Using a 240v TV from 12v supply
Hi I am quite new to caravanning. I would be grateful for some advice, I have a 240v 24”TV is there an adaptor that I can use to run my TV from a 12volt socket or will I have to purchase a 12v TV
Regards Alan
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Most of the times we area on Electric hook up. We have started to go on rallies running off batteries with solar panel
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Your TV may already be running on 12v and have an internal power pack running on 240v to supply that. Your local TV repair man can advise. Failing which, keep an eye on Aldi and Lidl for 12v TVs at sensible prices.
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Others can advise better than I can. Personally I would not wish to purchase an inverter to run the TV as there are inefficiencies in the conversion and I doubt that a suitable one is that cheap.
Somebody else can advise further I have no doubt. My solution would be not to watch TV
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i guesshe's not looking to 'invert' from 'no mains' to 'mains' to ise this tv on 230v, rather to try and get the existing tv to run on 12v...
this can be don as many tvs are down rated to 12v via an external pack (you will know if you have one of these) or internally, where a tv engineer might be able to assist for a small fee.
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People go to extraordinary lengths just to watch TV when they are away and have no mains supply. Your TV is designed to run on mains and there is no simple way to make it run on 12 volts dc.
So, you can buy a 12 volt TV. It's a lot more expensive than a mains TV and uses quite a lot of power so then you start to think about solar panels etc. to keep your battery topped up.
Life is far simpler without the entertainment system. Without mains your battery will last a long, long time just running LED lights (to read a book at night perhaps?) or to flush the toilet, ignite the fridge.
Still, given that I am anti-TV when away you can ignore me completely. Also, it's so much more fun to have a challenge and fit lots of gadgets. How about a satellite dish?
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The dc supply on EHU will be a maximum of around 13.7 volts and the van battery will provide smoothing. Without EHU the battery voltage will be 12.7 volts max., dropping to, say, 12.3 volts at lowest. So actually the dc voltage is within a reasonable operating range. Van chargers are deliberately designed to produce a voltage that will keep the battery topped up (but not properly recharged unless they are smart chargers) and provide a dc voltage within a reasonable operating range that most dc appliances will tolerate.
The question is whether for the particular TV this range of voltages is acceptable and, more important, is there an internal transformer/rectifier to 12v dc that you can actually get at and connect to.
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It may need to be checked to ensure it won't cause a problem but we have a device similar to this:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/ring-automotive-mp60-12v-modified-sinewave-45w-inverter-a88uk
We have used it as a quick way to drive our TV from the van 12V system (plus other low power 240V devices)
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I have used a few TV's with external power supplies without problems. It seems to me that the people most interested in promoting the need for special TV's are those selling special TV's. It is possible to buy a regulated power supply from EBay etc for not much money btw.
I suspect that the OP has a TV without an external power supply in this case I am not sure modifying the internals of the TV to bypass the transformer is really practical in that case a 12v to 240v converter (sorry mental block cant remember the name) is the best option imho.
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I don't agree either, yes a TV designed to work from 230v via a step down transformer and rectifier to supply 12volts can be made to work direct from your 12v leisure battery when not on EHU but it will never be as good as one designed for mobile use to work off a 12 volt battery. TVs in the mobile environment have to be able to tolerate voltage vairations of more than 14 volts when on hook up down to a fully discharged battery of 11.8 volts. 12 volt TVs made for mobile use are also a little more robust.
peedee
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This questioni is asked regularly.
And there are always answers that state you need a specially designed TV if you don't then you will damage it by using the power supply from the Caravan blah blah.
What I have never seen or heard is some posting I tried to use a domestic TV and it was a disaster. Is there any evidence that the claims for specialist TV's is anything more than marketing hype aimed at getting you to spend 3x tthan some of the alternatives. I currently use a Samsung TV that claims to need a 14.2v input in still works on a battery at less than 12V. And it lives on the wall mount because I am too lazy to take it off . It cost me £120 an equivalent 12v TV would cost me? I did have an AVtrex once the Scart lfailed just out of guarantee it would have cost me a fortune to get it repaired
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in our two Boleros, we had domestic TVs and in the 2nd one used an inverter to run it when off grid.
we now have two 12v TVs in the van, an Alphatronics (German, OEM) and a Vision Plus in the bedroom, both linked to our Sky+HD box.
they both give really good pictures. we now only use the inverter to power the Sky box.
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Thank you to everyone for your response. I have taken your advised and I am going to buy a TV that will run off both 240v and 12v
Cheer Alan
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Just for the record Tv's I have used
Avtex 16". Scart output failed uneconomic to repair
Replaced with
No name box from EBuyer I Killed it by wiring a 12v socket wrongly
Repkaced with
19" JVC. Failed after 9 months actually when being used as a bedroom TV at home
Replaced with
19" Evotel. Still working
Replaced with
22" Samsung HD In use
With the exception of the Avtex they all cost in £90-130 range They all worked happily from the caravan supply One was destroyed because of my stupidity, another under warranty but not I believe anything to do with 12v operation It pretty obvious I am not willing to pay a premium for a proper 12v TV and I have no personal evidence that they are either better or needed Other opinions are available
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