Converting 12 volt TV to run on 12 volts!

[DPH]

New boat’s going well, just need to get all those extras ready for a weeks cruise to the South West next Saturday. Following Happy’s lead thought I’d write my own list of essential gear I need.

1. Beer
2. TV

Beer sourced and stored but the TV is becoming a pain.

The boat comes with a small cabinet purpose made to put a traditional, i.e. cathode ray, 12 volt TV in. Dealer offered to supply but thought I could do better sourcing a flat-panel TV myself. After much research on the net decided to go with a Sharp Aquos 15” LCD. Picture quality is fantastic and according to their web site (http://www.sharp.co.uk/aquos_tv/range/products/product.asp?id=13) it supports 12 volt DC.

However, when it arrived today the only lead is 240 volt which goes to a 12 volt transformer. This then supplies 12 volts DC to the TV but the cable to the TV has several 12 volt lines inside which is going to make it a real pain converting myself to a cigarette lighter socket. I’m also worried that I might screw up the polarity and damage the unit.

So quick email to Sharp who’ve come back and said they only recommend using the 240 supply and offer the solution of using an inverter if I want to use it off batteries.

Seems a bit stupid, and inefficient, supplying 12 volts, converting to 240 then back to 12 again!

Anyone know someone who’s converted one of these TV’s to run directly from 12 Volts?


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[boatone]

Maplins had a special offer for a 150watt invertor for £19.95. Nice small neat unit complete with 3pin 24v socket. You could also use it to charge up any rechargeable batteries you have for shaver/digicam/handheldvhf whatever - they charge up much quicker from a 240v supply and you dont need the special cables for 12v working..

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[hlb]

Nothing to do with your problem but. I had a twelve volt TV once. It blew up after a year. So I now have a 240 one. OK I can only watch it when hooked up in the marina and it's a bit of a bugger if in Salcolmbe or other none lecy places. But there is always the pub.

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Haydn

 

[ballena]

Iv'e got one of those 150W Maplin Inverters, its great, I use it to charge the spare VHF and camcorder.

I work for a power supply manufacturer and I gave it to one of our engineers to look at, he was impressed at the build quality.

I think that this is definately the right route, even if the whole thing is only 60% efficient, i doubt the LCD will use more that 30 - 40 W so you will only dissipate about 15 watts max.

<hr width=100% size=1>V8's rule!

 

[Guest]

I suppose you could test the output of the transformer and for which is neg and pos and actually active, source a plug ( maplins or R.S.) and connect the 12 volts direct. I guess that no warrantee would be valid if blown up ( unlikely, if done correctly watch out for power surges and unstable voltages, fit a "smoother device", Maplins or R.S. ) but would that matter. I thought that this unit could be used in conjunction with a computer and has a scart lead affixed for the purpose?

regards
Rob

<hr width=100% size=1>robinwdunham

 

[mainshiptom]

Has the tv a socket for 12v ?? if it has it should be simple !

Get a 12 lead make sure your polarity is right (some sockets have a litlle digram on the side) and away you go !

I have a black and white tele on board and it works fine !

Tom

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[DPH]

Well yes the TV has a socket for 12 volt but there's about 15 pins in it!

This is where the power goes once stepped down from 240V but for the diagram in the instructions supplied it looks like more than 1 oin needs power which is going to make it really fiddly to patch myself.

I did order an inverter yesterday for £30 (Unfortunately before boatone suggested Maplins).

The inverter is said to be 90% efficient and I’m beginning to think this solution would prevent any spikes etc from damaging the set if I wired it straight to 12V.


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[ccscott49]

You're doing the right thing, LCD screens are very suseptible to voltage spikes, the tyransformewr sorts that for you and once you have an inverter, you'll find lots of uses for it. I would lean towards a much bigger inverter.

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[Guest]

Why not probe into the transformer output plug to see what is going on with a volt meter ?

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[Geoffs]

I too have bought an LCD 15inch TV, an LG Flatron. It has a 12v input, but because a boat (or car supply) can run between 11 & 14 volts, I decided to run it off an inverter. It draws about 4 amps from the 12v supply, and works fine.

<hr width=100% size=1>Old Chinese proverb 'Man who sail boat into rice field, soon get into paddy'

 

[DPH]

Inverter arrived yesterday. Plugged it in and all seems to run splendidly apart from the inverter makes a bit of noise when on. Not a lot of noise, just enough to be slightly annoying.

The TV itself is marvellous, it fits the cabinet on the boat perfectly and looks the dogs bolloks, plus it’s light enough so I can pull it out and place it elsewhere in the saloon with minimum effort.


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[boatone]

As to the noise problem, you can locate the inverter somwhere out of the way (as near the battery supply as possible cos you get voltage drop if 12volt cable too long). Then run the 240v line to where you want it and install a 13 amp socket.
My rather upmarket inverter has a remote switch capability for turning it on and off. You will probably need to figure out where to put a switch in the 12v pos line and also make sure the 12v circuit is fused.
TonyR

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