12v to 240v Adapter

[rattrap]

Hi all, and hope you all didn't get too wet this bank holiday weekend as we did!!
A question for anyone who can answer it!
We bought a new tv yesterday with a built in dvd for the caravan. We could not afford one that runs on 12v, but I believe you can buy an adapter just in case we visit a site with no 240 hook up.
Can anyone advise me on the one which is best, I have just been looking on ebay and Amazon, but still non the wiser!
Many thanks,
Rob.

 

[Lutz]

What you need is an inverter. There are basically two types, a modified sine wave inverter and a true sine wave inverter. The modified sine wave variety can be picked up quite cheaply, but the trouble is some appliances don't work properly unless the power supply is a true sine wave. I therefore wouldn't take the risk of buying a modified sine wave one.
Depending on how much power you need, true sinewave inverters are more expensive than if you ditched your mains TV and bought a new 12v one. I bought the 1000w pure sine wave inverter that I have in my caravan while on a business trip in China and it cost me about £100. The same model is about 3 times that price here, so, as you see, you're not talking about peanuts. Less powerful ones are quite a bit cheaper, though. If you intend to only run the TV off the inverter, you would probably get by with a 300w one.

 

[rattrap]

Thank you for the reply.
I have just been on Amazon to look for a 300w one, and there is a Belkin one which has had good reviews. I have tried to copy and paste the link to the web page, but it will not allow me.
Do you think that this one would be a good buy?
Many thanks.

 

[Lutz]

Is it the one on Amazon for £17.75? At that price it will definitely not be a pure sine wave inverter, so it could be risky. Besides, 300watt going through a cigarette lighter connection over any length of time is a bit much. If working at full power that's 25amps at 12v which is quite a lot. I'd advise connecting the inverter directly to the battery terminals, using the minimum possible length of leads. The leads should also have at least a 4mm² cross section or else they could get quite hot over time.

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

rattrap
If you want to use the TV on sites with no 240v have you thought about recharging the battery after draining it with the TV? A good battery will last about 3 days powering the normal things - water pump, lights, etc.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hi Just add a bit more to Woodlands reply,
Most tv's use quite a lot of power, and with a dvd included, I thing WC was intending to point out that it will put quite a drain on the battery, and discharge it quite quickly.

 

[rattrap]

To answer Lutz's question, Yes it was the Belkin Inverter for £17.75. I will be taking your advice however, and passing on that one,many thanks!
To respond to Woodlands camper, my new tv has not got a 12v facility, so I can not do as you say. I was wanting to be able to use my tv on a site without 240v hook up.
Cheers, Rob.

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

I think you misunderstood my point. The adapter to convert 12v dc to 240v ac to power your mains TV is run from the 12v battery, which will run down after a couple of days. How are you going to recharge the 12v battery (to power your adapter) if the site doesn't have 240v in the first place to charge your 12v battery? You don't get 'something for nothing'.

 

[Lutz]

With a full battery I have been able to use the mains inverter to power my TV and to keep my laptop charged while away for a long weekend, in addition to the usual consumption items (lights, water pumps, etc.).