CD player etc on 24 volts

[fv1609]

From time to the problem arises in trying to run a CD/cassette/tuner which is 12v from a 24v vehicle. The suggestions have been:

 

1. Just tap into the 'lower' 12v battery. The problem is that one battery will be subject to drainage & the other will not. The charging system cannot differentiate & can only charge the batteries in series. ultimately you will ruin a battery. Then it will need replacing, then you have an older battery in the system & charging may not be equal. It is always better to have two identical batteries that are subject to the same aging & charging cycles.

 

2. Use some sort of 24v to 12v regulater. In its simplest force I have used types based on a transistor that is regulated down to 12v. Failure can sometimes mean the full 24v can appear at the output. 'Switching converters' tend to emit parasitic oscillations into the VHF spectrum & despite fitting lots of by-pass condensers, I had one oscillation that would wobble around Radio 4 (Oh what a giveaway!)

 

The other problem is that if you want to set up preset station tuning you need a continuous 12v supply to maintain the memory. Most converters I have seen have a relatively high standing current even with no load & after some days could flatten the battery. Also there can be anxieties about the fire risk of having the converter left running unattended for long periods.

 

3. The ideal thing would be a 24v player/radio. For years I have hunted around to see if such things exist. But they do & I have just fitted one in the Wolf today.

 

Do a Google for CD423-24V for the CD player or CR223-24V for the cassette. You will find lots of websites & firms selling them. It has multiply euro sockets on the rear so you will also need to get a set of multiway plugs for speaker & power supply.

 

A word of caution though. My player arrived today 19 May, but I first placed my order on 1st May. This required a lot of chasing & pursuing, I had intended to take my custom elsewhere but I have found that 12 of these firms all have the same registered address!

[Mark]

Was the price any different from a 12v version :?:

[fv1609]

I don't know but you could compare like with like, the 12v cassette player equivalent is CR223 & the CD is CD423.

 

Whether it is more or less doesn't really come into it in that, there seems to be nothing in the 24v line other than these ones made by VDO.

 

The price of the 24v CD player was £111 which I thought was reasonable, carriage was £7.99. Particularly if you consider the cost of the rather unsatisfactory arrangement of buying a 12-24v converter on top of a CD player.

 

Now all those 12 firms have them around £111 - £116. There were 2 independant firms who had them but they were another £50-£60.