12volt TV

[bernie1]

I have a Thompson 10inch 12volt TV and regularly use CL's with no hook up. The TV is fine while the battery is fully charged but after a coupole of days, with about two hours viewing a day, the TV wont work. It uses a lot of current for a split second when it switches on and this seems to prematurely drain the battery which is a new 110 amphour. I am considering buying a flat screen and wonder if anyone has one and can say if it takes the same current or less than a standard TV?

Mike

 

[Tina3]

Hi

I have a flat screen lcd,I know it uses alot less power than

a standard tv.(my dad is an engineer and bought it for me for this reason)if you can give me a day I can give you the

exact info !

 

[bernie1]

Thanks Tina, If your dad knows whether the LCD TVs use a surge of power to start up like an ordinary one that would be useful too.

Mike

 

[Tina3]

No prob mike will ask him !have got all the info off my tv in the van and am sure my dad would know about the power surges etc

if not he's in touch with plenty of people who would !

will post you back tomorrow evening if you havnt had any other replys by then.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

It would probably be worth beefing up the cable to the 12V TV point as I found a big improvement with my TFT TV after doing this .They are affected by voltage drop through long lengths of thin cable which manufacturers like to fit.Don't know about the surge on start up but if the cable/voltage drop happens you can get sound with no picture and then no sound so it seems that some surge is needed for the picture to kick in.

 

[ProfJohnL]

It would probably be worth beefing up the cable to the 12V TV point as I found a big improvement with my TFT TV after doing this .They are affected by voltage drop through long lengths of thin cable which manufacturers like to fit.Don't know about the surge on start up but if the cable/voltage drop happens you can get sound with no picture and then no sound so it seems that some surge is needed for the picture to kick in.

Hello Mike,

I would be very surprised if the turn on surge of your TV was enough to make a great deal of difference to your battery. Your symptoms suggest something else is not right. As for long term power consumtion, there is not as much difference as you might think between a conventional CRT and LCD type sets. I have a 15" LCD and it is rated 4A at 12V (48Watts).

John G has pointed outabiut cable size and runs this is a possible area for concern, but I would add that not all LCD's are as good as each other. Some are more sensitive to voltage levels than others, and you will find that a conventional CRT will work at lower battery voltage levels than an LCD.

Quite a number of LCD's are designed to be used with a specific mains to 12Vdc converter. These are usually Switchmode power supplies and maintain a pretty accurate 12Vdc. You do not get the same accuracy from a caravan "12V" circuit. (13.8V when charging, and dropping to 10.5V when the battery is exhausted), and that is why some people have trouble with them.

I suggest you always go for models that are specifically designed for use in travel/cars/caravans, as you have some come back on the supplier if it dos not work.

 

[Tina3]

Hi john g

john L has obviously got the knowledge!

the only info I can give you is this

mromal tv@s I'm sure you know have a tube,when switching on

there is a part called a "degauser" which readys the tube, gets rid of the static etc.....ready for veiwing,it is this that causes your surge in power, LCD's dont have degausers so you shouldnt find such a surge in power usage.Ihave not used my LCD on 12volt only mains and the info on the back of this informs me it runs off .9amps ! Mine is an LG and reading the book it can be used on 12volt. Hope this adds to John L's excellent info.

 

[Tina3]

Hi john g

john L has obviously got the knowledge!

the only info I can give you is this

mromal tv@s I'm sure you know have a tube,when switching on

there is a part called a "degauser" which readys the tube, gets rid of the static etc.....ready for veiwing,it is this that causes your surge in power, LCD's dont have degausers so you shouldnt find such a surge in power usage.Ihave not used my LCD on 12volt only mains and the info on the back of this informs me it runs off .9amps ! Mine is an LG and reading the book it can be used on 12volt. Hope this adds to John L's excellent info.

just to clarify it looked like I wrot 9amps but it was . 9

 

[WatsonJohnG]

I am probably reading the intention wrong but in JohnL's reply it says it would be surprising if the surge on the Tv made much difference to the battery. I was reading it that the TV would not initially start up because after some use there was insufficient in the battery for start up .I have always used my Manhattan 15in LCD flat screen on 12 V in the van as Leisure Power made me a lead up on purchase.The Manhattan was very expensive at the time and so may (?) be superior to cheaper sets.www.Leisurepower.co.uk do a voltage stabiliser.

 

[bernie1]

Thanks to you all..........to clarify, my problem is that once the battery has lost a little charge there is not enough power to cope with the start up surge that is required to switch it on. The battery level indicator dips dramatically for a split second as it tries to fire up, and keeps on doing this as it keeps on trying.

Tina, Is the LG set yoiu have one from Argos ???? at around

 

[WatsonJohnG]

My friend has an L G 15in LCD Tv and we searched everywhere for the 12 volt lead (including Maplins!) but to no avail until we got one from Leisure Power as mentioned above. He is using his LG now with no problems on 12V

 

[Tina3]

Hi Mike

Ok,Here we go,have been doing some research !!!

My t.v is an L.G 15" from currys,HOWEVER it does not have the socket required to run it off 12 volt, you can buy a convertor lead but this would use as much power as a normal tv.

As john G says www.leisurepower.co.uk are your best bet. they have a 15" LCD tv which will run specifically off 12volt OR

mains,as it has the required socket on the tv itself with no need for a convertor! They are all low power and should give you more battery conservation because of this and also

by getting rid of the power surge at switch on !! priced at

 

[WatsonJohnG]

Hi Tina ,this is getting interesting.All the LCD TVs that I have seen (not that I doubt you in any way) have had a transformer(mains to 230V) with a round plug socket on the TV. Usually the plugs have been readily available and in common usage but my friends LG had a plug socket that was not normal.It was not possible to get one after extensive internet searches but Leisure Power had them .

Afraid I won't be able to reply again as we are off to France in the morning for four weeks in Brittany. Regards John

 

[Tina3]

John G !!

Hi , I think if you are running an LCD,With no problems ON 12V

then you are the best source of advice ! the plug on my tv is your usual(rectangle) connection if you know what I mean !

Havnt tried to get it on the 12volt as yet !!But I think we both agree that they use alot less power which I think mike

is trying to adrress ! What type of lead did leisure power make you, someone said earlier they didnt think they could get one for my LG ?What do you think ???? Have A great/safe trip.