12V TV

[Sailfree]

I am aware that some people run their LCD TV straight from the battery and have had no problem yet others warn of peril of TV death if you dont send them approx £50 for a 12V stabiliser to ensure TV is not damage by excess voltage when battery on charge.

Anyone know the facts?

Do you run a LCD TV straight off the battery? Has your TV died as a result?

I am sure the stabiliser is a good idea but would like to know if it absolutely essential before buying one.

 

[canalcruiser]

A 12v battery gives 12v under load.All electrics run between 10&14v if not your TV for example would stop when you turned it on.

A stable voltage meens no spikes you may et when engin starting for example just dont use the engine when watching TV!

 

[Sailfree]

Its a charter boat so installation has to be idiotproof!

I thought the problem might be with the boat on mains and the battery charging circuit feeding TV with probably 14.5V

I have 3 choices

1. Fit TV only to work on 220V using supplied transformer to reduce tio 12V

2. Fit TV and wire direct to 12V battery supply & take a chance on fuctuating currents and people starting /stopping engine switching on mains charger.

3. Fit TV wired direct to 12v battery but with a 12 v stabiliser at an extra £50.

I tried Maplins technical advice line and they said wire direct to battery, I know that Robin has his wired direct to battery but others warn against it (especially those selling the £50 stabilisers!!

 

[Robin]

[ QUOTE ]
know that Robin has his wired direct to battery but others warn against it (especially those selling the £50 stabilisers!!

[/ QUOTE ]

No I don't! Ours is 12v and I tried it in the berth, plugged in to shore power and float at 13.4v or thereabouts, it worked fine. Later I tried it when not plugged in and after 24hrs of no charging, battery volts at 12.7v, nearly 100% charge, but it had a strange picture with like interference lines across the screen. I then tried it (same time and place, no shore power) plugged into our 220v inverter via it's 220v AC - 12vDC adapter and it worked fine and so that is the way it has been used ever since. I power the laptop when on board also from the inverter.

 

[misterg]

[ QUOTE ]
Its a charter boat so installation has to be idiotproof!

[/ QUOTE ]

My father used to hire out a fleet of narrow boats. After spending loads on 12V tellies (CRT and LCD), and having them fail regularly, he ended up running mains LCD tellies off a cheap (<£20) inverter as both the cheapest and most reliable option. Bonus is that the punters have got somewhere to plug their phone / gameboy / ipod chargers in.

(The last time I posted this information, there was a protracted discussion about whether a full sine wave inverter was needed. Suffice to say that the Tescos & Argos tellies were perfectly happy with cheap and cheerful inverters.)

Andy

 

[dk]

Choice 4: Don't fit a TV at all - problem solved!

 

[LadyInBed]

I run my TV, VHF, Radar, GPS, PC, Lights all direct from the Battery - am I doing something wrong /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Sailfree]

Thanks for all the replies based on input so far I will install it initially so that it only works when plugged into shore power.

Robin, Thanks for clarification after also reading "misterg" advice my present view is that its safest long term to also go the Inverter route.

To "dk" you may be a sailing purist but for many watching a DVD or the ability to watch a major sporting event makes the boat more attractive to charter. This is especially true for families that charter for a week, young people can get easily bored trapped on a boat especially if the enthusiastic sailor is Dad and the others are not so keen. On a separate post I mentined that its about staying ahead of the game. Hamble Point Yacht Charters like all their boats to be the best both in presentation and level of equipment and while many will disapprove a TV is part of most peoples lives.

I used to love geting away sailing and having time to read but must confess that while I am away next week I am looking forward to watching a couple of DVD's that I have not had a chance of watching in the last 12months due to a busy lifestyle.

 

[ShipsWoofy]

unessessary rant deleted by me giving the benefit of doubt

 

[Sailfree]

Lets be kind and accept it was an attempt at humour.

If it wasn't with his business acumen he is obviously earning a fortune and he will send me a cheque for say the £5000 of lost charters due to the potential customers that booked another boat with a TV!!

 

[ShipsWoofy]

unessessary rant deleted by me giving the benefit of doubt

 

[ChrisE]

DW, I reckon you've gone all miserable since they banned smoking in public places...

 

[ShipsWoofy]

you might be right, I will try to lighten up. A little disillusioned with the forum of late, it usually goes away if I stop reading the Reich-lounge posts.

 

[Sailfree]

I can understand your position but I prefer to let comments that, shall we put it kindly, are non contributory sail over my head. At worse it may let the poster feel superior - good for them if it makes their day great! A number are definately witty and you have to smile even if the witty comment is at your own expense!

I won't comment on this one but when putting any words in writing without seeing the facial expression or knowing the character things can come over differently to that intended I am sure I have often been guilty of that.

I have met Robin & Galadriel so I feel more comfortable trying a little humourous dig at them from time to time but to others it could be seen differently.

 

[Robin]

[ QUOTE ]

I have met Robin & Galadriel so I feel more comfortable trying a little humourous dig at them from time to time but to others it could be seen differently.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well SWMBO never knows when I'm just joking either, but then Yanks have a strange sense of humour, custard pies work but subtle doesn't!

We have had TV on board for over 20 years, starting with a little 7" B&W set made in Russia. People who deprive themselves make their own choices, but then we used to be on board in all weathers summer and winter and some extra entertainment in the dark hours was appreciated. Nowadays we have a super colour fragilistic set but the programmes at weekends are so crap we rarely use it. What we really need now is a mini-satellite dish so we could watch the golf on Sky Sports, but that would really start tongues wagging and teeth a sucking on here!

 

[Duffer]

We've run our 17" widescreen (Mikomi from Argos) from 12 v cigarette lighter socket without any problems with or without mains power. Into 3rd season with it - coupled with Sagem Freeview digibox (also 12v) gives very good picture provided you have a reasonable signal. Avoids the spaghetti of wires and extra power consumption of using inverter/mains adaptor.