12 V or 110 TV
should a person get a 12 V TV or use inverter and 110 V
Forum Discussion
While I agree power consumption needs to be minimized if camping off-grid, not sure I agree with statement "the only thing to consider".
Mostly because topic related to low DC loads?
But to the OPs original question, my recommendation would also be an 110v TV with external inline converter. Whether run thru inverter or direct, mostly due to the selection/price etc, just a lot more options. IF you pick a small inverter for the TV look at its self use idle and efficiency numbers. A heat or load actuated fan would be nice-ours ran full bore.
I know many run the 120v TVs direct to 12v by eliminating the small inline converter (brick). Though Ive have never read where anyone had an issue doing it I was never able to cut off due to the varying voltage in camper. Just my luck. I thought I would on our new TV but wooused out.
As the inverter is needed to drive soundbar (15v) and the satellite box (120V) when its set up all I would save is the small overhead of TV. Though every lil bit helps- but my simplistic math shows using the inverter for TV and one other item (soundbar 15v, sat box 120v, or OTA ant direct 12v) costs me about the amps used to drive 1/2 of an 1141 incandescent light bulb. Switching one light to LED would offset.
----for my own entertainment, this a bit long winded
Because I was curious and didnt know and haven't seen any actual numbers I looked around to see how I could guesstimate actual usage with inverter.
Most new TVs (DC) draw less than 50 watts.
Our 21" with dvd player draws 36 watts (3 amps)output.
Our Soundbar rated at 3.67 amp output. Both use switching power supply converters verses 'wart' transformer which are also more efficient.
Our 400 watt inverter is rated at 0.3 DC amps (3.75 watts) idle, 90% efficiency (loss of inverting).
Using more common 85% efficiency and 12.0 volts converting watts to amps & back.
(consumption: Power (inverter idle watts) + load (watts divided by efficiency of inverter) = usage
(amps to watts: Amps x Volts = Watts)
(watts to amps: Watts ÷ Volts = Amps)
So Ours
3.6 watts (inverter power) + 42.36 watts (TV load 36 watts ÷ 0.85) = 45.95 watts
So thats 9.95 watts (0.83 amps) over actual demand using inverter.
The soundbar when used is higher at 50.5 watts (3.37DC amp) but its also 15v.
3.6 watts (inverter power) + 59.47 watts (SB load 50.5 watts ÷ 0.85) = 63.07 watts
Both:
3.6 watts (inverter power) + 101.82 watts (TV&SB load 36&50.5 watts ÷ 0.85) = 105.45 watts or 8.8 amps total draw. Thats 18.87w (1.6amps)over to use inverter to watch TV with soundbar. My actual numbers are a little better using 90% efficiency and nominal 12.5v plus when sound bar used TVs speakers are turned off.
Bottom line though when power is issue TV just doesnt get turned on-
To check ran battery to inverter lead thru amp meter, though I saw 1.3 amps verse the rated 0.3amp of inverter I assume led on remote switch/ standby draw of TV, SB & Sat box. However turning on tv and soundbar, Sat. box in standby, highest was 2.76 amps feeding the inverter? Nothing near the calc'd 8.8 amps. I know since replacing all the old equipment use dropped at least a 2/3 just judging by battery state but the max calc'd numbers surprised me, I expected more, the amp meter more so.
To the point pretty sure Im going to add an amp & volt meter panel to our lil inverter to see its performance.
Didnt test with the sat box on, though it was in standby, as its 14 watt AC direct, bout 0.12 amps AC. (In standby its rated at 11w).
Kinda off topic; probably should have put in separate thread, but this peeked my curiosity and I found interesting . Mostly all I did was confirm not much point in our case to amputate the converter -and actual power use thru inverter lower than I thought. Though the DC to AC and back again does seem illogical, not near 'cost' of what I assumed. Our old AC/DC TV when you turned it on the inverter fan bogged down- The new TVs power use is amazing-if they keep it up pretty soon they will be charging your batteries.
Mostly because topic related to low DC loads?
But to the OPs original question, my recommendation would also be an 110v TV with external inline converter. Whether run thru inverter or direct, mostly due to the selection/price etc, just a lot more options. IF you pick a small inverter for the TV look at its self use idle and efficiency numbers. A heat or load actuated fan would be nice-ours ran full bore.
I know many run the 120v TVs direct to 12v by eliminating the small inline converter (brick). Though Ive have never read where anyone had an issue doing it I was never able to cut off due to the varying voltage in camper. Just my luck. I thought I would on our new TV but wooused out.
As the inverter is needed to drive soundbar (15v) and the satellite box (120V) when its set up all I would save is the small overhead of TV. Though every lil bit helps- but my simplistic math shows using the inverter for TV and one other item (soundbar 15v, sat box 120v, or OTA ant direct 12v) costs me about the amps used to drive 1/2 of an 1141 incandescent light bulb. Switching one light to LED would offset.
----for my own entertainment, this a bit long winded
Because I was curious and didnt know and haven't seen any actual numbers I looked around to see how I could guesstimate actual usage with inverter.
Most new TVs (DC) draw less than 50 watts.
Our 21" with dvd player draws 36 watts (3 amps)output.
Our Soundbar rated at 3.67 amp output. Both use switching power supply converters verses 'wart' transformer which are also more efficient.
Our 400 watt inverter is rated at 0.3 DC amps (3.75 watts) idle, 90% efficiency (loss of inverting).
Using more common 85% efficiency and 12.0 volts converting watts to amps & back.
(consumption: Power (inverter idle watts) + load (watts divided by efficiency of inverter) = usage
(amps to watts: Amps x Volts = Watts)
(watts to amps: Watts ÷ Volts = Amps)
So Ours
3.6 watts (inverter power) + 42.36 watts (TV load 36 watts ÷ 0.85) = 45.95 watts
So thats 9.95 watts (0.83 amps) over actual demand using inverter.
The soundbar when used is higher at 50.5 watts (3.37DC amp) but its also 15v.
3.6 watts (inverter power) + 59.47 watts (SB load 50.5 watts ÷ 0.85) = 63.07 watts
Both:
3.6 watts (inverter power) + 101.82 watts (TV&SB load 36&50.5 watts ÷ 0.85) = 105.45 watts or 8.8 amps total draw. Thats 18.87w (1.6amps)over to use inverter to watch TV with soundbar. My actual numbers are a little better using 90% efficiency and nominal 12.5v plus when sound bar used TVs speakers are turned off.
Bottom line though when power is issue TV just doesnt get turned on-
To check ran battery to inverter lead thru amp meter, though I saw 1.3 amps verse the rated 0.3amp of inverter I assume led on remote switch/ standby draw of TV, SB & Sat box. However turning on tv and soundbar, Sat. box in standby, highest was 2.76 amps feeding the inverter? Nothing near the calc'd 8.8 amps. I know since replacing all the old equipment use dropped at least a 2/3 just judging by battery state but the max calc'd numbers surprised me, I expected more, the amp meter more so.
To the point pretty sure Im going to add an amp & volt meter panel to our lil inverter to see its performance.
Didnt test with the sat box on, though it was in standby, as its 14 watt AC direct, bout 0.12 amps AC. (In standby its rated at 11w).
Kinda off topic; probably should have put in separate thread, but this peeked my curiosity and I found interesting . Mostly all I did was confirm not much point in our case to amputate the converter -and actual power use thru inverter lower than I thought. Though the DC to AC and back again does seem illogical, not near 'cost' of what I assumed. Our old AC/DC TV when you turned it on the inverter fan bogged down- The new TVs power use is amazing-if they keep it up pretty soon they will be charging your batteries.
