Any Vu+ boxes run on 12v? Caravan, Motorhome, Boat?

[JTP]

Hello everyone :) Great site!

Please excuse our newbie ignorance, but looking to get an enigma2 box for our motorhome and noticed that the VU+ boxes come with an external 12v power supply... Just wondering if anyone can confirm if any of the boxes can fully run on only 12v? Although we have an onboard generator and built in inverters we are hoping to find a box that will run directly on 12v DC, as rather not run the generator or use inverters if we can help it...

Many thanks and best wishes to all,

John & Family

[Nikkas]

Some of the Vu+ boxes sold by Goldwafers come with an adaptor. All seem to be 12VDC 2 or 3.5A. So I'm sure it can be done if one were to provide a 12VDC source that can deliver the required current via a correctly wired & compatible plug.

[JTP]

Hi Nikkas, and thanks for the response :)

You seem to have the same information that I found, so hopefully in theory it should work? But was kinda hoping that someone could confirm our theories with a 100% practical real world experience...

Anyone out there who has any VU+ boxes working only via 12v DC in a caravan or motorhome or boat? It would be great to hear from you :)

Many thanks and best wishes to all,

John & Family

[echelon]

never tried them like this, but any of the boxes using an external 12v PSU should be fine

this includes the solo 2 I believe, but I suspect others may also be of use, possibly the zero ?

my duo1 uses an internal psu so has a figure of 8 mains cable, so is unsuitable

as long as an external 12v psu is used to originally power the box, I dont see any problems in using a caravan type 12v supply instead (this was true of the older dreamboxes dm800hd and 500sd)

even the boxes with internal psu step the voltages down to something manageable, just like a pc psu changes 220v down to 12v and 5v

[mrdude]

It's not just voltage you need to worry about - it's the amount of amps that the box uses - have a look on the PSU - amperage output. If you put too many amps into something (your box) you can blow the board components. A car battery average voltage is about 13.2 (6 cells at 2.2v each) but the amperage can vary between 200-1000 amps.

Remember that car batteries aren't regulated - so you will need at the very least - a 12v stabiliser, have a read of this for some tips:

_http://www.satelliteforcaravans.co.uk/equipment.htm

Also if you put a voltage checker on a car battery - and rev the engine up - you'll see the voltage varies by a good few vollts.

Amazon have a 12v stabiliser for £25: (this one can output up to 5 amps (60 watts). A vu duo 2 only uses 35 watts - so It will be ok for your duo 1, I imagine.

/http://www.amazon.co.uk/Visua-Stabiliser-Regulator-electronic-equipment/dp/B0044C1WHA

[cosworth4x4]

Latest vehicles with smart charging vary from 14.2 to 14.5 volts , ive even seen them over 20 volts when they go haywire .

so definitely, use some kind of reg or stabilizer.

[JTP]

Hi echelon, mrdude and cosworth4x4,

Thank you all for your advice :) will look into the 12v stabilisers and hopefully should all be good, if there is anyone out there that is successfully using any VU+ boxes like this with 12v DC it would be great to hear from you :)

All the best,

John & Family

[mrdude]

Hi echelon, mrdude and cosworth4x4,

Thank you all for your advice :) will look into the 12v stabilisers and hopefully should all be good, if there is anyone out there that is successfully using any VU+ boxes like this with 12v DC it would be great to hear from you :)

All the best,

John & Family

It should be fine m8, i'll explain why.

Your house uses AC (Alternating Current) - which means that the electricity coming from your plug sockets - in to your PSU is switching polarity from - to + constantly. When that electricity goes into your VU Duo PSU - the PSU has a transformer (+diodes etc) in it which converts the voltage to DC (Direct current) which keeps the polarity the same (same as a battery). It also steps the voltage down to 12v and outputs a lower amperage.

So what I am saying is that your box is DC. For your box to work it needs to use power (measured in watts). Your box draws around 30-40 watts, to get watts all you need to do is use this formula - Watts = voltage x amperage. As your battery is around about 12v (when using a voltage stabiliser) you multiply that by 5 (amps) to give you the 60 (watts). As your box doesn't need to draw the entire 60 watts (as it only uses 30-40) you will be ok with what I posted above.

Hope that makes it clearer.

[Detlef]

Don't know about Vu kit but I have run several models of Dreamboxes off my camper battery.

DMs usually quote the power requirement as 12Vdc +- 10%. That means you should try not to use the box while the battery is on a high current car charger.

There is quite a difference between a car battery and a deep cycle camper/boat battery. Generally, the voltage spread of a deep cycle camper battery is less than that of a car battery.

[tr8.]

I would be very careful I killed a TV on the same basis it had a 12v input, but the power goes all over the place on my yacht.
I now run all electrical non marine on my AC ring main, which is shore power when along side, or from the Generator if on or from inverter if on the house batteries ( 3 off 160amp gell) my inverter / stabiliser /charger was about £750 from a company call sterling collected direct from factory in Droitwich to get a big discount, was about £1000 list.
Great bit of kit managed all power from shore, engine, generator and batteries in one box.