The typical car stereo is a pretty impressive package. Built into its small footprint is an AM/FM tuner, CD player and a powerful amplifier. If you've removed a car stereo from your car but would like to get some more use out of it, consider turning it into a home stereo. The compact, rugged design of the car stereo is perfect for locations like a garage or workshop.
Instructions
1. Connect speakers to the stereo. Identify these two pairs of wires on the stereo's wiring harness: Front left: white (+) and white with black stripe (-); front right: gray (+), gray with black stripe (-). Solder or crimp these wires to two lengths of speaker wire, and connect them to your pair of speakers.
2. Connect the stereo to a power source. Car stereos operate on 12-volt power, so you'll need a 12-volt power supply (see Resources). The 12-volt power supply will have a positive (+) and a negative (-) terminal. Connect the red and yellow wires from the stereo to the positive terminal and the black wire from the stereo to the negative terminal.
3. Connect an antenna if you want radio reception. The best bet is to purchase a "universal" car radio antenna from an auto supply store. It will consist of an antenna, some generic mounting hardware and a cable terminating in a connector. Mount the antenna as desired, and then plug it into the radio.
4. Mount the car stereo where you like. Given its small size, it's easy to mount a car stereo on the underside of a shelf. A universal mounting kit (see Resources) will give you a clean look.
Tags: 12-volt power, 12-volt power supply, black stripe, from stereo, negative terminal, negative terminal Connect