110 volt TV, vs 12 volt TV?

ac bill wrote:

tenbear wrote:
Like many others, I bought a 22" TV and later I discovered it used an adapter to provide 12v that ran the TV. I don't use the adapter and run the TV directly off the 12v supply. I use a small 12v regulator to ensure the TV isn't damaged by the converter output of 14.4v but many others don't use a regulator with no problems

Look around for a TV with an adapter that provides 12v, but read what is marked on the adapter to be sure it is a 12v output, then you will have a 12v TV.

Your 1000w inverter is way overkill. My TV (and regulator) uses only about 1.5A at 12v, or 18 watts.

Trying to get this all clear in my head..lol so please bare with me.:)

So your TV is actually a 12 volt, but comes with an adapter, that I presume, converts 110v to 12v? You mention you "later" discovered that it had an adapter to run it off 12v. Before discovering the adapter, how was it powered, and was the adapter sold as an option, or simply buried in the box the TV came in?

So rather than using the 110v to 12v adapter it comes with, you hard wired it to use 12v only, directly from your cabin batteries all the time. In other words, it's never plugged in to the 110 outlet, even when hooked up to shore power, or when running your convertor? Is this correct?

You mention my 1000 watt invertor is overkill, but I kind of gathered that you don't use an invertor with your set up anyway? I don't quite understand the correlation?

So is the TV actually sold/marketed as a 110 volt unit, or sold as a 12 volt unit? As mentioned by other members, a 12v TV is often quite a bit more expensive, thus the question.

About the regulator you mention using when running your convertor. Is this something specifically sold for RV use, or was it an automotive type voltage regulator? Is it something that you wired in-line on your power wires, between the TV and the battery only? Or, is it wired in such a way that all your 12v cabin accessory's, lights, fans, or what-have-you, are run through it?

Thanks!

Hi ac bill,

I think others have answered most of your questions but I'll add my little bit.

The TV was sold as a 120v TV. Normal operation is to plug the TV into the adapter, or brick, or wall wart, and plug the brick into the 120v power. The brick only converts the 120vac to 12vdc so the TV works the same whether the brick provides the 12v power or the RV provides the 12v power. I have used the TV in the house using the brick, but never have used the brick in the RV.

I only mentioned the 1000w inverter since you were thinking of using the inverter. Even when using the brick my 22" TV uses less than 30 watts, so a 1000w inverter would be loafing and using much more power.

I was in Best Buy a couple of weeks ago and saw 2 TVs that used bricks. I didn't look to see what the output voltage of the bricks were but they were sold as 120 vac TVs. I have a 24" TV that I use in the house that uses a brick but that brick puts out 14v. I haven't tried it in the RV but I suspect it would work fine.

I bought the regulator on eBay, I think I paid $5 for it. As I recall, it takes an input voltage of 8 to 50v and outputs 12v up to 3 Amps, 36 watts. It is an all purpose unit, not RV specific. I use it only for the TV but there is no reason it couldn't be used with lights, etc, up to a current of 3A.

I hope that your questions have been answered. If I/we missed anything, or merely confused you, let us know, we will try again :) .