Extra Leisure Battery or Solar Panels Off Grid?

TV? Not in my van. I get all the TV I need off of my Chromebook. And with a VPN, the world is there waiting for you. ( Other devices are available). One less thing to carry.
 
wildebus said:
I like my TV. I use it to watch stuff via the Internet :) (much prefer the bigger screen a bit away from me than a small screen close up)
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Me to David, but when out in winter with no EHU we have to limit use of the tv and we use an iPad to watch tv as well.
 
wildebus said:
TVs can draw a remarkable amount of power - if I left my Avtex TV on in my van 24/7, it would consume 120Ah a day (draws 5A in use). In the summer on a nice day, the solar array should put that much power back into the batteries for sure, but it is more power than you would maybe expect to be used (and there are all the other loads as well of course taking their share out the batteries)
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Not mine! I spent ages about a decade ago searching for low wattage TVs. I ended up with an Akura which draws just 14 watts which I think is about 1.1 amps. couple more with USB speakers in. Its about the same power as a smart phone on a standard charger. When we were down in Devon in the summer even with our small set up we were running laptops, phones and the TV as much as we wanted. I dont think I ever saw the battery go below 12.6 even when we were stationary in Lee Bay for three weeks.
 
wildebus said:
I like my TV. I use it to watch stuff via the Internet :) (much prefer the bigger screen a bit away from me than a small screen close up)
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Fisherman said:
Me to David, but when out in winter with no EHU we have to limit use of the tv and we use an iPad to watch tv as well.
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Each to there own. That said, with very few exceptions, I'm watching on catch-up. Trying to keep up with the British political scene, woudl be one of those exceptions.
 
trevskoda said:
Im running 200w solar through a Votronic 250 with 1 amp to starter batt, and two les batts at 90ah each, it dont keep the tv running too long before the sound goes off with low voltage, next job is fitting a voltage buck unit to increase volts to about 15.
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If the beeping is a low leisure battery warning then I'm sure you'll appreciate that the buck booster wont help at all. Therefore assuming the warning beep is coming from the TV warning of low voltage input then boosting the voltage that way will increase the total current/power drawn from your leisure batteries, better to increase the cable gauge between TV and batteries to lessen the volts drop. :)
Merl
 
Tablets use less than laptops and even less tha TVs
Tablets also charge off USB and powerbanks Which you can use in the evening and then recharge when it is sunny
IF I wanted a bigger than 10in screen then there are tablets available.
You can also use a VPN (on the tablet) to get UK TV when using wifi abroad or a foreign simcard

The one problem with Some VPNs is that they F with some email clients but easily solved
 
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barryd said:
Something wrong there Trev. I could keep my TV on 24/7 in mid summer with my setup which is way less than your capacity. Sensitive TV Maybe?
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It was a house one with a step down transformer to 12v, but in fact it does require about 12.3/15v.
 
trevskoda said:
It was a house one with a step down transformer to 12v, but in fact it does require about 12.3/15v.
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Ah, that explains.
I've used a variable buck booster off Flea bay with good results, 0-33v output if I remember correctly Trev.
If TV beeped but actually still worked ok at say 11.5V I'd just open it up and disconnect the beeper! :unsure:
Merl
 
merl said:
Ah, that explains.
I've used a variable buck booster off Flea bay with good results, 0-33v output if I remember correctly Trev.
If TV beeped but actually still worked ok at say 11.5V I'd just open it up and disconnect the beeper! :unsure:
Merl
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Yep have the unit here now, easy to set voltage with a small pot screw inside the unit.
 
trevskoda said:
It was a house one with a step down transformer to 12v, but in fact it does require about 12.3/15v.
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You sure 15V is ok for it?? That sounds rather high! Are you having to set it at that so that once the loads have caused a voltage drop the supply to the TV is still at 12V?
 
Trotter said:
Each to there own. That said, with very few exceptions, I'm watching on catch-up. Trying to keep up with the British political scene, woudl be one of those exceptions.
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Just be thankful you are not Italian, or German, or [insert 100 odd countries here]. Then what is happening at the revolving door of #10 will be a normal course of events.
 
trevskoda said:
Im running 200w solar through a Votronic 250 with 1 amp to starter batt, and two les batts at 90ah each, it dont keep the tv running too long before the sound goes off with low voltage, next job is fitting a voltage buck unit to increase volts to about 15.
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barryd said:
Something wrong there Trev. I could keep my TV on 24/7 in mid summer with my setup which is way less than your capacity. Sensitive TV Maybe?
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12v TV will use draw 2 to 5 amp (dependent on spec / size /age) so 50 to 120 ah per day.

2 x 90ah batteries will give 90ah (50% of nominal capacity) before they are effectively flat.
 
r4dent said:
12v TV will use draw 2 to 5 amp (dependent on spec / size /age) so 50 to 120 ah per day.

2 x 90ah batteries will give 90ah (50% of nominal capacity) before they are effectively flat.
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My TV draws 1.2 amps or 14watts. My point was over spring and summer even with my small solar and battery set up I could leave it on constantly. Obviously with no solar it would eventually flatten the 120ah AGM.
 
wildebus said:
You sure 15V is ok for it?? That sounds rather high! Are you having to set it at that so that once the loads have caused a voltage drop the supply to the TV is still at 12V?
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Yes and below about 12.3 the sound goes off, not so bad a voltage drop in high summer as solar holds at 13.4 ish
 
I have 590watts of solar that i can tilt up to about 80 degrees remotely (know need to climb on the roof) and can havest neally as much sun in the winter as in the summer + 400amps of lithium batteries so as you can imagine ive never had a problem with power .I dont know why other people dont tilt there panels in the winter as it makes a hung difference and its not expensive to do .I also run a 110ltr compressor fridge freeze + 24in avtec tv .
 
exwindsurfer said:
I have 590watts of solar that i can tilt up to about 80 degrees remotely (know need to climb on the roof) and can havest neally as much sun in the winter as in the summer + 400amps of lithium batteries so as you can imagine ive never had a problem with power .I dont know why other people dont tilt there panels in the winter as it makes a hung difference and its not expensive to do .I also run a 110ltr compressor fridge freeze + 24in avtec tv .
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Hindsight is a wonderful thing. 😂
 
exwindsurfer said:
I have 590watts of solar that i can tilt up to about 80 degrees remotely (know need to climb on the roof) and can havest neally as much sun in the winter as in the summer + 400amps of lithium batteries so as you can imagine ive never had a problem with power .I dont know why other people dont tilt there panels in the winter as it makes a hung difference and its not expensive to do .I also run a 110ltr compressor fridge freeze + 24in avtec tv .
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I have only ever seen one example of tilting panels that seemed to track the sun and that of all places was some vans parked up on a windsurf beach in Tenerife at Christmas about 15 years ago. Wasn't you was it? :D

It makes absolute sense but I was under the impression these systems were costly.
 
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