# Television Addict Needs Help



## wynnielafreak (Dec 22, 2006)

My 240 volt Television cuts out my 300 watt inverter after a matter of minutes, even on a fully charged battery should I invest in a 12 volt TV or should I be thinking differently ? got a couple of months before I go full time so no rush.Ive also just odered a battery powered booster ariel off Ebay so I can get a signal more often, do they really work ?
thanks
wyn


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## Admin (Dec 22, 2006)

Buy a 12v LCD TV.

something like this. EBAY LINK


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## virgil (Dec 22, 2006)

*15"...*

Asda are selling 15" LCD TVs for £99.


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## Journeyman (Dec 22, 2006)

*Power*

Get yourself a small Honda gene, you'll never look back...


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## sea lion (Dec 22, 2006)

A 240v TV will run at about 6-7 amps at 12v through an inverter. Almost like leaving 1 1/2 headlights on.

A 12v LCD tv will take a little over 1 amp.

No contest if you run on batteries!

Personally, I find 15" a bit big for my van, I use an 8" LCD.


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## wynnielafreak (Dec 22, 2006)

virgil said:
			
		

> Asda are selling 15" LCD TVs for £99.


 I asked asda and they said that none are 12 volt ?????????????????


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## merlin wanderer (Dec 22, 2006)

*12v tv's*

Tesco just reduced 20" tv dvd combi'sfrom £300 to £200
managed to grab one 12v flat screen 
well pleased with it


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## David & Ann (Dec 22, 2006)

*TV*

I agree with Journeyman. Run a Generator for a TV. Saves on your battery and you can use a 240v on it. Downside is, slight noise for your neighbours. But when wilding, it is no problem. I always run a gene, even when I use my Sat: Dish w. reciever.


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## virgil (Dec 22, 2006)

wynnielafreak said:
			
		

> I asked asda and they said that none are 12 volt ?????????????????




:¬) :¬) :¬) :¬) :¬)
And all Asda staff are electrical guru's?!?! 

As I have been reliably informed, all LCD TVs run on 12v its just that when used in a 240v situation (ie, a house) they use the 240v plug running to a transformer which reduces the voltage to 12v! The voltage which enters the back of the TV is 12v.
I have to admit though ... me and electrics is like a cow looking at a watch!


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## clarkpeacock (Dec 22, 2006)

virgil said:
			
		

> :¬) :¬) :¬) :¬) :¬)
> And all Asda staff are electrical guru's?!?!
> 
> As I have been reliably informed, all LCD TVs run on 12v its just that when used in a 240v situation (ie, a house) they use the 240v plug running to a transformer which reduces the voltage to 12v! The voltage which enters the back of the TV is 12v.
> I have to admit though ... me and electrics is like a cow looking at a watch!



Be careful. I am pretty sure that the voltage for these LCD TVs must be 12v and no more.  Remember that a fully charged battery can deliver up to 13v or more - 13.8v when being charged by the alternator or mains charger.  I'm sure that I have read on another forum that this can cause problems.  But then maybe I'm talking rubbish - I usualy do......


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## wynnielafreak (Dec 22, 2006)

im getting more and more confused now ??? is there an expert in the house ????


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## clarkpeacock (Dec 22, 2006)

Been doing a quick search to see if I can find a reference to using these 12v LCD TVs on car batteries and failed - BUT I did find this web site http://www.boatshare.co.uk/12volt/ that offer not bad prices and make reference to a special 12v DC-DC power supply that stabalises the supply.


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## wynnielafreak (Dec 22, 2006)

clarkpeacock said:
			
		

> Been doing a quick search to see if I can find a reference to using these 12v LCD TVs on car batteries and failed - BUT I did find this web site http://www.boatshare.co.uk/12volt/ that offer not bad prices and make reference to a special 12v DC-DC power supply that stabalises the supply.




I see these products are "REFURBISHED " though


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## virgil (Dec 22, 2006)

*TVs...*

Another way round, may be this way..... Just before I went into Gobowen Hosp for my spine op we purchased a TV dongle for the laptop so I could reveive TV channels on the laptop. The laptop has battery power for approx 2 ½hrs so thats adequate for a couple of nights and although I needed an aerial extension attached to the end of the bed the image quality was more than acceptable!


