I have a 15" Mikomi Flat Screen TV which has a mains to 12v transformer. If I can obtain the required cables could I use my TV on my 12v supply in my caravan or would it damage the TV
Can you use a 15" Flat Screen on a 12v leasure battery.
- Thread starter Mike_374303147
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use an Invertor connected to your 12v system to change 12v to 240v then plug in TV. sounds a round about system but it will protect your TV from surges
Possibly.
The first hurdle to cross is if the Mikomi power supply is a "regulated" or "un-regulated" power supply - if it says regulated, then it will deliver a fairly accurate 12V DC supply - if un-regulated then the TV will handle the regulation itself and (importantly) will tolerate a wider range of input voltage.
Then you need to be aware that the caravan 12V supply is anything but 12V - when running just on battery it will deliver between 12.9 and 12.0 volts and that's OK for your Mikomi.
But and it's a big BUT - when the caravan is hooked up via the EHU cable to site power, then the battery charger will be running - and that slaps a 14.5 or higher voltage on the battery and battery sockets. This may be too much for the Mikomi to handle if it uses a regulated power supply (exact 12V feed) - refer to first point.
Worse is that the caravan charger may not have the smoothest power supply - it probably will be only partially regulated - and have quite an AC ripple embedded on top of the 12V DC (break-through from the mains). Now if you have this, then the image quality will suffer and reveal all sorts of image defects.
So if you use mains EHU - then the safest route (without doing any tests) is to use a mains inverter (converting the 12V to 240V) and then use the normal Mikomi power supply.
If you are only using the battery (with no EHU) then it will be OK on 12V
Robert
The first hurdle to cross is if the Mikomi power supply is a "regulated" or "un-regulated" power supply - if it says regulated, then it will deliver a fairly accurate 12V DC supply - if un-regulated then the TV will handle the regulation itself and (importantly) will tolerate a wider range of input voltage.
Then you need to be aware that the caravan 12V supply is anything but 12V - when running just on battery it will deliver between 12.9 and 12.0 volts and that's OK for your Mikomi.
But and it's a big BUT - when the caravan is hooked up via the EHU cable to site power, then the battery charger will be running - and that slaps a 14.5 or higher voltage on the battery and battery sockets. This may be too much for the Mikomi to handle if it uses a regulated power supply (exact 12V feed) - refer to first point.
Worse is that the caravan charger may not have the smoothest power supply - it probably will be only partially regulated - and have quite an AC ripple embedded on top of the 12V DC (break-through from the mains). Now if you have this, then the image quality will suffer and reveal all sorts of image defects.
So if you use mains EHU - then the safest route (without doing any tests) is to use a mains inverter (converting the 12V to 240V) and then use the normal Mikomi power supply.
If you are only using the battery (with no EHU) then it will be OK on 12V
Robert
Thanks for the update obviously trying to do it on the cheap, we regularly stay at sites with out power, hence the question, may be an inverter is safest route.use an Invertor connected to your 12v system to change 12v to 240v then plug in TV. sounds a round about system but it will protect your TV from surges
As on the other comment, I will check whether the transformer is regulated. Thanks for the advice much appreciated.Possibly.
The first hurdle to cross is if the Mikomi power supply is a "regulated" or "un-regulated" power supply - if it says regulated, then it will deliver a fairly accurate 12V DC supply - if un-regulated then the TV will handle the regulation itself and (importantly) will tolerate a wider range of input voltage.
Then you need to be aware that the caravan 12V supply is anything but 12V - when running just on battery it will deliver between 12.9 and 12.0 volts and that's OK for your Mikomi.
But and it's a big BUT - when the caravan is hooked up via the EHU cable to site power, then the battery charger will be running - and that slaps a 14.5 or higher voltage on the battery and battery sockets. This may be too much for the Mikomi to handle if it uses a regulated power supply (exact 12V feed) - refer to first point.
Worse is that the caravan charger may not have the smoothest power supply - it probably will be only partially regulated - and have quite an AC ripple embedded on top of the 12V DC (break-through from the mains). Now if you have this, then the image quality will suffer and reveal all sorts of image defects.
So if you use mains EHU - then the safest route (without doing any tests) is to use a mains inverter (converting the 12V to 240V) and then use the normal Mikomi power supply.
If you are only using the battery (with no EHU) then it will be OK on 12V
Robert
Rob, thanks for the advice, do you know how I can identify whether the transformer is regulated or not. Not a techi and there are many symbols on the transformer.Possibly.
The first hurdle to cross is if the Mikomi power supply is a "regulated" or "un-regulated" power supply - if it says regulated, then it will deliver a fairly accurate 12V DC supply - if un-regulated then the TV will handle the regulation itself and (importantly) will tolerate a wider range of input voltage.
Then you need to be aware that the caravan 12V supply is anything but 12V - when running just on battery it will deliver between 12.9 and 12.0 volts and that's OK for your Mikomi.
But and it's a big BUT - when the caravan is hooked up via the EHU cable to site power, then the battery charger will be running - and that slaps a 14.5 or higher voltage on the battery and battery sockets. This may be too much for the Mikomi to handle if it uses a regulated power supply (exact 12V feed) - refer to first point.
