Keep Flat Screen TV in rig over the winter??

Well, we're about to throw a -34F at it in a few nights!



Our RV is in storage, no electricity running through its veins, so we'll see what happens to the TV come springtime!

I'd remove it from the mounting, put it on a towel in a drawer. Not because of the cold but because it means far less damage if a thief grabs it. The TV may be a few hundred, but the damage when they are yanking it free from the wall mounting bracket can get into the thousands.

Dyngbld wrote:
...You are more likely to drop and break it bringing it in, then cracking it from the cold....

Good point.

nomad297 wrote:
I received this in this month's newsletter from www.tv4rv.com:


For those who don't know, TV4RV.com is located in Grants Pass, Oregon where our town's slogan is "It's the climate!" due to our mild weather. We may need to revise the slogan since the temperature hit 5 degrees in early December. This was VERY unusual weather for our area.

Shortly thereafter, during the heatwave of 19 degrees we got a call from a customer concerned with leaving his new LCD TV in the RV where temperatures could drop to 20 below zero! (and we thought WE were cold!) We are always surprised when we get questions that challenge us, so we did a bit of research online to see what we could learn about this topic. The quick answer is - nothing very definitive!.

A survey of several popular TV manufacturers found that they do not recommend storing the TV in temperatures below -4 degrees Fahrenheit or the warranty will be voided. One RVer noted that most new cars and trucks have LCD screen technology built into them and they are often exposed to very cold conditions with no ill effects. A trucker added that he often delivers truckloads of these TV's in extreme cold and they are then stored in unheated warehouses and distribution centers, all with no problems. All agree that the TV should be unplugged during storage.

The concern seems to be that the "liquid" in the LCD crystals might freeze. There isn't actually any liquid in a Liquid Crystal Display. The crystals are said to be liquid only relative to their ability to change shape when given an electrical charge. They are not liquid in the same sense that water is liquid, and will not expand or burst the screen by freezing in the same way that ice can burst a pipe.

Most likely, the damage to a TV, or any electronic device exposed to prolonged deep cold, is from rapid temperature fluctuations and/or condensation forming inside the device.

Rapid temperature fluctuations, or extreme temperatures are obviously hard on any electronic device. Rapid changes cause uneven expansion or contraction of various electronic components and connections. Extreme temperatures stress the design tolerances in the same fashion.

Condensation will happen when the device is moved directly to a warm humid environment when the device itself is still cold. Moisture from condensation on circuit boards and electrical contacts can cause damage, in exactly the same way that spilling a glass of water into the device can. Water will cause short-circuiting and that, in turn, can even cause a fire. A fire caused by water seems counter-intuitive, but it happens in electrical situations. For instance, never try to put out an electrical fire with water. It will only aggravate the situation. Simply give the device opportunity to warm to room temperature and the condensation will evaporate. Then the device can be turned on without doing any harm.

So, you can store your TV in sub-zero temperatures provided you keep it unplugged and give it the opportunity to warm to room temperature before connecting the power.

You just got to love the in-depth investigation...

A bit of internet searching… :B

A survey of several popular TV manufacturers found that they do not recommend storing the TV in temperatures below -4 degrees Fahrenheit or the warranty will be voided. :B

more accurately all popular TV manufactures…


he also considered as evidence a RV’ers claim that most new cars and trucks have LCD screen technology built into them and they are often exposed to very cold conditions with no ill effects…

I wonder if maybe auto and truck and test equipment manufactures might be aware of this and encapsulate things that may be effected by condensation when they know this is what they will be exposed to…


Another consideration he used was a trucker that reported they are delivered and stored in unheated warehouses…

I have no doubt that is true but there are things maybe preventive when new from the manufacture, (like packs of desiccant in the packaged TV) or maybe preventive things that are ignored in the transportation contract for cost savings… I know some deliveries I have made I was required to put a Coleman catalytic heater in the enclosed trailer that they felt was enough to prevent freeze damage of the load (not TV’s)…

This guy sounds like he did nothing more than read a RV.net thread to make his supposedly informed conclusion, with absolutely no real facts…

Leave them in if you choose to, there are many testimonials that claim no damage from it, and there are a few that believe they have had damage from leaving them in…

I let the manufactures recommendations guide me and bring them in… I believe the life is shortened by the freeze and fluctuations,
and have never read a single person on the know who claimed it’s good for them to be stored under those conditions…

IDK...... my motto is "when in doubt, take it out". If you're talking winter storage for an extended period, why not? Mine are stored inside the house, in the original boxes, 'till spring. For the few minutes it takes to disconnect and take them in, why not?