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## wynnielafreak (Dec 22, 2006)

yeah im just deciding  about buying a laptop instead of the tv and or genny and or solar panel and or turbine and or wood burning stove...decisions descisions, I just wanna be as self suficient as possible with as lower outlay and running costs as possible, fist job is a relay from my van battery to my leisure battery me thinks, if only I had the reddies ide have the lot but I havnt. THATS LIFE


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## Twosheds (Dec 23, 2006)

We have had a 240 volt, 39watt TV for years now and never had problems, increase the size of your leisure battery,we had 2 leisure batteries joined but I found the best result was one decent amperage battery.

Install a good size solar panel on the roof, the TV should be as low watts as possible. 

We watch Sky with all the appliances going at night with excellent resuts, we wild camp and never hook up to power.


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## wynnielafreak (Dec 25, 2006)

Twosheds said:
			
		

> We have had a 240 volt, 39watt TV for years now and never had problems, increase the size of your leisure battery,we had 2 leisure batteries joined but I found the best result was one decent amperage battery.
> 
> Install a good size solar panel on the roof, the TV should be as low watts as possible.
> 
> We watch Sky with all the appliances going at night with excellent resuts, we wild camp and never hook up to power.


can i ask what size solar panel you have and how do you connect tow batteries together ? also is the TV connected to an inverter and what wattage is it ?


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## SNODGRASS (Dec 26, 2006)

*12v*

Some one did tell me that some of these teles work on 12v a.c. not d.c. the way to check is to look on the back of the transformer if output is 12v D.C your OK I have had an LCD tele for a coupla years can watch a whole evenings Tv with still half your battery power intact.only problem is trying to find something decent to watch!


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## Twosheds (Dec 26, 2006)

wynnielafreak said:
			
		

> can i ask what size solar panel you have and how do you connect tow batteries together ? also is the TV connected to an inverter and what wattage is it ?



I have detailed below my experience with batteries and the like, it is only what I have found and it will not suit everyone, but it works for me, in my situation. Your problem without knowing the full details appears to be either TV with too high wattage , it could be a faulty battery, you say it is fully charged, or the inverter is not big enough for the TV. Can you advise the watts of the TV, this usually found in small print on the back and how long before the TV goes off.

Two leisure batteries can be connected by obtaining a good quality cable, say 10 mm thick, similar to the cable used in Jumper leads and connect positive to positive & negative to negative, be aware though, if one of your two batteries happen to fail you might not be aware of this, unless you test them regularly. Similar amp batteries (new or at least similar wear & tear) should be used i.e. 110amp & 110amp. Avoid two different age and amp batteries. Keep the 2 joined batteries close together in the van, I believe no more than 300mm and the closer to the inverter the better, again no more than 300mm

We now use one (1) 270amp Elecsol leisure battery, see the Internet, why this battery is superior, we found having the one big battery is better than having two joined together 2 x110amp or whatever size are joined, everyone told us we were mad using such a big battery but we have proved them wrong, mainly because we know the level of performance of one battery.

A lot of people seem to install small inverters 100-200 watts and keep the battery supplied with the van, which is usually 80-90amps, just to run the TV, lights, Pump and really it is a matter of choice here, we installed a 1750watt inverter and a big battery because we wanted the flexibility and not run out of power 

The demand for power in Motorhomes these days either being 12 volt or 240volts inside the van far outstrips a small battery like 80-90amps that manufactures of motorhomes install. The installed electric battery chargers in Motorhomes also don't charge a leisure battery to full capacity so your leisure battery is never 100% full, in other words they don't allow the battery to 'gas off' but that's another issue. Solar panels  and the vehicle charger will charge the battery to full capacity and allow the battery to 'gas off' 

My wife can now use her hairdryer and other appliances that she chooses etc if you can 'pace' your usage of appliances I.E. plenty of charge from the sun for the solar panel, plenty of power for the van, low charge from the Solar panel, be wise in appliance usage. 
As a general rule high watt appliances run over a small time frame, it paid us to have a big inverter.
The hairdryer for example is 800watt and it is run for about 5 minutes, so we have the flexibility to run high powered appliances for short lengths of time, battery levels permitting.

We have relayed the inverter through the 240volt sockets in the Motorhome and by way of solenoid, when the inverter is switched on the solenoid sends the power through the 240 sockets. The TV and Sky box are connected through this system. We have 2x75 watt solar panels on the roof, if I was replacing them now I would choose anything up to one (1) 200watt solar panel. 

Between the the solar panels and the vehicle charger we charge both the battery in the vehicle and the leisure battery. On a good sun day the solar panels alone can fully recharge the 270amp battery in less than the day, depending of course on whats been used the night before, we have never run out of leisure battery in 5 years and we do give it a 'good run for the money'
If you want the luxury of instant power, like at home from the sun, it will cost financially in setting up the system, but it is well worth it. 