Worse is that the caravan charger may not have the smoothest power supply - it probably will be only partially regulated - and have quite an AC ripple embedded on top of the 12V DC (break-through from the mains). Now if you have this, then the image quality will suffer and reveal all sorts of image defects.
So if you use mains EHU - then the safest route (without doing any tests) is to use a mains inverter (converting the 12V to 240V) and then use the normal Mikomi power supply.
If you are only using the battery (with no EHU) then it will be OK on 12V
Robert
Hi.
I too have a mikomi (argos) 15inch LCD tv, when I got mine i got it because it was 12 volt (via the mikomi power supply) I did not bother to read the instructions or check anything I just cut the lead from the power supply to the tv, (after checking the polarity of the 4 pin plug) then wired the 4 pin tv plug up to a 12 volt plug as the type used in my caravan, plugged the tv into the 12 volt supply direct, it has always worked fine, now into its second season, I always use the van on EHU with the battery charger on all the time, the tv has worked perfecly ok like that, the only thing I have ever noticed is that if I turn the battery charger off I loose the picture but not the sound, so assumed that the battery voltage alone was not quite enough to power the LCD display.
This is my own personal experience, ie works fine with no problems, however please remember it is your own tv, dont blame me if it doesnt work, When i bough mine i made the decision to do it anyway and it has proved ok for me.
Regards
mark
I too have a mikomi (argos) 15inch LCD tv, when I got mine i got it because it was 12 volt (via the mikomi power supply) I did not bother to read the instructions or check anything I just cut the lead from the power supply to the tv, (after checking the polarity of the 4 pin plug) then wired the 4 pin tv plug up to a 12 volt plug as the type used in my caravan, plugged the tv into the 12 volt supply direct, it has always worked fine, now into its second season, I always use the van on EHU with the battery charger on all the time, the tv has worked perfecly ok like that, the only thing I have ever noticed is that if I turn the battery charger off I loose the picture but not the sound, so assumed that the battery voltage alone was not quite enough to power the LCD display.
This is my own personal experience, ie works fine with no problems, however please remember it is your own tv, dont blame me if it doesnt work, When i bough mine i made the decision to do it anyway and it has proved ok for me.
Regards
mark
I have used the Manhattan on 12V from the van for 4 years with no problems but as Rob has stated not all TVs are the same.
I also have a 230V only 15in LCD TV that works fine off an inverter via a surge protected plug
I also have a 230V only 15in LCD TV that works fine off an inverter via a surge protected plug
Just a quick comment on the matter, if you look at any any electrical product you buy it will always give you a technical spec.. (they are required to by law) in this they will always give you an operating voltage, with the majority that are low voltage products IE(they require a transformer to reduce the voltage from 240vac down to 12-24dc as a rule) if ypou read the spec you will find thst 80% say they have a power requirement of between 9 to 18 volts dc, therefore they will work with any car, caravan etc.. hope this helps
Sorry, but I can't see much sense in what is being said here.
Why use direct battery power when you have mains available and why cut the plug off to use on 12v direct and then use mains to keep the battery topped up? Much better to use the transformer that came with the TV and also retain, at least for 12mnths, your warranty. I can see some points in using battery power if you use CLs with no hook up and with this you should just get a steady battery drain from full charge, 13.8v but don't allow a drop below 12v or you could damage the battery cells.
Just a thought!!!!!!!!!
Brian
Why use direct battery power when you have mains available and why cut the plug off to use on 12v direct and then use mains to keep the battery topped up? Much better to use the transformer that came with the TV and also retain, at least for 12mnths, your warranty. I can see some points in using battery power if you use CLs with no hook up and with this you should just get a steady battery drain from full charge, 13.8v but don't allow a drop below 12v or you could damage the battery cells.
Just a thought!!!!!!!!!
Brian
Mike,
How can you tell if the power supply is "regulated" or not? It should actually say "regulated" or "un-regulated" somewhere in the text printed on the bottom (CE requirement)
Robert
How can you tell if the power supply is "regulated" or not? It should actually say "regulated" or "un-regulated" somewhere in the text printed on the bottom (CE requirement)
Robert
Brian I can see your point but I always use my TV on 12V and sometimes the Sky via an inverter .
This means that when the site electrics trip out as they often do abroad the TV etc is protected from surges or just going off.
I also have a surge protector plug between the inverter and the Sky box.
On one occasion someone drove off a CL while still attached to the mains and the TV went off !!!
Now my wife is addicted to watching football and as it was a penalty shoot out at the time 12V operation became necessary to avoid dire consequences for the resident TV engineer in our van.
The 230V hook up ensures the battery is always well charged up
This means that when the site electrics trip out as they often do abroad the TV etc is protected from surges or just going off.
I also have a surge protector plug between the inverter and the Sky box.
On one occasion someone drove off a CL while still attached to the mains and the TV went off !!!
Now my wife is addicted to watching football and as it was a penalty shoot out at the time 12V operation became necessary to avoid dire consequences for the resident TV engineer in our van.
The 230V hook up ensures the battery is always well charged up
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