CHOOSING A TELEVISION
CARAVANNERS WHO ALWAYS head to campsites with hook-up don’t need to buy a specialist 12V touring TV, because a standard 240V domestic model will do the job – and probably be cheaper.
If this is you, and you’re in the market for a TV to set up in your caravan, you could take a look at Richer Sounds, where six-year guarantees are often included in the price; John Lewis also offers free five-year warranties.
But if you stay off-grid, or can’t always rely on having a hook-up, a specialist 12V TV is the way to go. These used to be pretty basic, but nowadays, in the era of the flat screen, you can buy a stylish, feature-packed set, measuring 16in to 32in, from Avtex or Cello, among other brands.
A 12V TV is designed to run on a voltage at, or very close to, 12V DC. In a caravan using battery power, the voltage can fluctuate (by as much as 10-15V), which if not regulated, could damage your TV. The more expensive 12V sets are designed to cope with these fluctuations, although some owners of cheaper televisions report their flat-screens working perfectly for years in their van.
Storage and transport
Leaving a TV in a van that’s in long-term storage is a bad idea, from a security and a lifespan point of view – prolonged damp could damage the electronics.
We would always recommend removing the TV from any van that’s not used for long periods.
In addition, because a van in transit is a pretty bouncy place to be, and continuous jolting can cause damage, we transport our TV laid flat in the middle of the fixed bed, surrounded by cushions. We check on it at each stop, but it never moves about.
Padded carrying bags are also available for flat-screen caravan TVS, and offer extra protection if you move your set in and out of the van regularly. Bags2cover (bags2cover.co.uk) sells a range of slip-over TV screen covers and carry-bags, starting from around £18 and £37 respectively. John Sootheran