Battery life with stereo system

[mrfourpointo]

Just picked up our first golf cart project. We are going to need tunes, and from my reading here I plan on installing a separate 12v marine deep cycle battery to run the accessories. We plan on a head unit, four 5.25" speakers, an 8" sub, and a Class D amplifier. For those of you with similar(ish) systems, how long can you run your audio on a single charge? I understand there are many variables, but I just want real life experience. Half an hour? Hours? All night?

[jkredman]

Unless your running external amplifiers, the stereo really doesn’t draw that much.

I’m running 4 speakers at 40 watts per channel, or 160 watts which equates to 3.3 amps of current draw. (48 Volt cart.) That’s basically nothing compared to what the motor draws.

I run mine using 2 48 to 12 volt voltage reducers.

The main one is the EZGO voltage reducer. That powers the lights, stereo & the internal amps. That voltage reducer is integrated into the cart control system by design and powers down when the key is turned off. So the headlights & taillights turn off even if I forget to turn them off.

The second one is a 10 amp voltage reducer that only maintains the stereo memory. (10 amps was the smallest I could find.). The memory is on a 1/2 amp fuse which is probably overkill but that’s the smallest automotive type fuse that’s readily available. So it really does draw next to nothing.

I’m also running LED ground effect lights, and LED speaker lighting.

Yeah I know I’m losing something on range, but this setup will play 36 holes of golf with music & color in the background. That’s what I was trying to achieve.