I have no commercial association with this company but AB Butt Ltd in Leicester have been very helpful over the past 6 years in advice, supply and installation if necessary. The company are dedicated to us Motorhomers


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## gordon (Dec 26, 2006)

*12v tv*

please be careful when buying lcd tv's as they all don't run on 12v.
check the transformer it will tell you what power it inputs 240v but check the output as they can be uptp 15v.


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## Nosha (Dec 28, 2006)

*Re: Signal Boosters*

My 'old' caravan had an omni Status aerial plus 12v booster - please note these units are CRAP!!!!, however my new motorhome came with a Status directional unit plus box and it's brilliant!! So I gues it's pot luck!

Maplins do some plug in boosters, my 240v home unit is quite good, but I've not seen a 12v unit.

Curry's also so sell a 15" LCD with or without DVD and when you look round the back it is fed via a 12v 4amp power supply!!! Yet the spotty herbert said "We only sell 240v tellys!"

I run a Goodmans 10" 12v/240v TV which has been great for many years but is a little small for the larger motorhome - will be going cheap if it's of use to you once we've been to the Jan sales!


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## virgil (Dec 28, 2006)

*Ditto...*

"Curry's also so sell a 15" LCD with or without DVD and when you look round the back it is fed via a 12v 4amp power supply!!! Yet the spotty herbert said "We only sell 240v tellys!"


Same as Asda's spotty Herberts!


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## Nosha (Dec 28, 2006)

*TV Power figures (And electric blankets!)*

Having been meaning to try this for some time I have set up the following:-
20amp 12v power supply with a Fluke digital multimeter in-line.

My inverter is a cheap Power Star square wave inverter, the sort you can buy almost anywhere these days, it's spec' is 240v ac out 140w continuous, 200w for 2mins, 400w peak for 10secs.

My 'normal' 12v 10" tv is rated on the rear lable as 2.5amps/55watts.
My 'home' portable is a 14" 240v rated on the rear lable as 34watts.

On plugging the inverter into the power supply it draws 0.37amp/4.4watts no load, on plugging the 14" TV in after an initial peak kick of almost 10amps it settles within a couple of secs to 3.58amps = 42.96watts the same as one headlamp on dip beam! 

I can therefore see NO reason why a 300w inverter running a similar size TV should trip out after 2mins - unless its 300w peak rather than continuous.

My mate who has a VW camper without central heating is trying a 240v/80w electric over blanket to keep warm!! This draws 8amps so will be taking some measurements for us, theoretically it should run for 10hrs on an 80amp hr battery; but will of course trip out a lot earlier due to the inverter sencing a low voltage - he is hoping for 4-6hrs which he thinks is more than adequate to warm the bed and get to sleep before feeling cold - we'll let you know.


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## edforth (Jan 2, 2007)

*Cheaper 12 volt T.V's*



			
				wynnielafreak said:
			
		

> My 240 volt Television cuts out my 300 watt inverter after a matter of minutes, even on a fully charged battery should I invest in a 12 volt TV or should I be thinking differently ? got a couple of months before I go full time so no rush.Ive also just odered a battery powered booster ariel off Ebay so I can get a signal more often, do they really work ?
> thanks
> wyn


Hi, I have just got a 'ONN' tv form ASDA at 200 quid. 17 inch widescreen model that plugs direct into 250 volt or 12 volts LCD terrific pic and uses 48 watts. there is a 15 inch model too
Cheers and happy new year to all.


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## virgil (Jan 2, 2007)

edforth said:
			
		

> Hi, I have just got a 'ONN' tv form ASDA at 200 quid. 17 inch widescreen model that plugs direct into 250 volt or 12 volts LCD terrific pic and uses 48 watts. there is a 15 inch model too
> Cheers and happy new year to all.




And the 15" model is only £99!


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## clarkpeacock (Jan 4, 2007)

clarkpeacock said:
			
		

> Been doing a quick search to see if I can find a reference to using these 12v LCD TVs on car batteries and failed - BUT I did find this web site http://www.boatshare.co.uk/12volt/ that offer not bad prices and make reference to a special 12v DC-DC power supply that stabalises the supply.




Finally found the voltage regulator to use with 12v LCD TV's.  It's here:
http://www.roadpro.co.uk/retail/product_list.aspx?prod=Voltage+regulators+for+TVs


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