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TV storage in winter


Bazzeruk

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Most tv's will have a recommended minimum storage temperature, this will probably be around -20c, so this is rarely a problem in UK.

There is also concerns by some people about condensation.

We, like I guess most people, leave the tv in the with no ill effects.

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The advisability of removing electrical equipment from a ‘winterised’ caravan was asked about in this 2012 discussion.

 

https://www.caravantalk.co.uk/community/topic/74535-leaving-electrical-equipment-in-caravan-over-winter/

 

If your motorhome is to be idle for long periods over the winter and it’s a simple matter to remove the TV and take it into your house, then it would be sensible to do this. Similarly for any other easily removable electrical equipment, as an unheated motorhome over-wintering in the UK is hardly going to be a friendly environment for electrical kit.

 

If your motorhome is to be used reasonable regularly during the winter and the TV is fixed to a metal framework with multiple bolts, then removing it may be an unattractive proposition - and some electrical equipment (battery-chargers, water-pumps, dashboard radios, etc.) will just have to remain in situ. But if the TV is easy to remove, why not do it?

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Our TV manual says that the storage temperatures can be -20C to +45C. Read the manual to check your TV's tolerance. If in doubt, take it out and store it in the warm.

 

Despite what the manual says, we take the same approach as Bulletguy because we have doubts. In the winter of 2010, December temperatures were suddenly around -15C throughout the month for several nights at a time where we lived. Daytime temperatures never rose above freezing.

 

We store the tv in the house using a Padded TV bag to protect the screen from scratches etc.

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Come to think of it, motor vehicles these days are computers on wheels and you do not strip them of all their electronic components when not using them during the winter months do you?

 

I have never tried to remove the radio / CD player etc from the van, so why bother with a TV?

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The winter of 2010 did for my radio/cassette display, and my two digital tyre gauges (in outside lockers). The radio continued to work without the display but not the tyre gauges. I take out the current radio fascia and use a tyre gauge with a dial. I suppose much depends on local temperatures and the LCD.
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thebishbus - 2019-11-28 10:58 AM

 

We leave our Avtex tv in the van all year round. 12 years old now, no problems so far .

Brian B.

Mine was same make. Brilliant set with built in dvd player, Freeview, and being multi-standard could get tv signals in any country (useful for weather forecasts if you don't speak the lingo!). I sold it on ebay for a BIN price of £80 inc postage. BIG mistake as after ebay fees etc i came away with about £60. It was in mint condition as well. A few weeks later another identical model Avtex bid out at £160! :-|

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A few years ago I noticed a small cloudy spot developing on our TV screen during the winter whilst it was laid up so ever since I have taken it inside during the cold weather just to be on the safe side. The TV simply slides off its mounting bracket so takes little effort to bring it in.
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Guest pelmetman
Bazzeruk - 2019-11-28 9:07 AM

 

Never had a tv before in our caravan or motorhome. We have been advised not to leave it in during the winter to avoid frost damage?

 

Is that right?

 

Hmmm......

 

In almost 29 years of leaving a tv in a camper, I've never had a telly snuff it due to frost damage :-S .........

 

I'd love to have a chat with who ever told you that :D ........

 

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Thinking about this again,I wonder if it could damp, not frost causing possible problems over the winter. Fortunately our old Hymer is damp free and I do cover it up over the winter with the roof vents open slightly to allow air circulation . As damp is effecting some dashboard displays, makes you wonder

Brian B.

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There is plenty of on-line discussion about this (examples here)

 

https://tinyurl.com/tegmb2o

 

But even if there is minimal risk of a TV being frost-damaged if left in a motorhome, the cold moisture-laden air in the interior of a motorhome left outside during a UK winter is hardly going to be good for electrical kit.

 

Seems like a no-brainer to me - if it’s easy to remove the TV then do it, and if it isn’t then don’t.

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Never a problem to leave a TV in a motorhome or caravan.

Have done it since before they were even designed to be used in a mobile situation.

Temperatures lower than -20C were encountered occasionally with no ill effects....often 5 days of freezing then 2 days of heat as we visited at weekends and put the heating on.

 

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Out of interest I have just looked through an example of an Avtex tv manual online and could not see anything about the use of the tv in cold weather conditions so you would need to assume that there should be no problem leaving one in a motorhome, although I take ours out when it is on the drive for a long time during winter just in case.
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Don636 - 2019-11-29 6:50 PM

 

Out of interest I have just looked through an example of an Avtex tv manual online and could not see anything about the use of the tv in cold weather conditions so you would need to assume that there should be no problem leaving one in a motorhome, although I take ours out when it is on the drive for a long time during winter just in case.

 

The online Avtex manual I've just looked at states operating temps +5 to +35, and storage -20 to +45. As I posted right at the beginning -20 is pretty much the standard recommended storage temp.

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I have checked the Avtex manual again and it actually states - operating temps +5 to +35, and storage +20 to +45. so that is +20 not -20. This indicates that an Avtex tv should not be exposed to a temperature less than 5’ C. In this case the tv would need to be brought inside during cold spells so I will continue to do so.
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Don636 - 2019-11-29 7:51 PM

 

I have checked the Avtex manual again and it actually states - operating temps +5 to +35, and storage +20 to +45. so that is +20 not -20. This indicates that an Avtex tv should not be exposed to a temperature less than 5’ C. In this case the tv would need to be brought inside during cold spells so I will continue to do so.

 

FFS that is obviously a mistake in the manual you are looking at, it should be -20

Avtex.png.71ce696c2995cdfb48e1b15d40a4d5ec.png

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Guest pelmetman
thebishbus - 2019-11-29 8:08 AM

 

Thinking about this again,I wonder if it could damp, not frost causing possible problems over the winter. Fortunately our old Hymer is damp free and I do cover it up over the winter with the roof vents open slightly to allow air circulation . ***As damp is effecting some dashboard displays, makes you wonder***

Brian B.

 

Are your sure it's damp? ;-) ...........

 

Built in age related failure is most probably the culprit in my experience :-| .......

 

Why else does stuff that previously lasted 20+ years now last just past the warranty *-) ......

 

Progress eh? (lol) (lol) (lol) ........

 

 

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Back in the days I used to work (paid that is) as an electronics engineer, I never had a problem with the actual temperature - stuff would survive -20 or -30 ok (military ics if I remember used to be -40, but because they were ceramic rather than plastic) - as long as it was powered down.

Problems only occurred if there was condensation on the pcb/components - then everything went wrong! If I knew something was going to sit outside all year, all weathers, I'd use pc lacquer (varnish) on the pcbs (do I have to say pcb=printed circuit board?!). Condensation would short out high-impedance circuits, and long-term corrode just about everything.

So I would say, if it's easy, bring it indoors; if it stays in the mhome, watch out for warm wet weather after sub-zero temperatures when there's a risk of condensation and don't use whatever-it-is til it's had a chance to warm up/dry out.

Btw, usually that's the reason a humidity spec will say "5% - 95% non-condensing" - I assume they just forgot to add it to the Avtex spec. And, for me, I wouldn't worry about frost alone damaging a tv, unless it's steam-powered of course...

ps think this is my first reply to anything - sorry if I've done it wrong/rambled on too much!

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