Running a TV with generator power

[lakelover]

I have a portable Generac 5000w generator for power emergencies and it's always been a good performer. After getting smarter about haluling it across the yard from the shed every time I needed to use it, this year I finally built a small shed to contain it next to the house. Now all I have to do is just run the wires 3 feet through a cutout in a cellar window blank, then I run long 14-2 wires with outlet boxes on the ends upstairs to power stuff like the fridge and a few lights. I also have heat & hot water from the oil fired boiler, so other than the set-up work, we've got it pretty good.

I feel that I'm getting even smarter, because now I'm looking into installing a manual transfer switch.

My real question here is, do I need a voltage stabilizer to run the TV from the generator and if so, does anyone know a good one & where to get it? We don't watch much TV but figured that during a prolonged outage or emergency, we could get the latest news & weather etc. The TV is an older regular CRT analog TV with a digital converter receiving signals from a roof antenna.

 

[Fishing Dude too]

Re: Running a TV with generator power

For electronics a true sine wave generator is required. That said an old crt TV will work with a normal gen with little effect.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Running a TV with generator power

generally the inverter duty gensets are best with electronics, however your CRT would be fine with what you have.

 

[lakelover]

Re: Running a TV with generator power

Thanks. I don't plan on running my computer or anything like that.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Running a TV with generator power

Living in Montana, we use generators, and with my non regulated generator, I have run my TV for hours on end, with no ill effects. Now for my computers, I use an inverter generator. For the TV and such, I don't worry about it.

 

[nwcove]

Re: Running a TV with generator power

ive been told, that if your generator has a 12v outlet, you can get a true sine wave inverter, ( 12v to 115v) , connect a car battery to the gen,and the inverter to the battery, and you can run sensitive electronics without issue. i do agree that your tv should be fine, as i live in a rural community and the voltage into the house can and does go from 110 to 130 depending on the time of day. not sure if it varies off 60 hertz tho

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Running a TV with generator power

If you have one try a UPS or uninterruptible power supply, they can take a lot of abuse and clean up your power pretty effectively. Done it many many times.

 

[nwcove]

Re: Running a TV with generator power

If you have one try a UPS or uninterruptible power supply, they can take a lot of abuse and clean up your power pretty effectively. Done it many many times.

^^ excellent call, the modern UPS's do a great job and have mutiple outlets.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Running a TV with generator power

Yeah we do this on all modern communications systems, sites have generators and then all power goes through a large UPS, so the UPS has two purposes, first is clean up commercial power second is to hold power during the generator start up lag time. I'm working on converting the entire Sheriff's Office to the same philosophy, by doing this we have experienced zero computer shut downs due to power related failures, but we still have a long way to go.

I do this very same thing in my camper during hockey season, generator plugs directly into the UPS, camper and all other power draws go to the UPS, only problem I have had was over drawing the UPS once so I had to upgrade, I have watched many a Hockey Playoff games in the middle of the desert or way up in the Mountains Hunting with crystal clear digital satelite HD TV.

 

[Chip Chester]

Re: Running a TV with generator power

Here's some specifics of some UPS's and generators... I tried an APS BackUPS unit with a Honda (standard) generators. The UPS went into battery backup right away, until the battery died, because the waveform of the generator was 'glitchy' enough (as observed on a 'scope) that the UPS interpreted it as 'bad' power. I replaced the BackUPS unit with their SmartUPS unit, which had a switch on the back allowing you to adjust the interpretation of "good" or "bad" power. When so adjusted, all was well, and the unit stayed out of battery mode until generator was stopped.

Later I switched to a EU 3000 IS inverter unit, and it would work with either UPS. The waveform on that generator has specs that would be impressive on an audio amplifier, much less a generator.

Load was a combination of computers, pro video tape machines, other video/audio equipment, (on UPS) and RV style air conditioner (direct to EU3000 generator). All was good.

 

[GTS225]

Re: Running a TV with generator power

Lakelover.....that CRT television may be ok on your genset, but the digital converter box may not care for the "dirty" power from it. I suggest approach with caution.

Roger

 

[bigdee]

Re: Running a TV with generator power

Lakelover.....that CRT television may be ok on your genset, but the digital converter box may not care for the "dirty" power from it. I suggest approach with caution.

Roger

Yup, digital switching power supplies need clean power. The old transformer/rectifier power supplies could care less. If your generator's governor can hold a constant speed (most cannot) you would be ok but do so at your own risk! I have run my projection tv on a simple generator without any problem but take it for what its worth.

 

[lakelover]

Re: Running a TV with generator power

Lakelover.....that CRT television may be ok on your genset, but the digital converter box may not care for the "dirty" power from it. I suggest approach with caution.

Roger

I did wonder about that, I got the converter at the time of the digital switchover with one of the $40 gov't coupons. Specifically what do you need to look for to protect something like this? That's what I'm having some confusion over in my research. Also wondering if it's even worth bothering with expense-wise since it will receive so little use. I'm sure not going to spend a hundred bucks -??- to protect a cheap digital converter. If it's too much $$, I'd probably just rely on the radio.

 

[bigdee]

Re: Running a TV with generator power

I did wonder about that, I got the converter at the time of the digital switchover with one of the $40 gov't coupons. Specifically what do you need to look for to protect something like this? That's what I'm having some confusion over in my research. Also wondering if it's even worth bothering with expense-wise since it will receive so little use. I'n sure not going to spend a hundred bucks -??- to protect a cheap digital converter. If it's too much $$, I'd probably just rely on the radio.

For a cheap tv analog/digital converter? If it were me,I would assume the risk. The odds are more in your favor that nothing catastrophic will happen. Even on your utility AC power there are sags,spikes,harmonics and frequency clips quite often.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Running a TV with generator power

Most decent power supplies will accommodate 90 - 264VAC (47 - 63Hz) w/o much of a problem

Most of the new power supplies can handle pretty much anything you throw at them. We used to supply power conditioners with all of our equipment but no longer do so because the power handling capabilities of the powers supplies are equal to, if not superior to most the power conditioners on the market.


BTW: UPS are great for power disruptions but not as power conditioner. Unless you buy an industrial UPS, the regulation of the UPS is typically less that the power supply it feeds

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: Running a TV with generator power

When we loose power I use a 7500 watt generator to power everything in the house except heat pump. LCD Tvs and computers have always worked just fine.