Anybody Know About Electrics?

[youngshane107]

I have just bought a boat and have a query about a T.v. the guy I bought it from told me I Could run my t.v and charge mobile through the plugs on the boat with the inverter switched on just with the batteries I'm different opinions online so thought I would try here. The only other option I have is the t.v came with a cigarette lighter but don't have a plug on the boat.

Thanks

[Vaughan]

If you have an inverter you can run 220v appliances, depending on the wattage capacity of the inverter. 

But if your TV has a cigar lighter plug this would mean it is powered by 12 volts.  A cigar lighter socket is easy to fit and you can feed it either from the starter battery or the domestics.  It would be the domestics in the case of a TV as these take quite a lot of power, over an hour or two.  A cigar lighter socket is normally protected by a 15 amp fuse.

[youngshane107]

Thanks for your feedback the tv came with a normal plug and I cigarette plug could I use the normal plug with the inverter if so would that drain my batteries?

Thanks

[ExSurveyor]

Welcome Youngshane,

It would depend on how many, good and how well charged the batteries are.

An inverter wastes around 10%.

If the TV is very energy efficient it probably won't make a lot of difference.

If the battery bank is old the 10% saving of plugging in direct to 12 volt would help.

[BrundallNavy]

The tv won’t run off 240v and 12v it’s either one or the other   If it’s a 12v one the 240v 3 pin plug is running via a transformer normally a small black box about the size of a tub of butter.   If it’s 12v you are better using a cigarette socket as it will be more energy efficient. 

[youngshane107]

Brundallnavy yes the tv can run of both 240 and 12 volt it's a cello 22 inch the 240 v plug converts to 12v same as a mobile plug converts 249 to 5v

[Smoggy]

Like wot they said, the 240v will be dropped to 12v by the adaptor and produce heat in the process, the inverter will boost 12v dc to 240vac and produce heat in the process,  that heat isn't free and you end up back with 12v.

Other option that uses less power is turn off the TV and go to the pub.

Why flatten batteries just to inflict a pile of crud on your eyeballs.

[Ray]

We run our tv using the cigarette lighter socket, we don't use it much but this is the most straightforward method. You can buy sockets on places like Amazon, Ebay etc. They can be fitted easily and you are only dealing with 12v. Ths domestic batteries are favourite, a lot depends on your boat's battery set up but if you watch a lot of tv run from your starter battery one day you won't be able to start your engine in the morning!

[Bikertov]

1 hour ago, youngshane107 said:

Brundallnavy yes the tv can run of both 240 and 12 volt it's a cello 22 inch the 240 v plug converts to 12v same as a mobile plug converts 249 to 5v

And that is the point BrundallNavy is making

It sounds like the same sort of TV I have onboard. The TV itself doesn't have a 240V power input - it is either a 12V input from the cigarette lighter plug, or 12V from the mains power block 

As Smoggy pointed out, if you run it off 240V from your inverter, you are making wasted heat twice, and heat is a big consumer of energy, ie your battery capacity. 

You are best off just using the 12V cigarette lighter connection as it is the most efficient with the least wasted energy 

[Bluebell]

The only time I run the TV on mains voltage is if I’m plugged into shore power…😎

[Bikertov]

42 minutes ago, Bluebell said:

The only time I run the TV on mains voltage is if I’m plugged into shore power…😎

I will admit to running my kettle on the Inverter, as I can't be bothered with the faff off putting a metal one on the hob and using up all my gas.

But then it is "only" a 900W travel-style kettle, and the 2KW inverter has it's own dedicated pair of batteries. As I'm hooked up to my smart charger when back in the marina, they get nicely replenished and then trickle charged having had a bit of use too.

[Mouldy]

We have five batteries on our current boat, one for the starter, two for the inverter and two for the domestic 12v circuits.  We’ve always run our tv on the inverter, unless plugged into the 240v supply at a mooring, since we’ve had her.  We have a combined Victron charger/pure sine wave inverter and this has never proved to be a problem.  The tv is a cheapo Bush 24” smart jobbie from Argos.

The original alternator was replaced with a genuine Nanni 120ah model and the batteries are all relatively cheap standard ones.

The current draw from modern televisions is quite small, I believe, compared to the CRT models of old.

[grendel]

we have a period correct TV aboard Water Rail- its called a window or in the front cabin, a porthole.

[grendel]

there are wonderful nature programs on the single channel, with occasional appearances by boats, its wonderfully relaxing

[BroadAmbition]

we have a period correct TV aboard Water Rail- its called a window or in the front cabin, a porthole.

We Know 

However you do enjoy watching our sharp wide screen tv jobby onboard 'B.A' on the Lads week and on occasion the blue ray player for films - I have witnesses!

The TV - Its 240v run through the inverter as is the fridge - if not on shore power.  Six 120 amp leisure batteries, 2 x alternators with a joint capacity of 160amps, 2 x solar panels.  Sterling clever boxes sort it all out efficiently.  We only tend to use the 240v immersion heater if on shore power.  No problems to date - as long as the batteries are in good condition

Griff  

[annv]

Hi Shane I would suggest you use a 5 amp three pin plug and socket rather than a cigarette plug /socket for 12 volt much safer. I have a 12volt ring main as well a a 240 v ring main on my boat. And dont connect t to the engine battery, only domestic bankJohn