Problem with TV on 12V

There seems to be a common view evolving on the quality of cabling from
the battery to tv socket I'm supprised that a new caravan would
have these problems. Is the use of 12V and Colour TVs not very common?

Has anybody tackled the caravan manufacturers about this?

Guy

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Guy,
We had the same model TV and exactly the same problem. We checked this out
with the manufacturer and have been informed that it is an inbuilt safety
device in the TV that switches it into standby when the voltage available to
it drops to about 10.5 volts. Apparently older sets did not have this
device and all that was visible was the picture collapsing. Other members
of our club have the same problem with other new models by different
manufacturers. We thought our battery was in good order and it often did us
for a week with the old six inch screen colour TV and all other power drains
normally used. After we got the Panasonic we changed to a carbon fibre
battery and found some improvement but we still have a much reduced viewing
time and have to remember about turning on taps etc whilst watching. I do
not know what the solution is but we do have a small , quiet ,Honda
generator that I use during the day to 'top up' the battery or to watch
something like a Grand Prix or football match.
One thing that made an improvement was when we changed caravan to one with a
lot less distance between the battery and the 12v socket and it was
mentioned to me that lower resistance in the wiring could be a reason for
this. One of our club members had suggested replacing the wiring to the 12v
TV socket with slightly heavier, lower resistance wire but we were about to
change unit at the time and I never got around to it.
The unit's wiring is probably OK but try running the TV directly from the
battery using heavier, shorter wiring and see if it lasts any longer, this
would give an indication if re-wiring the 12v socket would help without
having to do it.

This is probably not a lot of help but at least you know that others have
the same problem.

BobMac

We've given up with 12v colour now, they seem to work OK with a battery for
1 season, they seem so sensitive to voltage after then the battery cannot
supply enough.

Tony
...

...

Yep, sure have!
I had the same problem in my old Mardon van. Everything worked fine until
you turned the water pump on. Telly went off!!
There is a volt drop in the wiring from the battery. Most vans do not really
use a suitable gauge cable for the 12v power circuit. It's safe, but allows
pretty heavy voltdrop.
Best solution, wire in a independent supply straight to the battery using as
heavy a gauge cable as you can. Fit a fuse, as near the battery as possible
and leave all the cut-outs etc out of the circuit.
Worked fine after on my Mardon, and I done the same thing with all my other
vans.
Nice telly the 'Sonic, same one here!

Good luck.

DazB

a




Measure the voltage on the socket contacts where the TV is plugged in,
while trying to operate it. If the degaussing circuit is trying to
function, it will draw many times the current that the set will draw
steady state. This would normally be cycled on only a fraction of a
second, but if the voltage dips sufficiently, it may not be switching
off. The wiring or fusing of the circuit supplying that accessory socket
may be inadequate.

Steve

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