Well, I disagree.....we live in LaPine....there is less humidity there than here in Quartzsite, AZ. We left a LCD clock out in the rig....it got to 20 below there one winter and the "fluctuation" was minimal, it got to around 5 degrees at the highest. The clock was ruined. I say take out the tv.....they're a lot more expensive than a clock and better to be safe than sorry. BTW, 2 weeks or so ago, our house got to 32 below.... (well, the neighbors house next to us). SO happy we're in Arizona!!!!!!

Too late for me as it's zero here now.course I don't take the tv out anyway.

Bill

I received this in this month's newsletter from www.tv4rv.com:


For those who don't know, TV4RV.com is located in Grants Pass, Oregon where our town's slogan is "It's the climate!" due to our mild weather. We may need to revise the slogan since the temperature hit 5 degrees in early December. This was VERY unusual weather for our area.

Shortly thereafter, during the heatwave of 19 degrees we got a call from a customer concerned with leaving his new LCD TV in the RV where temperatures could drop to 20 below zero! (and we thought WE were cold!) We are always surprised when we get questions that challenge us, so we did a bit of research online to see what we could learn about this topic. The quick answer is - nothing very definitive!.

A survey of several popular TV manufacturers found that they do not recommend storing the TV in temperatures below -4 degrees Fahrenheit or the warranty will be voided. One RVer noted that most new cars and trucks have LCD screen technology built into them and they are often exposed to very cold conditions with no ill effects. A trucker added that he often delivers truckloads of these TV's in extreme cold and they are then stored in unheated warehouses and distribution centers, all with no problems. All agree that the TV should be unplugged during storage.

The concern seems to be that the "liquid" in the LCD crystals might freeze. There isn't actually any liquid in a Liquid Crystal Display. The crystals are said to be liquid only relative to their ability to change shape when given an electrical charge. They are not liquid in the same sense that water is liquid, and will not expand or burst the screen by freezing in the same way that ice can burst a pipe.

Most likely, the damage to a TV, or any electronic device exposed to prolonged deep cold, is from rapid temperature fluctuations and/or condensation forming inside the device.

Rapid temperature fluctuations, or extreme temperatures are obviously hard on any electronic device. Rapid changes cause uneven expansion or contraction of various electronic components and connections. Extreme temperatures stress the design tolerances in the same fashion.

Condensation will happen when the device is moved directly to a warm humid environment when the device itself is still cold. Moisture from condensation on circuit boards and electrical contacts can cause damage, in exactly the same way that spilling a glass of water into the device can. Water will cause short-circuiting and that, in turn, can even cause a fire. A fire caused by water seems counter-intuitive, but it happens in electrical situations. For instance, never try to put out an electrical fire with water. It will only aggravate the situation. Simply give the device opportunity to warm to room temperature and the condensation will evaporate. Then the device can be turned on without doing any harm.

So, you can store your TV in sub-zero temperatures provided you keep it unplugged and give it the opportunity to warm to room temperature before connecting the power.

KD4UPL wrote:
Leave it in. Dealerships don't remove all the TV's from their units on the lot for the winter. New TV's are transported all over the country year around in unheated trucks and stored in unheated warehouses. The containers that bring them over from China aren't heated either.
Just don't try to turn it on when it's too cold.

X2 I drive for a freight company in the UP of Michigan. It is not uncommon for winter temps to drop below -25 F. We deliver TV's among other things and they are not held or transported in temp controlled enviroments. Our TV's stay in our camper year round. Every one has a opinion and has to do what they believe is right.

Wouldn't worry about it. If you use it while really cold in will be "sluggish" untill it warms up some. My gps has been in the car at near zero with no troubles at all.

You are more likely to drop and break it bringing it in, then cracking it from the cold. I'd leave it.