My Custom Cooler Radio

IT"S DONE! - My Completed Build

2012-03-09T09:24:00.003-06:00

The Finished Product!

My Custom Cooler Radio Build

Next up is a Video!

http://mycustomcoolerradio.blogspot.com

Custom Cooler Build - Close Ups

2012-03-09T09:00:00.000-06:00

Custom Cooler Build - Close Ups
(Additional Wiring, Products, and Construction Shots)

Sealants I used

Glue and Sealant

Stereo Head Unit - BOSS MR1470UW

Fuses Used

Speakers - Kicker KM6000w

Velcro Tape

Custom Cooler Radio Construction - Part 7

2012-03-08T09:08:00.000-06:00

Part 7 - Wiring the Top Panel

Use your wiring diagram to correctly connect components to the terminal block.
You can find the terminal block at some auto part stores
Don't forget to place shrink fit around wires before soldering them!
Again tinning wires is helpful in many cases.
Make sure you have a good solder connection each time
Think about using tie straps for cable management
cap any un-used wires from the head unit

http://mycustomcoolerradio.blogspot.com/

Custom Cooler Radio Construction - Part 6

2012-03-07T09:24:00.000-06:00

Part 6 - Speaker Wiring

Connect speaker wire (it helps if you tin the wire first) (fig 1)
Pro Tip: DON'T FORGET TO PUT SOME SHRINK FIT ONTO THE WIRES FIRST!
Solder wire onto speaker connections (fig 2)
Use a heat gun to shrink the shrink fit around the new connection (fig 3)

Fig 1

Fig 2

Fig 3

Careful not to point the heat gun at the neoprene speaker cone!

Custom Cooler Radio Construction - Part 5

2012-03-06T09:27:00.000-06:00

Part 5 - Instrument Panel

Draw out where each component will go including screws
Measure and cut out holes for

Handle
Cup Charger/Meter
Stereo Head Unit
Switches
Lights
Screws

The long metal beam is being used to give the top panel addition support from the weight of the components
The handle is nice for when i need to get access to the internal components, aka battery

Custom Cooler Radio Construction - Part 4

2012-03-04T20:48:00.000-06:00

Part 4 - Antenna and Infrastructure

I used a small hole saw to cut the hole for the antenna
From the inside of the cooler use a large washer to tighten the antenna against
Added small wood blocks at the base of the cooler to prevent the battery from sliding back n forth when the cooler is being rolled
The divider partition is screwed into the block on the bottom of the cooler
The top panel is gets screwed into the top blocks

http://mycustomcoolerradio.blogspot.com

Custom Cooler Radio Construction - Part 3

2012-03-02T09:16:00.000-06:00

Part 3 - Cut Partitions and Positioning

Cut the divider based off of your template
There is a small lip at the bottom of the cooler that can be a bit tricky to work with. Also, note that the dimensions of the cooler will not be perfect.
Again, I brought up the divider as high as possible to prevent as much cold air from escaping the beverage side of the build. Be sure to make sure the lid can close all the way.
Note the placement of the divider as it relates to the drain. There is next to no free space in my design which is takes a lot of planning to pull off, but it is worth it.
In the last picture, we cut the space for the head unit to fit into the top panel and use a file to make it a tight fit.

More Materials

2012-03-01T08:49:00.000-06:00

More Materials

Large mainstays brand cutting board. The First Ones I brought Were Too Small For The Divider
18 Gage Primary Wire
Terminal Block
Jig Saw

Custom Cooler Radio Construction - Part 2

2012-02-26T21:02:00.000-06:00

Part 2 - Templates and Planning

I found it very helpful to use foam board as my template material
Next position where each component will fit
As you can see the divider goes higher than the instrument panel to keep the cold air on the beverage side

Challenge: Fitting everything in half of the cooler.

