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Television on 12v - Newbie needs advice!

J

James_374408173

Hi all,

Looking to buy a TV for our recently-purchased second hand caravan. Ideally something with a DVD and freeview all built into one unit.

We regularly camp without mains power so it would ideally need to run on 12v from the caravan's leisure battery. We do have a generator that we run so we can charge the battery during the daytime. So in reality the use would be a couple of hours at night solely on the leisure battery.

Has anyone any suggestions on the best model to buy? Screen size isn't massively important but I guess at least 14" would be best. Also ideally widescreen. I've seen this model (http://www.dixons.co.uk/martprd/store/dix_page.jsp?page=Product&source_id=aw&sku=106344&camp_id=CHEETAH%20MARKETING&source_id=aw&camp_id=CHEETAH%20MARKETING) at dixons which seems reasonable.

Looking for advice as it has a separate 12v transformer to run it. Is it best to power it straight from the 12v plug socket in the van or run it via an inverter and the 240v power supply.

Any advice very gratefully received for a newbie to things like this!

Thanks,

James
 
There are lots of these types of TV/DVD units around and the supermarket specials appear to be as good as the top of the range jobs, especially when you consider how throw-away we have become nowadays.

There have been a lot of posts on here in the past about how these modern flat-screen TVs can run on 12v but the problem seems to be that it has to be exactly 12v. Not 12.5v or 11.5v and certainly not 13v. This makes the power supply from the caravan a bit unreliable. The solution, it seems from other people's experience is to buy an inverter so that you can use the van's 12v to 'generate' 230v which the TV's transformer will bring back to 12v. But it will be 12v with no deviation.
 
We have run our Manhattan Tv exclusively on 12V for 6 years with no problem

We bought a 2nd Tv last year and it was 230V only but it works OK when needs must via a small inverter as does the Sky box

I think that the 12V power supply on modern vans is much better than it used to be and more reliable than some 230V supplies espaecially in France
 
I would step up to 240 V via an inverter and then use the tv's power lead to regulate the input. If a tv is not designed to specifically run on 12v the there may be no surge protection within the TV as it is expecting the smoothing to be done by the transformer.
 
I have ran tv's direct from 12v's for years and never had a problem.I now use a different tv with built in dvd and freeview which has a 240v to 12v transformer.Instead of using an invertor which use more power i purchased a 12v regulator @
 
Many people have been able to run their TVs on 12v for years with no problem. I suspect that over the years they have been running older cathode ray tube (CRT) TVs which are more tolerant of voltage instability. Modern sets, which tend to be LCD for caravan use, are sensitive and that is why the inverter or regulator appears to be necessary.

James could go ahead and buy his TV and try it. If it doesn't work he will need to get an inverter or regulator. If it does, then everything will be lubbly jubbly.
 
I bought a 19" HD ready LCD Meos which seems to great so far. Very light. TV/DVD combo which also reads camera cards, can be used as PC monitor. Has digital and analogue tuner and runs on 12v/24v/mains. I thought it was a bargain at
 
Why not use a 240 volt TV?, just use an inverter, i have a 150w inverter that will run my 15" LCD 240v tv, and also our humax twin tuner. And the tv mast amp, total load around 100watt.

Always found 12v Tv's to be expensive.
 
Some tv's are capable of 12v as they have a mains tarnsformer but they dont advertise they are 12v all you do is make up a lead with a 12v plug on the other end.
 
Hi Mikey

Our Manhattan is 230 volt via an in line transformer and when we bought it Leisure Power included a 12V lead which we have use as its a lot les bulky

They now sell a voltage regulator for 12V but from what I read that should not be needed with modern vans as the power pack/chargers are sufficient and supply a smoother output

I did have some problems with voltage drop on one van and fitted thicker cable direct from the battery
 
The Manhattan lcd was a std tv that other also badged their own,a good example was the Bush one from Argos which was identical to the Manhattan apart from no 12v lead,cost
 
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