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Old 02-03-2019, 05:32 PM   #1
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Adding small inverter for tv

Planning on adding a small pure sine wave inverter to power our bedroom TV so we do not need to run the generator at night for this.

I plan to place the inverter as close to the batteries as possible and just run a small extension cord to the TV. Question is what do you do about the on /off switch. Do you really need to turn off before falling asleep or are they ok to let run for the night? If so are there remote switches. I do not have any 12volt outlets in my bedroom or entire toyhauler for that matter.
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Old 02-03-2019, 06:18 PM   #2
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I have done the same thing you are wanting to do. I have a 5th wheel and my bedroom is directly over the front pass through storage area and the battery is just forward of that. I placed the inverter in the pass through and ran an extension cord up through the floor. I can power the TV and VCR or plug in phone chargers. I don't worry about turning it off and sometimes have left it on for days.
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Old 02-03-2019, 06:38 PM   #3
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If you are dry camping, add a remote switch. If on shore power nothing to worry about.
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Old 02-03-2019, 06:41 PM   #4
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My inverter has an on/off switch on it, so I shut it off when not in use.
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Old 02-03-2019, 06:42 PM   #5
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I would check what the standby current is whatever inverter you decide to use. One brand I tried drew just shy of 6amps with nothing connected, other than it on. Took it back, same kind, same result. Took it back, found a different kind, it draws 100ma in standby. Draws 6-10 amps fully loaded, but we seldom have that much running.

We leave that one on all the time, unless we are going to be gone all day. It is enough to run my wife’s CPAP and TV.

I say this, as 6amps overnight is quite the draw, and can deplete your setup quickly if left on very long.
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Old 02-04-2019, 12:06 AM   #6
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I would buy an inverter than you can add a remote switch to.

What size inverter are you looking for?
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Old 02-04-2019, 01:15 AM   #7
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My 5'ver has a cigarette lighter plug in the ceiling plate where the TV antenna runs into the bedroom.

I have a small power inverter I bought at Home Depot for $30 that plugs into that lighter plug that I can run a TV off of.

And, most TV's now have a shut-off timer in them so you can set them to shut off in a couple of hours.
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Old 02-04-2019, 03:31 AM   #8
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just looking to run a 36 inch LCD TV in the bedroom. I will search for one that draws very little when on as well as try and find one with a remote switch. We are generally never camping with hookups so running the Generator all the time gets rather annoying when we dont need the ac's
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Old 02-04-2019, 01:13 PM   #9
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I would buy an inverter than you can add a remote switch to.

What size inverter are you looking for?
I bought one like this that comes with a remote switch. Perhaps a little over-kill for a TV but I've found that one always needs "MORE" as time goes on.

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07J4ZXV...4-51aa5e01cb40



This is a Pure Sine Wave inverter and with "soft start" will handle more than a $30 MSW inverter. Don't need a C-Pap yet but probably not a bad idea to be ready for one as the years pile up.
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Old 02-04-2019, 01:23 PM   #10
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I like the plug and play ease of my $30 converter when all I want is a little TV or to run my laptop.

It even has a USB plug to charge the phones and tablets.
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Old 02-04-2019, 02:33 PM   #11
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I would think adding a 12v outlet would be easier, then you can use it for any 12v appliance.
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Old 02-04-2019, 02:35 PM   #12
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I like the plug and play ease of my $30 converter when all I want is a little TV or to run my laptop.

It even has a USB plug to charge the phones and tablets.
If it's working for your needs that's great. No issues here.

I've got one of those I used to use to charge my laptop when driving around on business trips and they certainly have their place.

One thing people need to beware of, MANY battery chargers for cordless tools have warnings about using MSW inverters. My Son found out the hard way. He uses cordless tools in his work and goes through several batteries a day. Didn't heed the warning and "smoked" the charger for his batteries he had installed in his work truck.

In today's world of switching power supplies, etc, MSW inverters may, or may not work. Sometimes they just don't work and sometimes they do damage.

YMMV
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Old 02-04-2019, 02:40 PM   #13
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I have a small AGM battery I use in the bedroom that I connect to a small inverter. I run an ext to it for TV and Fire stick. It's right next to bed so turn off when done. I have fallen asleep with running still have power in the morning.
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Old 02-04-2019, 02:41 PM   #14
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What we did and a caution

I had a full 15 map circuit running only the TV antenna preamp behind the TV. I added a cigarette/power socket and I have a little 100 Watt inverter to run the TV.


This socket is really only good for 10 Amps DC so that means the inverter can only supply about 100 Watts or you may melt the socket.

For anything more than this wire it directly to the battery with big and short wires and extend the AC power to where you need it to be.

The groundhog did not see his shadow - early spring (I guess). It is going to snow tomorrow here.
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Old 02-04-2019, 06:02 PM   #15
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I’ve tossed around this same idea for a while now. I really think I’m going to grab a yeti 400 or the next size up. I think that would run my cpap and tv for a night or 2. And it’s reasonably priced by the time I consider a second battery and inverter. It to mention the task of running wiring/extension cord to the bedroom.
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Old 02-04-2019, 06:46 PM   #16
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Originally Posted by UT_Grandpa View Post
I had a full 15 map circuit running only the TV antenna preamp behind the TV. I added a cigarette/power socket and I have a little 100 Watt inverter to run the TV.


This socket is really only good for 10 Amps DC so that means the inverter can only supply about 100 Watts or you may melt the socket.

For anything more than this wire it directly to the battery with big and short wires and extend the AC power to where you need it to be.

The groundhog did not see his shadow - early spring (I guess). It is going to snow tomorrow here.
I wondered if that 12V powered TV antenna amp circuit would support a 12V socket. I am thinking about an inverter too.
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Old 02-04-2019, 07:16 PM   #17
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We mostly boondock with our camper, and i kind of went through this same senarior. Instead of using an inverter i installedd a 12volt cigerette type socket. I ran a fused positive and ground wire directly off the house battery, to the 12 volt socket in the area we have our tv. Most of these flat panel tvs actaully use dc power. So i went on ebay and found the corect power cord, i think it was 9 volt and was for a portable dvd player.

Seems pointless to use and inverter, to go from dc to ac, and then to your tv will switch the ac back to dc.
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Old 02-04-2019, 07:47 PM   #18
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I have a Samlex 600 watt pure sine wave inverter. Specifications say it draws less than 600 milliamps at 0 load. The inverter powers the AC outlet next to my TV. I have a remote switch next to the bed that turns the inverter on and off. I have been very happy with this inverter and would buy more Samlex products in the future.
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Old 02-04-2019, 09:11 PM   #19
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I wondered if that 12V powered TV antenna amp circuit would support a 12V socket. I am thinking about an inverter too.
Mine was. A 12ga wire to feed the TV booster. Added 2 cig outlets and 2 high power (2A) USB. It's fused at 15A, just like it was.

Runs a fanless inverter for the TV (sure, I could buy a different tv that would run off 12v), my IBM stick computer, USB hub, and jet pack. Oh, and the TV antenna booster.
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Old 02-04-2019, 09:50 PM   #20
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Most led/LCD TV,s work off DC. That is what the box on the cord is. AC to DC. Find one that output is 12 volts and wire direct to 12volts. Also more expensive tv,s sold as AC/DC. Same thing but come with 2 cords.
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