Custom Cooler Radio Construction - Part 1

2012-02-24T09:22:00.000-06:00

Part 1 - Cutting The Speaker Holes

Create a stencil for tracing the inner diameter of the speakers
Position stencil high enough on the cooler to minimize chance of water exposure
I first attempted to use an exact o knife to cut through the hard plastic body, but when that proved to be in efficient we moved to a different approach. We (my dad and I) drilled a single hole all the way through the cooler body and then began cutting with a jig saw which worked very well. The jig also worked very well in later stages where we used it to cut the cutting board divider and top plate.

http://mycustomcoolerradio.blogspot.com/

Construction has begun!

2012-02-23T10:59:00.000-06:00

A little behind schedule because of my basement remodel. This wife wants me working on that as first priority. ;)

Cooler before Pics.

Front

Back

Challenge to think about for this post: "Rounded Corners"

Not so much on the front side placement of the speaker, but on the back side of the cooler, there is a fairly prominent rounded corner. Since the speaker surface is intended to sit flush against another surface, I was concerned with a gap that may be created. More on that later...

http://mycustomcoolerradio.blogspot.com

Wiring Diagram

2012-01-05T12:26:00.000-06:00

3 Switches - Each controls power to a device. All 3 Independent. Switch 2 will need to be closed in order to charge the battery.

1 Fuse

Let me know if you have any questions

Terminal Block was purchased at Auto Zone

Battery Changer

2012-01-04T09:06:00.000-06:00

The product I decided to go with for a battery charger is a Die Hard product featured below.

DH CHRGR,DH MAINTNR 3A 6V12V

You can pick one up at sears for about $45.

More details on this charger to follow.

More Materials and Schedule

2011-12-05T13:47:00.000-06:00

I found 2 White semi-transparent, somewhat thin, cutting boards at Walmart for $7 each. They should make for a good divider between the cooler section and the radio section. The second one will be used as the top panel to house the head unit, switches, cup charger, etc...
Pictures to follow.

FYI... the construction of the cooler radio is scheduled to start the week following Christmas 2011. Right around 25 days from now.

Speakers

2011-12-05T13:37:00.001-06:00

Got my speakers. Kicker KM6000 6-1/2" 2-way marine speakers!

Features

2-way 6-1/2" marine speakers (pair)
UV-treated polypropylene woofer with Santoprene rubber surround
sealed motor structure and locking terminal covers
1/2" PEI film dome tweeter
power range: 2-50 watts RMS (150 watts peak power)
frequency response: 35-21,000 Hz
sensitivity: 90 dB
top-mount depth: 2-7/16"
warranty: 2 years

Buy from Amazon.com

Charging Cord

2011-11-07T11:02:00.001-06:00

Per a conversation with Musaffa1:

@drinklikachamp Sure. When turned on, the WaganTech cigarette lighter port is simply a direct connection to the + and - terminals on the battery. You can pull 12v from it by plugging things into it OR you can input 12v to it to charge the battery using a cable like this: Search Amazon for this:"Schumacher SAC-109 Male-to-Male Connector"
Start your car, plug one end into your car's cigarette lighter port and the other end into the WaganTech. Turn it on and you'll charge your battery. That's it.

Musaffa1

I have purchased the follow product:

SOLAR ESA1 12V Male to Male Outlet Charger Cord
by Clore Automotive

Product Details

Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 2 x 1.3 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
ASIN: B000GTOSTE
Item model number: ESA1B
Brand: Clore Automotive
Manufacturer Part Number: ESA1

Parts List 1

2011-10-24T21:52:00.003-05:00

I have acquired the following parts so far for my custom cooler radio build.

I am still making final decisions on the receiver and speakers.

My Inspiration

2011-10-11T16:34:00.000-05:00

My inspiration comes from one main source. A custom cooler radio by the name of "ScottiBox 4.0" built by Musaffa1. I find his design to be the best I have seen, and I want to build one just like it. However aside from some nice pictures and a video I needed more details to create my own and I want to share them with you so that you can easily create your own. I hope you find this useful.