What's easiest way to power TV when not on shore power?

[Costner]

Originally Posted by 5picker

A typical 32" LED TV draws about 50-60 watts.
A satellite receiver draws 20-30 watts.
All according to *THIS* chart.

Any inexpensive inverter that plugs into a cigarette lighter plug should run these two items with no problem. I don't think I've ever seen one less than 100-150w.

Thanks for the reply... I guess I should just give it a try and see what happens. I read somewhere that there might be a fuse behind the wall of that 12V cig plug that worries me. There is no separate breaker for it.

[Costner]

Originally Posted by hbillsmith

I went thru this same issue when we spent a week at Quartzite in the desert. If your RV has an onboard converter/inverter (you'll know if any of the 110 outlets are hot when not on shore power) the batteries are also driving your frig controls, alarms etc. Two Grp31's is enough power (I have one Grp31 and it handles the same TV idea).

I also may do something permanent some day but for now, I just have a small 400watt Harbor Freight modified sine wave that I clip to the battery and then run a 110 extension cord under the trailer, fed through the slide up to a multiplug adapter with the Dish receiver and 1 TV connected. I keep my viewing down to about 2 hours (1 DVD) to avoid running the battery below 50%. If I want more, I crank up the generator and connect the shore power cable.

Thanks for your reply...that's the kind of info I was looking for!

[Costner]

Originally Posted by BandJCarm

You should already have an inverter, no?

I have a small portable cig lighter inverter but there isn't an inverter on the trailer

[Costner]

Originally Posted by BandJCarm

Well maybe not......??....... I doubt it though. CC has been pretty much middle to top line for a while. I camp with guys that have back to 2004 and they didn't have to add an inverter.

I too was puzzled at his question. But I am old, and I often misread or misunderstand folks' intent.

I wondered if he meant "how do I keep the batteries charged long enough to watch a lot of tv while disconnected from shore power".........but I'd be wild guessing.

It's also possible his inverter is broken, removed if he bought it used, or some other thing.

I guess.........I just need more info to know what he needs.

Sorry I guess I didn't do a good job of explaining what I was asking...there is no onboard inverter on our trailer but I do own a little portable cig lighter inverter and there is a cig lighter receptacle so I was wondering if anyone had any experience running a TV off of this vs. having to install a permanent inverter

[BandJCarm]

It's ok, I often get confused!!

Hard to imagine it didn't have one. BUT.....you can get one for $169.00 or less.......
https://www.amazon.com/Power-PWRIX12...s=rv+inverters

Keeping your batteries charged would be another topic..........

[Costner]

Originally Posted by bob caldwell

Think he has both, but his invertor is the type that uses a cigarette lighter connection and he was look'n to make a permanent install with maybe a different one for a cleaner look.....And the expense of a different invertor

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Yep! that's it!

[Costner]

Originally Posted by BandJCarm

It's ok, I often get confused!!

Hard to imagine it didn't have one. BUT.....you can get one for $169.00 or less.......
https://www.amazon.com/Power-PWRIX12...s=rv+inverters

Keeping your batteries charged would be another topic..........

Yes, that's actually one of the ones I'm considering! It sounds like the little portable cig lighter inverter might work but I'm starting to lean towards going ahead and installing a permanent inverter. This one is a really good price and has an automatic transfer to go between shore power and battery.

[markb422]

This is the one I used. Samlex PST-120-12 Pure Sine Wave Inverter 120 Watts AC DC 120 VAC USB Port 12V. I plug it in at the ant. booster 12 volt outlet. Works great and fan never comes on. It was about $100 on Amazon. My 32" Furrion Tele and Directv Rec. draw about 80 to 90 watts.

[KyDan]

I have a cigarette lighter socket inverter that I've used for many years in
3 different RVs and TVs.
Since we only camp off the grid maybe 2 times a year it's worked.

I did have some floating lighter bars on the TV screen. They were most
noticeable when the screen was blank.
It worked and we watched news and the occasional movie when we were
in the boonies.

I bought a "pure sine wave" inverter on ebay that also plugs into the socket
and it came with alligator clips to connect directly to a battery. I've had it
a year and not used it yet. It cost under $30

It all depends on price, convenience and picture quality you want.
We watched a lot of TV over the years with that little $18 inverter!

If you want to go less expensive check Ebay.
Search for
BRAND NEW PURE SINE WAVE POWER INVERTER 300/600 WATT 12V DC TO 120V AC

If you do an "advanced" search for that phrase and check "sold items" you can see a history of these selling in the $20-30 range.

I have not checked one on an oscilloscope but it says it's pure sine wave
and he's sold a truck load of them....
YMMV!

