Posted 2007-12-16 7:08 PM (#73005) Subject: using TV on battery in trailer
Member
Posts: 46 Location: Edmond, OK
Okay...got a question. I just purchased a new Bison 2 months ago after having an older trailer. Well, these past two weeks we've been slammed with ice, and our power went out for 3 days (we live in OK). So we fired up the propane refrig, and used the stove for some cooking. But I was afraid to let the boys watch TV out there, since I wasn't sure how long my batteries would last. I didn't want to have my batteries die due to fact that I have an electric jack, plus our garage doors were frozen shut so that I couldn't have gotten out the truck to recharge the batteries. So my question is...how long would my batteries have lasted by running the TV and a few (very few) lights. I'm not stupid, so I would have been very careful not to run much, but wasn't even sure if the TV would have worked. We have a flat screen TV in our kitchen that I use in the trailer, so it's not out there all the time. I would have to take it out and plug it up in the trailer. Kinda hard to do with limited lighting.
Now remember this is coming from a girl who's not had a "big" trailer before, and lives in OK, where we're just not used to bad weather! I don't know how you guys do it up north!!
Posted 2007-12-16 8:17 PM (#73007 - in reply to #73005) Subject: RE: using TV on battery in trailer
Expert
Posts: 2453 Location: Northern Utah
Is the Flat Screen a 12volt? You say it comes from the kitchen which to me implies it runs on household 110volts.
If it's not 12 volt, it's not going to run off your batteries at all! It will need the trailer to be connected to the power grid or a generator. Most electrical items in the tailer that run off the battery are 12 volt. Microwave, AC etc all require the trailer be connected to a generator or the house. Now speaking from a guy who has not yet hooked up a TV in his trailer. Which model of TV's do run off 12 volt? I'm not too inclined to have my generator run every time I wan to watch a DVD on a camp out.
On another note. LCD and Plasma TV's use twice or more the power of a standard CRT TV. The average 42" Plasma TV uses $240 electricity a year. vs $60 for the average 31' CRT TV. I know you are not hauling a 42" plasma out to your trailer, I use that size, because I just read about how much power they waste and I don't know what your 19" flat screen uses. But it's more than a normal CRT TV.
Posted 2007-12-18 6:50 PM (#73113 - in reply to #73005) Subject: RE: using TV on battery in trailer
Veteran
Posts: 216 Location: Chillicothe, Ohio
As the other posters, said..I am assuming your TV is a 110vac model that runs off a ac plug in your house and is not set up for 12volts DC. Im also assuming your trailer does not have a inverter already installed (some do). If this is not the case, your option is to purchase a small 300-400 watt or larger inverter. These can be purchased at most any home supply store, electronics store or over the internet. Look on the back of your TV, somewhere there should be a tag that lists the TV power draw in either volt/amps or watts. If for example, your TV says it draws 200 watts, you will need at least an inverter of 200 watts, but in practice usually need one about twice as large because most appliances use more power for a few seconds at startup. An inverter is wired up to your 12 volt batteries in your horse trailer and converts the 12 volts DC to 110 volts AC. As far as how long your battery will run a TV using this setup depends on how much power the TV draws, how large of a battery you have etc. We run a small color TV (40 watts) with a 400watt inverter and our batteries will operate this for a few hours. One other caution, these cheaper type inverters sometimes won't operate sensitive electonics like maybe a computer or some game consols. This is because the alternating voltage is not a true sinewave but somewhat square...probably getting too technical here but hope this helps you. Usually your trailer lights are 12volt DC so they work off your battery. If you have a plug on your trailer to plug into 110vac, there is usally a device called a converter that keeps your battery charged while you are plugged into the 110vac because your applicance's, lights, water pump usually all run of 12 volts DC. The other option as you realized is to hook up the truck and run it occasionally to keep the battery charged. Hope this helps and hope you are de-iced in time for Christmas.
Posted 2007-12-18 11:30 PM (#73133 - in reply to #73005) Subject: RE: using TV on battery in trailer
Elite Veteran
Posts: 714 Location: Minnesota
slightly off subject: My trailer came with a solar charger mounted and installed. On our last camp out, my batteries were showing low by 10:00 p.m. Since I was hooked up to 110 anyway ( for a heater) could I have also hooked up my trickle charger without damaging the solar charger? Is there anything else I need to know about solar chargers? And yes, Iknow the batteries need to be replaced. I plan on doing it in the spring when I pull the trailer out of storage.
Posted 2007-12-19 4:06 PM (#73164 - in reply to #73133) Subject: RE: using TV on battery in trailer
Veteran
Posts: 216 Location: Chillicothe, Ohio
If your solar panel has a charge controller, there should not be any problem hooking up a trickle charger to your battery while the panel is connected and charging. This would be the same as any RV converter hookup. I have a 80watt solar panel with a small controller and I plug in my trailer to 110vac...the RV converter charges the battery even with the solar panel hooked up and charging. You might want to see if you have any literature with your solar panel/controller for specifics.
using TV on battery in trailer
