Build a Bike Boom Box

Step 11 Install the amplifier

The amplifier and battery pack are installed in this step. First, some cables have to be made. Unfortunately, the Kenwood speakers assume professional installation is available and so don't come with terminated cables like the cheap speakers you can find at Target. So you need to crimp some quick-disconnect terminals on to some wire. The positive terminal is the standard .250" size, but the negative is the oddball .187" size. Radio Shack and Ace Hardware sell the necessary terminals. Get the red ones that fit smaller wire.

I used some wire from a standard audio speaker kit - 22 gauge zip cord with a black stripe on one wire for polarity identification. I made the black stripe be the minus wire and gave it the .187" terminal.

Strip about 3/16" of wire from the other end of the cables and attach to the speaker screw terminals as shown. Then connect the battery wires - red to positive and black to negative. Finally, mount the amplifier board in the tube using two 8-32 x 1/2" flat head screws.

Put two lengths of double-sided sticky foam tape on the battery pack along both edges of one side, then stick it into place on the bottom of the tube.