Anyone have experience running modified sine wave for TV's, Game Consoles Etc?

[FreeBird]

I've been shopping around since I got my van, trying to calculate my power needs for my planned set-up for my house battery(s) & inverter and I thought I'd ask since the price is quite a different between pure sine and modified.

Anyone have any experience running a modified inverter for a flat screen and video game consoles, laptop etc..? Any major interference? Flickering Etc.

I'm new to hooking all this up and can use all the info I can get.

Trying to do this on a "budget" but not so cheap as to ruining my electronics’s.

Also, any opinion's on good deep cycle batteries, both lead acid and AGM and also inverter's.

Thanks for all your help.

Chris

 

[akrvbob]

I've been using a MSW for 13 year without any problem. I have a 19 inch LED TV, my kids had a Sony PS, charger for my 18 volt tools and just about everything you can think of. Never had a problem.

To start out you may want to buy a cheap battery to learn on. Chances are you will abuse it and won't last long so you might as well spend as little as you can.

i'd suggest a Walmart marine group 29 because they are cheap but have a very good warranty.
Bob

 

[DC Fuse]

Since you have a Van i would consider a AGM mounted behind drivers seat in a case or maybe room for a wetcell under the hood or the van itself. Nothing wrong w/a MSW as was mentioned.If you have something electronic that you need SW at least you can size it to that.
Your laptop should be able to be charged 12 volt converter.
What are you going to use for a charger? That really needs to be decided first.

 

[FreeBird]

Since you have a Van i would consider a AGM mounted behind drivers seat in a case or maybe room for a wetcell under the hood or the van itself. Nothing wrong w/a MSW as was mentioned.If you have something electronic that you need SW at least you can size it to that.
Your laptop should be able to be charged 12 volt converter.
What are you going to use for a charger? That really needs to be decided first.

For the time being I was planning on upgrading the alternator to a high output unit and just let it charge both batteries as I'm driving, not sure how long it would take to bring a deep cycle from 50% back up with a high output.

 

[DC Fuse]

FreeBird, Just an opinion but maybe consider getting a decent charger that meets your long term goal. One you can plug in. I've had good luck w/the IOTA brand - around $250.00.
I know this stuff starts adding up but if you want a reliable, safe set-up certain things need to be done. A good charger is important.
If you are say a weekend warrior for now i would consider just using the existing alt. and a isolator from starter to house battery and get a Perko switch that can be expanded to include house batteries when money allows. This would be bank 1 allowing you to have bank 2 later.
Save your alt. upgrade money for a decent charger.

Any room under your hood for one battery?
Can you plug in at home to charge before trips?
I learned here to take your 12 volt directly from alt. rather than off starter battery. Your alternator will not by itself give you proper charging on a battery - was'nt made to do that.
And AKRVBOB is right. You will abuse your first batteries.
This is why i say get a decent charger first.

How you do w/the tranny fluid issue? Still whining?

 

[FreeBird]

FreeBird, Just an opinion but maybe consider getting a decent charger that meets your long term goal. One you can plug in. I've had good luck w/the IOTA brand - around $250.00.
I know this stuff starts adding up but if you want a reliable, safe set-up certain things need to be done. A good charger is important.
If you are say a weekend warrior for now i would consider just using the existing alt. and a isolator from starter to house battery and get a Perko switch that can be expanded to include house batteries when money allows. This would be bank 1 allowing you to have bank 2 later.
Save your alt. upgrade money for a decent charger.

Any room under your hood for one battery?
Can you plug in at home to charge before trips?
I learned here to take your 12 volt directly from alt. rather than off starter battery. Your alternator will not by itself give you proper charging on a battery - was'nt made to do that.
And AKRVBOB is right. You will abuse your first batteries.
This is why i say get a decent charger first.

How you do w/the tranny fluid issue? Still whining?

I'm not very familiar with these chargers? Do they charge as I'm driving?

Not a ton of room under the hood for another battery, the starter battery is a pretty good unit by itself.

Checked the fluid for the tranny and it looked like new, no burnt smell and at the right level.

I replied to my other post but to put it short, I let my mother drive the van 20 miles back to my house after I purchased it and the e-brake was slightly down with the brake light on in the dash, I have no idea how she didn't notice it but I think that explains the hot smell.

Took it around the block and it does still have that rpm dependant whine but it's not very loud, even with the stereo or AC on you can't hear it, only if everything is off, going to drive it work tomorrow and see how it goes.

 

[Spirituallifetime]

Run as much as you can on 12v. Look online for 12v stuff and you can find 12v stuff in truck stops. You can buy 12v tv's and 12v cords are available for laptops. Not sure if 12v cords are available for gaming consoles but most people are playing games on their smart phones or tablets and both can be charged on 12v power easily.

 

[highdesertranger]

as far as taking a battery from 50% to fully charged off your alternator, high output or not, it's going to take 8 to 10 hours of driving possibly longer. they do make alternators that can do it in shorter periods of time, some marine or custom builds but they are big bucks. highdesertranger

 

[highdesertranger]

as far as 12v TV's go Jensen make great ones. specifically built for rough duty use they handle being in a vehicle and even off road use. they do recommend taking it off the mount and laying it on the bed for off road travel, this is more to save the mount rather than the tv can't handle it. they say the tv can handle it. highdesertranger