Guest Mike Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 Hello, I am looking to purchase a 15" LCD TV 12v/240v for my van, firstly does anyone have any horror stories about particular Brands and secondly is anyone aware of any retailers who allow these items to be bought on credit as i want to buy one now but haven't got the reddies at the moment. cheers Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest David Powell Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 Hi Mike...I don't think you find a problem getting credit from the big retailers. The main problem with LCD TVs is:- they don't like the 12V suplied from out leisure batteries, their voltage demand is very critical, they work fine on mains powers cut to 12V through the equipment suplied with it, so using an inverter seems to be one of the answers. I you "search" 12V power you will find loads on information from our experts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PeteC Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 Dont think an inverter will be any better than useing 12V direct from the lesure battery The inverter has losses which will reduce the amount of time that it can supply the voltage to give out 12v We only ever use mains Get a standard model from one of the electrical super stors os high street shops They generaly come less expensive that those in camping shops & they do credit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clive Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 Modern inverters are quite efficient, well above 90% in most cases. As using an inverter to power the screens MAINS equipment will result in a stabilised supply of the right voltage over a wide leisure battery voltage range reliability is assured. This is for sure the safest and most reliable way to power a LCD screen, which in itself does not consume a lot of energy (compared to a Cathode ray tube TV). And yes, get a standard one from the high street, don,t pay hugely inflated prices for dedicated "Camping" equipment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest nei l whiting Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 HI MIKE ,I HAVE A 15" RELISYS TV AND HAD NOTHING BUT TROUBLE WITH IT .IT DOSE NOT LIKE BEING ON 12V, EVEN HAD A NEW TV SENT OUT BECAUSE WE THOUGH IT WAS FAULTY BUT FOUND IT AFTER A WHILE ON 12V IT WAS THE SAME .THERE IS A VOLTAGE DROP AFTER USING IT ON 12V .IT SEEMS THE WIRING ON MOTORHOMES IS NOT MAN ENOUGH TO TAKE IT . I MUST SAY IT DID IMPROVE WHEN WIRED DIRECT TO THE LEISURE BATTERY,BUT THEY DO USE A LOT OF POWER OUT OF YOU LEISURE BATTERY IT RUNS VERY WELL ON 240 BUT THATS NOT WHY I BOUGHT THAT MODEL.IF I HAD KNOWN I WAS GOING TO GET THESE PROBLEMS I WOULD HAVE STAYED WITH THE OLD POTABLE TV.ALSO FORGOT TO SAY I ALSO DOUBLED UP ON MY LEISURE BATTERYS AND THAT DID NOT WORK EITHER ,SO GOOD LUCK WITH WHAT EVER YOU DECIDE TO DO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Stuart Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 I agree with Clive. I bought a Logik 14inch (fits exactly in my overhead cupboard) - the cheapest they had in Currys, about £150. It runs off mains of course but it will not run off the standard 12V supply. It runs very well off my cheap Maplin inverter. The TV only consumes 40Watts so even allowing for losses through the inverter, it takes a lot less power than an ordinary TV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mel B Posted August 3, 2005 Share Posted August 3, 2005 We've got a Relysis 15" Nicam stereo TV and have used it on 12v without a problem (with and without hook-up). We haven't had any problems with power drop etc but we don't watch it for hours on end, maybe and hour or 2 absolue maximum if we're 'stuck' in the van due to bad weather. The picture quality is very good as is the sound and we choose it after looking for a while at the competition, some of which was abysmal for both picture and sound quality. We got ours from the Peterborough Camper Show earlier this year for £269.00 fully guaranteed (not from RoadPro which was a lot dearer). If you search the web you'll find that you can get them even cheaper than this now from reputable dealers. It's one of the best things we've bought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clive Posted August 3, 2005 Share Posted August 3, 2005 Have a look at http://cableservelimited.co.uk/?product_id=4778&cab_ £210.00 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 Thanks for all the advice everyone, I think I will go for Stuarts opion of TV plus inverter. On that point Stuart, which inverter do you have? There are a few to choose from!!! Anyone any advice, her indoors has asked if she could run her hairdrier via an inverter?? She only uses it for about a minute at the most. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clive Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 Hair dryer? Well that takes a lot more watts than a TV. BUT "most things will work quite well off a "modified sine wave" inverter (the cheaper ones) but you need to look carefully at the consumption of the appliance. Our Babylis dryer is rated at 1000 watts so an inverter needs to be rated at say 1200 watts to give a little in hand. When running it will be taking some 100 amps from the battery to run the dryer (compared with about 4amps for the LCD TV.) If the inverter is mounted close to the BIG batteries and connected with FAT cable then it should be OK. Maplin have a 1000 watt inverter for £150. However if you forget the hair dryer a smaller inverter suitable for the TV, Laptop and camera charger etc might be the 150 watt model for £30.00 But their are some very low cost high power inverters on Ebay. Just put "INVERTER" into the search field and look. I would not purchase any from "Moore Power" as those that I have seen at shows tend to be twice the price of the same units sold elsewhere - like Maplins!. P.S. If your Mrs needs a hair dryer you are holidaying in the wrong location! Enjoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Stuart Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 I have a Nikkai 300watt inverter which cost £40 (I would have bought the 150watt model but the store was out of stock). I should also have referred you to the Amazon web site. You may find a suitable TV there but more importantly they have an excellent buyers guide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jeanie Posted August 5, 2005 Share Posted August 5, 2005 we have just bought a 300w inverter on special offer from maplins for £19.99 ON SPECIAL OFFER THE SALESPERSON ASSURED US IT WILL BE FINE FOR OUR 15" LCD TV BUT CAN RETURN IT IF NOT... RETURN LIMITED TO 1 WEEK - 10DAYS kind regards jeanie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jeanie Posted August 5, 2005 Share Posted August 5, 2005 we bought lcd tv 15" nicam / teletext / pc monitor for £179.99 reduced from £199.99 at comet on saturday currys had a 13.3" with the above features for £164.99 but this has now gone up to £169.99 Argos cheapest is same price however its a buyers market and if you haggle a bit you could probably get a discount or something extra included at comet or currys try a couple of different salespeople as the first person we spoke to at comet refused any discount on the marked price but1/2 an hour later a different person gave us a £20 discount!! at currys we were offered the display model for £10 discount on the £164.99 price!!!! is it the case that we are so used to being passive consumers we just accept the price and poor service or is it that haggling is seen as unacceptable in our culture anyway hope you get a bargain mike kind regards jeanie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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