 

[ivak245]

And make sure the antenna is not touching any metal part of the shed, you won't receive any signals that way. I used to run car cassette players in the shed for many years using "dead" car batteries ( not good enough to start a car, but will run the radio for many weeks), with a charge up every couple of weeks.

 

[crutschow]

Op made no mention of running without a battery....

I thought, perhaps he was thinking of powering the radio from the charger without a battery.
But I see now he just mentioned that as a way to charge the batteries.