Dish network receiver and inverters

[harry utterback]

Hello to all,

I just purchased a 2009 Winnebago View, I had camping world install a Winegard traveler direct tv slimline ka/ku receiver. I don't have an account with Direct TV yet so I can not contact them for information. I have google everything I can for specs on the direct tv receivers to no avail, so here I am on this blog.

My question is: I have a 3600 watt generator, and 2 135 amp 6-volt house batteries. If i were to get an inverter of some kind can I run the receiver on the inverter for a reasonable amount of time with my house bank?

Does any one do this? Does any one know how much amperage the direct TV receiver draws when in operation. Contacting Direct TV is like getting Obama on the phone!

thank you in advance,

Harry

[Winegard Tech Help]

Harry,

This may be difficult for us to answer but I will try to help you out with it. Do you know the model number of the receiver you are working with?

[harry utterback]

First of all thanks for the reply. I don't have direct TV yet but I will be getting it when I move to Arizona in November. From talking to the sales guy from Direct TV in my area (who knows nothing more than programing in formation) I imagine I will be getting a DIRECTV Plus HD DVR HR23 for our townhouse which I was hoping to be able to unplug and take out to the View when we travel. At least thats what the sales guy at direct tv said we could do.

[Bill Adams]

Depending upon what the receiver is doing, they generally draw 25-50 watts so you are not looking at a big power draw. There are a number of sites on-line that will show you how long a certain draw will last based upon the amp-hours in your battery pack. You will have to add in the draw from the TV as well to get an accurate estimation.

[harry utterback]

Bill,

I want your job!

From talking to your people @ Winegard it sounds like the Dish draws about 2.5 amps while its setting itself up and then drops down to milliamps once its locked in. They said if you turn off the box it draws nothing so basically no draw.

A 15" Jensen Led LCD draws about 1.7 ams call it 2 amps

Direct TV receiver .50 amp call it 1/2 amp

Jensen Tuner, DVD player AWM970 Draws (have no idea) guess 2.5 amps

So total maybe 5 amps per hour

So 2 135 amp 6 volt batteries combined to be 12 volt = 270 amps fully charged so if I watched Dish programing for 4 hours that would be 4x 5 amps or 20 amp hours. Which is about less then 10% of my house battery reserve.

I am considering bidding on a 3500 / 7000 watts 12v DC 120 v AC Power Inverter I would think this would be sufficient to handle these loads and not fry my batteries

http://www.ebay.com/itm/290711060333?ss ... 525wt_1156

above is the site I am considering.

Any comments?

Lee