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Open Roads Forum  >  General RVing Issues

 > TV on DC????

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BigSur2

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Posted: 05/04/12 06:03am Link  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

I noticed something interesting for the first time last night. If I'm running on battery power alone, my TV won't turn on. What's up with that? Is the TV wired for A/C only?....or is there some sort of switch somewhere? What am I missing?


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Ron3rd

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Posted: 05/04/12 06:10am Link  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

Most TVs are AC only meaning they need to run off 120v shore power or a generator.


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Eycom

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Posted: 05/04/12 06:14am Link  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

When running on battery alone, the 110 plugs aren't hot. You would need an inverter or a 12v TV.


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JiminDenver

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Posted: 05/04/12 06:19am Link  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

If it plugs into a wall outlet like at home it is 110v. You will need a inverter that connects to the battery and then the TV plugs into it.

We have a small 7 inch TV that can run off of the battery and I've seen larger 12v TVs at places like Flying J.


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D.E.Bishop

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Posted: 05/04/12 06:20am Link  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

I have a "inverter", it converts my 12VDC to 120VAC. This is pretty common in RVs. There are a few or maybe a lot of the new TVs that have a "brick" that plugs into the 120 outlet and converts to 12VDC. With one of those you can get a new power cord and plug into a cigarette lighter or power center directly.

The Feds are on their way to prohibiting the bricks to save power so in a few years they will be gone.


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gijoecam

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Posted: 05/04/12 11:31am Link  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

sbishop wrote:

I have a "inverter", it converts my 12VDC to 120VAC. This is pretty common in RVs. There are a few or maybe a lot of the new TVs that have a "brick" that plugs into the 120 outlet and converts to 12VDC. With one of those you can get a new power cord and plug into a cigarette lighter or power center directly.

The Feds are on their way to prohibiting the bricks to save power so in a few years they will be gone.


The whole concept of which is stupid, because manufacturers will still design and build their TVs to run from a DC power supply, they'll just have to move the power supply into the TV itself, and the TV will still consume power while off just as it does with the external bricks...

Stupid politicians should keep their noses out of matters for which they have no knowledge... Which is almost everything!

{/rant}

Sorry, to the OP, if the TV runs off 110V AC, it will not work unless the trailer is connected to a power source. Our TV has a brick that transforms the 110V AC to 12V DC and plugs into the back of the TV, so it will also run off the 12V provided by the battery if we so choose (or if the power is out). Running directly off 12V is FAR more efficient than using an inverter to invert the 12V to 110, then using the power pack to convert it back to 12V...

tenbear

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Posted: 05/04/12 11:37am Link  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

Many LED TVs, especially smaller ones, are actually 12 volt and require an adapter (brick) to run off 120vac. If yours has an adapter, look at it and see if the output from the adapter is 12 vdc. You may just luck out.

Check out this link.

* This post was edited 05/04/12 11:47am by tenbear *


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BigSur2

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Posted: 05/04/12 11:59am Link  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

Okay thanks guys. That makes sense. I guess I was confused being that my stereo works off DC, but I get the difference. Thanks so much for the replies.

cm11599ps

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Posted: 05/04/12 02:00pm Link  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

Yep, you need a power inverter like this. http://www.amazon.com/Wagan-EL2402-5-Smart-Inverter-Power/dp/B00527ZAMY/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1336161439&sr=8-9 This is the same one I use. You plug one end into the 12V outlet and it will give you the power you need. Don't count on it running a blender, but smaller items work well.

Think about your car. Your car radio gets its power from the car battery, just like your camper.





Tsalla Apopka

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Posted: 05/04/12 02:04pm Link  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

Not a moot question. We had a 1996 Brave that had an a/c only TV in the front and an a/c - 12v TV in the bedroom area.
That was really confusing until we figured that one out.


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