 | Home > Off Topic > running TV from an Invertor |
 
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| nicam Member Since: 14 Dec 2007 Location: deepest Lancashire Posts: 156  
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The output of 40 watts @ 240 volts = 0.17 amp
But allowing for the possible full output from the inverter to be used; 300 watts = 1.25 amps (as per the unit rating) If you used 1mm2 cable the current capacity is (at least) 11 amps. So I suggest putting a fuse in the inverter output line rated to protect the cable but allow full inverter output - say 3 Amps. On the 12 volt input side, the current draw depends on the efficiency of the inverter. If the inverter is, say, 80% efficient it will draw ( 300 divided by 0.8 ) 375 watts from the supply, = 31 amps at 12 volts. (so will flatten an average battery in about 2 hours!!) 31 amps needs at least 6mm2 cable or preferably bigger if you want to avoid volts drop If you only draw the 40 watts for the TV, it is likely that the inverter will not run as efficiently as it will at full load, so expect the input load to be, perhaps, 80 watts (40 used + 40 wasted) = 6.7 amps ish. All of the input numbers are guesses dependent on the efficiency of the inverter, so treat these with care. All of this may be irrelevant until you see if the TV will actually run on the output of an inverter - many will not as the output waveform can be "different" from a mains supply. The alternative is to use a TV with a 12 volt input which will simply draw 3.3 amps and be the most efficient way to do it. Don`t drive faster than your angel can fly! |
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29th May 2019 11:00am |
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| custom90 Member Since: 21 Jan 2010 Location: South West, England. Posts: 20359 
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If you do go down an Inverter route, Pure Sine wave is the best choice as this is closet to household AC supply.
Modified sine wave can really screw some electricals up, especially sensitive electronics etc. $W33T $0U7H3RN $UG4R 🇬🇧🏴🏴🏴🇮🇪🇺🇸⛽️🛢️⚙️🧰💪 |
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29th May 2019 12:13pm |
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| landy andy Member Since: 15 Feb 2009 Location: Ware, Herts Posts: 5699 
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I’m sure you are aware, but many TVs are 12v and altered via transformer.
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29th May 2019 8:15pm |
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| diesel_jim Member Since: 13 Oct 2008 Location: hiding Posts: 6092 
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^^^^ What he said...
whip the back off, get a voltmeter on the TV side of the input transformer and see what the voltage is... probably 12v, maybe 5, maybe 24/28 if you're unlucky (some of the monitors on the games machines at work are 28v) If it's 12v, just solder in an extension wire to feed it straight off the batteries. |
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29th May 2019 9:02pm |
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| ARC99 Member Since: 19 Feb 2013 Location: North Yorkshire Posts: 1831 
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Thank you for the replies,
Nicam very interesting post the outcome is the opposite of what a fellow caravaner told me who claims to run a TV for two days without a problem. I was aware that some TV's will run on a 12v DC system as they have dual inputs and was hoping to utilise a spare 240v TV instead of paying out for a new TV due to low use . Don't make old people mad. We don't like being old in the first place, so it doesn't take much to  us off.
Richard |
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31st May 2019 8:52am |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17378 
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Aren't there licencing issues if you use a 240V only TV in a caravan or motorhome? I thought (but may very likely be wrong) that to be covered by your home licence it had to be a "portable" set, i.e., one which could run off a battery.
It may also be that I am having a flashback to the 1960s! |
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31st May 2019 9:14am |
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| Rashers Member Since: 21 Jun 2015 Location: Norfolk Posts: 3498 
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Yes. Same problem if you have a caravan, boat, or you are a truck driver.
TV Licenses are for the address not the person so in theory they can drive their detector van (you will know what I am saying if you are of a certain age) and prosecute you. Now, I seem to recall there is a get out if you have a TV license at home, this gives some kind of protection and I also seem to recall being told they (Auntie Beeb and licensing angels) needed to catch you twice at the same address so if you are travelling around, this is not likely to happen. Don't quote me on any of that. I don't know where I heard any of it and am not sure if it's right. In reality, I don't believe anyone has been prosecuted. Try explaining a TV License to an American. They really don't get it. It's like having a license for your microwave oven to them  |
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31st May 2019 10:03am |
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| ARC99 Member Since: 19 Feb 2013 Location: North Yorkshire Posts: 1831
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If the user has a TV licence for there home address and no TV is being used at that address you are covered. Don't make old people mad.
We don't like being old in the first place, so it doesn't take much to us off.
Richard |
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31st May 2019 10:40am |
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| Rashers Member Since: 21 Jun 2015 Location: Norfolk Posts: 3498
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Bit off subject here, but if you have a holiday home, you don't need a TV license at that property as long as you have one at your current address? That seems to be a bit of a money loser for the good old BBC!
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31st May 2019 10:54am |
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| landy andy Member Since: 15 Feb 2009 Location: Ware, Herts Posts: 5699
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I can’t believe anybody cares about a TV license. I certainly don’t. I do pay it, but what a farce of a system. They don’t police it, they just rely on people being good little people who wish to pay for biased twoodle.
Even if you have an existing tv, take the back off it and see what the internal transformer is providing. Much easier when/if the tv has external transformer. |
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31st May 2019 11:39am |
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| nicam Member Since: 14 Dec 2007 Location: deepest Lancashire Posts: 156
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The time to a flat battery will depend on the battery capacity and the current being drawn so 5 amps (60 watts) being drawn from a big leisure battery (say 110 Ahr) will give 22hours running. If you drop the load demand or increase the battery size the time will increase. I can`t help thinking that your fellow caravaner must have very boring holidays if he watches TV for two days solid!  Don`t drive faster than your angel can fly! |
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31st May 2019 11:57am |
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| diesel_jim Member Since: 13 Oct 2008 Location: hiding Posts: 6092
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O/T you only need s TV licence to watch LIVE BROADCASTS, so if you watch stuff on catchup/Dave etc (repeats) apart from the BBC, then you don't need a licence
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2nd Jun 2019 9:36am |
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| LandRoverAnorak Member Since: 17 Jul 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 11324
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That's not quite right, I'm afraid. This is taken from the TV licence website:
If you’re watching live TV, you need to be covered by a TV Licence:
for all channels, not just the BBC if you record a programme and watch it later if you watch a programme on a delay to watch or record repeats to watch or record programmes on +1, +2 and +24 channels to watch live programmes on Red Button services even if you already pay for cable, satellite or other TV services Live TV means any programme you watch or record as it’s being shown on TV or live on any online TV service. It’s not just live events like sport, news and music. Darren 110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia |
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2nd Jun 2019 12:45pm |
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| Zed Member Since: 07 Oct 2017 Location: In the woods Posts: 3287 
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Yep. Same as in France, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Norway, etc. |
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2nd Jun 2019 12:54pm |
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