DIY: Electric Tricycle Stereo Repair & Upgrade

How should you fix the broken mono car stereo on an electric tricycle?

You can modify it using a car stereo removed from a pickup truck. This amplifier is very compact, so it doesn't take up much space. The amplifier IC is secured with two screws, and it has a substantial heat sink, indicating it likely has a decent power output.

First, disassemble the unit.

The build quality is quite good. This chip is a USB MP3 player chip, model BP1064L2, which is a Bluetooth chip. However, it seems this unit doesn't have Bluetooth functionality.

If you're interested, you can add Bluetooth functionality later using this chip.

The components are all surface-mounted, indicating good quality. Opening up the amplifier cover, you can see it uses a Toshiba TCB001HQ, which is a 4x45W amplifier IC.

For convenience, you'll need a USB extension cable. Cut off the male end and extend it from inside the unit. This way, you don't have to plug the USB drive in at the front.

Next, buy a small speaker, like one from a Baofeng TV. The sound quality won't match a large speaker, but it's much louder than the original speaker on the electric tricycle. There are many internet brand TVs, so you can find plenty of surplus TV speakers from brands like LeTV, Whaley, Baofeng, etc. TV speakers generally produce fairly loud sound.

Use hot glue and silicone to attach the small speaker to the top inside of the unit.

The main unit is also very easy to install. After powering on and testing the sound, the result is excellent.