[Loefflerh]

Well there is another solution to safe power usage:
Most smaller tvs run with something like 18 - 24 volts and are powered with that wall-plugin tranformer.
I does not make sense to me to use an converter to get 110V and then use that transformer to get the voltage down again to 19 V or so - you burn a lot of amps.....
If our TV runs on anything from 13 V - 30V power your Tv directly with one of those (or similar): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Hans

[Costner]

Originally Posted by markb422

This is the one I used. Samlex PST-120-12 Pure Sine Wave Inverter 120 Watts AC DC 120 VAC USB Port 12V. I plug it in at the ant. booster 12 volt outlet. Works great and fan never comes on. It was about $100 on Amazon. My 32" Furrion Tele and Directv Rec. draw about 80 to 90 watts.

I didn't think about accessing 12V at the ant. booster...that's right under the TV shelf! Mine doesn't have a cig receptacle there but I should be able to access the 12V wires there and hook up a small inverter. I would think there would be quite a voltage drop there with the length of those small DC wire but as you said it works for you.

I just ordered a 300W (Bestek) pure sine wave portable cig lighter inverter at Wall Mart for $33. Mine old was on it's last legs. Shoot, if I can hook up there and not have to run an extension cord...I may can the idea of a permanent inverter set up. Thanks for mentioning that!

[bob caldwell]

I ran two lengths of 10 gauge, 2 for positive, 2 for negitive, to the battery, to cover the distance, seeing how the tv doesn't require much....Been work'n good for 3 years

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[Costner]

Originally Posted by KyDan

I have a cigarette lighter socket inverter that I've used for many years in
3 different RVs and TVs.
Since we only camp off the grid maybe 2 times a year it's worked.

I did have some floating lighter bars on the TV screen. They were most
noticeable when the screen was blank.
It worked and we watched news and the occasional movie when we were
in the boonies.

I bought a "pure sine wave" inverter on ebay that also plugs into the socket
and it came with alligator clips to connect directly to a battery. I've had it
a year and not used it yet. It cost under $30

It all depends on price, convenience and picture quality you want.
We watched a lot of TV over the years with that little $18 inverter!

If you want to go less expensive check Ebay.
Search for
BRAND NEW PURE SINE WAVE POWER INVERTER 300/600 WATT 12V DC TO 120V AC

If you do an "advanced" search for that phrase and check "sold items" you can see a history of these selling in the $20-30 range.

I have not checked one on an oscilloscope but it says it's pure sine wave
and he's sold a truck load of them....
YMMV!

Thanks, I started looking around and I was able to find a 300 watt pure sine wave inverter (made by Bestek) from WalMart for $33, so I ordered one. I'm either going to get that to work or hook up something more permanent to the battery and deal with all the wiring.

We volunteer each summer for the US Forest Service and there's no power where we go, so we're looking for alternatives to running a generator just to watch TV for a couple hours.

[Costner]

that's a great idea!

[spock123]

Originally Posted by BandJCarm

Well maybe not......??....... I doubt it though. CC has been pretty much middle to top line for a while. I camp with guys that have back to 2004 and they didn't have to add an inverter.

I too was puzzled at his question. But I am old, and I often misread or misunderstand folks' intent.

I wondered if he meant "how do I keep the batteries charged long enough to watch a lot of tv while disconnected from shore power".........but I'd be wild guessing.

It's also possible his inverter is broken, removed if he bought it used, or some other thing.

I guess.........I just need more info to know what he needs.

I had a 30RL Cedar Creek that didn't have a inverter, I think it depends on what type of refrigerator you have. I brought my new, the last year Cedar Creek made that model


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[BandJCarm]

OK, it appears I was/am all wet all through this thread!!! LOL

Not unusual.

[wahoonc]

Only one caveat to using the existing on board 'cigarette' plug that comes with the antenna booster. Check carefully for an amp rating on it, most of them are limited. You may need to run a heavier cable to it and replace it with a heavier duty outlet. IIRC they are limited to 8 amps max draw, which would be 96 watts. I would not want to run it a max power for very long.

Aaron

[markb422]

Originally Posted by Costner

I didn't think about accessing 12V at the ant. booster...that's right under the TV shelf! Mine doesn't have a cig receptacle there but I should be able to access the 12V wires there and hook up a small inverter. I would think there would be quite a voltage drop there with the length of those small DC wire but as you said it works for you.

I just ordered a 300W (Bestek) pure sine wave portable cig lighter inverter at Wall Mart for $33. Mine old was on it's last legs. Shoot, if I can hook up there and not have to run an extension cord...I may can the idea of a permanent inverter set up. Thanks for mentioning that!

My booster/acc outlet (booster is not used as I am using sat) has a 10 amp fuse. 10 amp X 12 volt is 120 watts.

[mfMcFroggierPod]

Get a low wattage Sine Wave inverter. Todays electronics are fussy about using a modified wave inverter.


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[ScottBrownstein]

I used one like that for years in my old RV. Should work fine for you but you might find it shuts down prematurely when used with the cigar lighter connection since these are often poor for significant wattages and a longer period of time. Your load is right on the edge as they recommend that when supplying 150 watts or so with the unit you should not use the cigar lighter adapter but use the supplied alligator clips. The voltage drop in the cigar receptacle can be significant at those loads.