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Hi all

Thinking of getting a new tv do i really need a 12v caravan tv.

They are so expensive!!!   Could i get a normal one which are far more cheaper.

Most of the time we use ehu anyway !!!!!!.

thanks jeza

I would not bother with a 12 volt facility as we don't intend to use sites without electrics. You could always buy an inverter so that you could run the TV off the caravan battery on the few times you would be without electrics.

David

Most small TVs and Freeview top boxes run on 12v anyway. They use a plug adapter to step down the voltage.

Our TV and Freeview box both came with mains and 12v plugs and they were not expensive.

We use a decent aerial (see here) and get good reception wherever we are.

I think camping/caravan TVs are a complete rip-off. I would get a small domestic TV from Argos or others that may well run on 12v anyway.

Argos do have an ebay shop for end of lines etc. There are often good deals on there.

Both our TV and the Freeview top box (both 12v & Mains) came from Aldi's. I cannot remember what we paid for them but as I never spend more than 50 quid on any of their offers, the TV must have been less than that and I am sure the Top Box was around the 20 quid mark.

EHU is okay but we tend to only be really interested in the news and weather, the rest being treated as a bonus on a rainy evening. Unfortunately everyone else seems to be using the maximum amount of electricity around this time and so if the EHU on a site is going to fail, it usually does so in the 6pm to 7pm period and then it can be several hours before the fault is found and repaired.

Yes, in winter I too like the comforts that an EHU will give me but I would never depend on it as my only source for heat, light and other comforts. Indeed I have been on sites where I have been connected to the EHU which has failed and I have been completely unaware of it having done so. It was not until the following morning when I heard others on about how bad the previous evening had been for them, that I realised what had happened.

There are just too many things that can (and often do) go wrong with EHU circuits on a caravan park that, in my opinion, it would be silly to depend on them when there is a perfectly good alternative source of power. IE A good battery with charger.

We have a domestic 17" Hitachi LCD TV which has an inline 12 volt transformer.  It uses 5 amps which means that it would take approx 11 hours to half discharge (max recommended) our 110 amp battery.

Their are pros and cons to using a 12 volt TV.  You could ague that it is safer, more flexable in that it will work away from mains and even when connected to mains it will even out peak use of electricity if you are using a battery charger with a low ampage output.  However, it may be simpler to just plug a TV into the mains system.

You should always use a regulator (obtainable from maplins or amperor) when using a 12 volt LCD TV as the voltage can actually be as high as 14.5volts particuarly when the charger is on, which can burn out liquid cristal diodes on the screen resulting in dead spots.

Regards Bob

Greetings,

Whilst I agree with the previous comments about the lack of necessity in buying a dedicated camping/caravanning 12v tv, can I just issue a note of warning to those who, on finding that their TV is 12v with a step down plug to go into the mains, do NOT be tempted to cut off the plug and fit a 12v plug for the caravan (or whatever).

The voltage emitting from the battery can be anything up to 13.8volts and just might be enough to blow the internal fuse within the unit.

Instead, buy a small (75watts) inverter and run the TV through that.

Its a small price to pay for not getting a bill from the TV repairman.

Quote: Originally posted by emmitdb on 22/10/2009

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Greetings,

Whilst I agree with the previous comments about the lack of necessity in buying a dedicated camping/caravanning 12v tv, can I just issue a note of warning to those who, on finding that their TV is 12v with a step down plug to go into the mains, do NOT be tempted to cut off the plug and fit a 12v plug for the caravan (or whatever).

The voltage emitting from the battery can be anything up to 13.8volts and just might be enough to blow the internal fuse within the unit.

Instead, buy a small (75watts) inverter and run the TV through that.

Its a small price to pay for not getting a bill from the TV repairman.

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Hi all,  I think the wrong terminology is being used, an inverter is used to convert DC to alternating current.  This is not required, just a steady 12.5 volts ( regulated current).

Boff, I have never been brave enough to try a TV without the regulator as I dont want to damage it, I would rather pay £30 for the regulator than have to buy a new TV.  It may be that when you buy a 'camping' tv etc, the regulator is built in.

Correction, the tv I have is a Toshiba not Hitachi as last stated in my last mail.  When we take the TV camping we leave the mains lead behind as it is tucked behind furnature.

Regards Bob.

Quote: Originally posted by boff on 23/10/2009

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Quote: Originally posted by emmitdb on 22/10/2009

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Greetings,

Whilst I agree with the previous comments about the lack of necessity in buying a dedicated camping/caravanning 12v tv, can I just issue a note of warning to those who, on finding that their TV is 12v with a step down plug to go into the mains, do NOT be tempted to cut off the plug and fit a 12v plug for the caravan (or whatever).

The voltage emitting from the battery can be anything up to 13.8volts and just might be enough to blow the internal fuse within the unit.

Instead, buy a small (75watts) inverter and run the TV through that.

Its a small price to pay for not getting a bill from the TV repairman.

---

This is often said that a normal TV will be damaged by running direct from the 12v system, but I have never actually read anyone post that this has actually happend.  Does anyone have any direct experience of this happening or is it a scare so that you buy either an expensive specialist TV or a voltage regulator from amperor.  A bought a a combined Freeview/DVD from Ebuyer a couple of years ago for £130 irc made up a lead with 12v plug and its been fine.  Maybe I've been lucky.

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Boff,

I have a nikai ? 10.4" TV that has one of those external drop down adaptors plugging into the back. At the beginning of the season I had to return it to the seller (under warranty) It was returned with a note to state that the internal fuse had gone.

Previous to this I had run it directly from the caravans 12v system because we were on a site with no EHU.

That is why I posted my original message. A small inverter suitable fot a TV is less than a Tenner (delivered) and is a small price to pay for voltage stability.

AND FOR THE CYNICS OUT THERE!!! No, I don't sell inverters.