Teac TV running off 12v.

iana · Guru

Teac TV running off 12v.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Sheesh ! I think your being touched ? DC power is fairly safe !

madaboutled · Guru

Shop around you should be able to buy an after market 12 volt regulator to suit for around $30. Failing that you could buy the parts and make one yourself.

AJC · Veteran Member

Hi Iana,

Teac TVs (and others?) are sometimes a bit fussy about voltage - "12 volts" from the battery can go anywhere from 10.5V to 14.5V (depending on charge/discharge cycle) and that's when the TV can start playing up. The Teac power supply smooths this out so you get exactly 12 Volts into the TV, no matter what the battery's up to. (my measurements on the Teac TVs are about 3-5 Amps)

There's a bit of debate about how necessary the Teac power-supply is. You can get a plain 12V lead with cig-plug to DC-jack for about $10 - I suppose it boils down to how safe you want to play it - and how much you want to spend.

About the DC jack itself (the end-bit) - these are available from places like Altronics and come in different sizes (both diameter & length), so best to check it out by taking the TV in and testing for yourself.

Cheers

AJC

iana · Guru

Thanks madaboutled and AJC. Don't know quite what to say about you Aus-Kiwi!, tried the TV again this morning, the plugs from generic 12v adaptors just won't make a connection unless I press and angle the plug towards the TV. Both the TEAC and Sphere 240-12v units, the plug is constructed differently, with the part that excepts the central pin having a clamping effect. These seem to work OK.

The other possibility is that the socket into the TV is damaged.

AJC I wondered if the TEAC 12v adaptor (voltage regulator and filter) was aimed more at the motor home market, where the TV might be on while the engine was running. It may stop interference from ignition and the alternator. Where as the 12v power in the caravan should be clean.

I guess the next step would be to 1/ pull the back off the TV and examine the socket, and if the socket is not damaged, 2/ take the TV to our 12volt shop who is stocking the TEAC adaptor and see if I get a good secure power connection.

I would have thought a fluctuation of +2 volts would still be acceptable?

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

I had that problem some time back . I ended up soldering another connection to back of original plug . Now have newer smart LED 240 ( 55watt )and 12v Kogan TV's .,

iana · Guru

Well I have tried taking the back off the TV, failed. Something stops the back cover coming off on one side, and I don't want to break anything. Put the original plug back in the socket and gave it a good amount of movement and no loss of contact, so I am going to assume all the solder joints to the circuit board are OK. Yes Aus-Kiwi, I did wonder about cutting this lead and fitting a 12v cig lighter plug and socket to it. Once on the road we will not need the 240v power unit anyway.

So I guess the question is, will the TV handle the 2v over voltage, or do I need the power adaptor. What is so ironic in all this is that 3 months ago TEAC was giving these away as a promotional thing, its on their web site.

Mike Harding · Guru

Without much more information it's impossible to sensibly advise:

The $80 box may be to limit the 12V -- and/or it may be to filter frequencies/spikes imposed upon the DC from external equipment and stop them disrupting the TV -- and/or it may be to stop the TV putting interference on the DC and sending that out into the world thus breaching the TV's EMC compliance -- and/or all of the above.

If the value of the TV is not a significant amount to you then I'd stay with your existing set up - if it is then I'd buy the box.

PS. forget all the stuff about other boxes from XYZ supplier - either buy the Teac box or don't bother.

madaboutled · Guru

Your manual should tell you what voltage your tv requires if not the look at the 240 volt transformer it will show the output voltage. As far as the plug to the tv goes you could cut it from the 240v transformer and use connector plugs/sockets to rejoin it. A 12v regulator is nothing more that an adjustable boost/buck converter that can be adjusted via trim pots using a multimeter to set the output voltage. I have used a laptop 12v power supply for a simular application and just reset the internal trim pots to adjust voltage and current. I wouldn't do this however if the tv is still under warranty. There's always alternatives if you think outside the box.

Jaahn · Guru

Hi smile

We have had a few TVs over the years and have run them all off the 12V supply directly. Also a set top box when required too. They all ran OK direct, and we still do currently with our HD TV. Recently we went away and found we did not have the 12v lead and I used the 12v laptop charger and just set the voltage to 15v as that was the lowest setting available. No problem either.

There is no problem with the voltage going up to ~15v while charging, solar or other. While at a park my built in charger gets the voltage up towards that and/or so does the solar and we use the TV whenever we want. Sometimes in years past the battery voltage did go down a bit low and the TV may play up but then its time to go to bed biggrin Never caused any problems to the several TVs we had. Still got them all actually and still working, but the signals are not broadcast now confuse !!

If you need a different plug to connect to your socket go to an electronics retailer or a computer fixer. Some laptops use a socket with a thiner pin. My wife's has one and the laptop 12v charger we bought has about 10 tips to fit all different sockets. Look at this one for the style, You can buy them here too, {thats the style I used at 15v above}

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Universal-12V-Car-DC-Battery-Charger-Adapter-For-Notebook-Laptop-HP-IBM-Sony-/271960647825?epid=1491715876&hash=item3f521e2891:g:kuUAAOSwyQtV0prB

Good luck Jaahn

iana · Guru

Thanks Jaahn, couple of things, as I said TEAC had a 12v to 12v power adaptor, and was until March this year offering them free from their main office as a promo, looking at the TEAC site now they have a new one out, and the output voltage starts at 15v, so the voltage is not a problem. I had brought a 12-17v power adaptor for my laptop, and tried all the adaptors supplied and no go for the TV, but guess what, my newish laptop had a different connector, and the company had lots of fun supplying me with one that was suitable, none supplied with the unit fitted, but they did come up with the goods.

I have now gone and brought a 12v cigarette plug and socket, and will cut the lead on the 240v-12v power supply, as said earlier, the value of the TV is not worth spending too much on. So being able to use TEAC's plug the problem should be solved.

Why am I doing this, SHMBO has asked that I tidy up the mess of cables at the TV, as we are setting up to be full time on the road, at the TV I have a HDMI cable to the Vast set top box, speaker leads to the radio, digital lead to my headphone pre-amp, std. aerial cable and power lead. I am also removing some of the TV's swivel arms and raising the position of the TV bracket. I hope to have it all completed my todays end.

iana · Guru

All sorted, thanks all, the cable from the TEAC 240-12v power unit is coaxial so to stop interference. Have cut and installed a 12v cig plug and socket, TV is now operational on 12v, from a cig socket.