Power inverters are a useful way to generate AC electricity in order to run an LED TV off-grid.
Many people run TVs using an inverter in their RV, truck, camper, boat, shed, or cabin.
The good news is that you can too and you’re in the right place to find all the information to help you do this.
So if you want to know what size inverter for a TV and the best type of inverter to run LED TVs then keep reading.
We’ll discuss all of this plus some examples, and accessories like DVD players, fans, and games consoles you can run on an inverter with your TV.
Pure Sine Wave Inverter For TVs
The first point to cover is the type of inverter you need to run an LED TV.
You will need a pure sine wave inverter to efficiently run your television. This is because modern TVs are sensitive devices that need clean smooth power.
Pure sine wave inverters are more expensive but crucial for you to get the best performance from your LED television.
If you want to learn more about pure and modified sine wave then read our in-depth guide.
Can you use a modified sine wave inverter with LED TV?
You might be wondering if you can run a TV with a modified sine wave converter.
Well, technically you will be able to power on a modern LED TV with modified sine wave but you will experience interruption in the picture quality and sound output. This is because the jerky square wave leads to vibrations and higher total harmonic distortion. This total harmonic distortion is what interrupts the signals in your TV.
What Size Inverter to Run a TV?
You’ll need at least a 150 watt inverter to run a TV.
First you need to know how many watts your TV uses. That being said, even the biggest 60 inch plasma screen TV will use a maximum of 400 watts.
I would recommend using a 500 watt inverter to run a TV, that way you’ll have plenty of power to add other appliances. But an average LED TV uses between 50 – 100 watts, so you can a smaller size if you prefer.
To ensure you have enough power you should work out the wattage of your appliance and add 20% to get your minimum size inverter.
Why do you need 20% more power?
Adding 20% more power takes into account the fact that inverters are not 100% efficient plus use a little more power for their internal systems. For example, if you want to draw 100 watts use a 120 watt inverter.
If you want to work out exactly how many watts your TV uses then you can easily do this. The quickest way is to check your user manual and technical information which might list the wattage of your device. Another way is to use a wattmeter which will give you an instant power reading.
You can also calculate wattage easily by multiplying amps x volts. The equation is:
Amps x volts = watts. So if you have a 0.5 amp tv x 120 volts = 60 watts.
Generally, you will find that the average LED TV uses 50-70 watts.
Now you know how many watts a TV needs you can better pick an inverter.
LED TV Wattage Chart & Examples
I have put together a chart of TV sizes and wattage to give you an idea of the power requirements for an LED TV:
| Screen Size (Inches) | Average LED TV Wattage | Recommended Inverter Size |
| 19 | 20 | 50W |
| 24 | 35 | 75W |
| 32 | 41 | 75W |
| 37 | 44 | 75W |
| 42 | 57 | 100-150W |
| 50 | 72 | 150-200W |
| 55 | 80 | 150W-200W+ |
| 60 | 88 | 150W-200W+ |
You’ll see on the table above that I’ve picked inverters with plenty of capacity. This gives you plenty of room to plug other appliances into your inverter such as DVD players, games consoles, fans, and WiFi. Let’s go through the requirements for these added devices.
Inverter for TV and DVD Player
If you’re off-grid and don’t have a reliable internet connection or TV signal you’ll probably want to use a DVD player.
To run a TV and DVD player from an inverter you’ll need to take into account the wattage of the DVD player on top of the TV power requirements.
Fortunately, DVD players are low-powered devices and will use no more than 15 watts. Even the best Blu-ray players will not use more than 20 watts!
This means that with an average TV of 50-70 watts, you’ll never draw more than 100 watts of power for a TV and DVD player.
For example, 70 watt TV + 20 watt Blu-ray = 90 watts.
That means you could run a TV and DVD player from a 150 watt inverter.
Inverter for TV and Fan
If you’re traveling in an RV or camping in the summer you might want to run a fan while watching your TV from an inverter.
Of course, you’ll need to include the power requirement of your fan when running it from an inverter. You just need to add the TV and fan wattage together to know how many watts you will draw.
The average standing fan uses between 45 and 70 watts. This is not a massive amount of power and is similar to that of your TV.
So with a decent size TV and big standing fan, you’ll probably draw no more than 150 watts maximum. For example, a 70 watt TV + 70 watt fan = 140 watts.
That means a 200 watt inverter would work for a TV and fan.
If you want to run a ceiling fan then this will use a little more electricity, between 50 – 100 watts.
Inverter for TV and PS5 or Xbox
If you’re like me then you love gaming and a TV is best used with a PS5.
Next-gen games consoles are basically high-powered computers so will draw a large wattage.
Even if you are just streaming Netflix, a PS5 still uses 70 watts. Sony rate the PS5 as using at a maximum of 350 watts. Although in actual fact most games will run at near to 200 watts.
Still, you will need to calculate your inverter size based on the maximum power requirements.
So if you run a decent size TV of 70 watts plus a 350 watt PS5 that is 420 watts. So you’ll need at least a 500 watt inverter for a TV and PS5.
Inverter for TV and WiFi
With the invention of smart TVs, an internet connection is not essential to access all the features and to stream shows and movies.
The good news is that WiFi routers use minimal amounts of power, so little that it’s barely worth worrying about.
The average WiFi router uses between 3 – 8 watts so will have minimal impact on your inverter choice.
For example, a 70 watt TV + 6 watt WiFi router = 76 watts. This means a 100 – 1500 watt inverter would work just fine.
How Long Will An Inverter Run a TV?
An inverter will run a TV as long as the battery it’s connected to lasts.
To use an inverter you must connect it to an electricity source such as a deep cycle battery.
Of course, you have to take into account the TV power and the size of the battery.
On average a fully charged 100Ah battery would run a 70 watt TV for 10+ hours.
You can calculate this yourself with your TV and battery with the following formula:
(10 x battery capacity in amp hours) divided by (appliance load in watts).
So (10 x 100Ah battery) = 1000 ÷ 70 watts TV = 14.2 hours.
This assumes the inverter is 100% efficient but they rarely are. I recommend using the basis that an inverter is 85% efficient. So multiple the final number by 85% for a more accurate number.
14.2 x 85% = 12 hours – run time for a 70 watt TV on a 100Ah battery.
Can an Inverter Damage a TV?
No, an inverter should not damage your TV in any way.
Power inverters are designed specifically to convert DC into AC power which is required to run home appliances like TVs.
You will have no trouble when using a pure sine wave inverter with your television.
You might read in some places that a modified sine wave inverter will damage your TV as it is a sensitive electronic. Manufacturers might warn against using modified sine wave too. In reality, it is unlikely to actually damage your TV but it won’t work to produce clear sound and picture due to excessive harmonic distortion.
Is it Safe to Power an LED TV with an Inverter?
Yes, it is safe to run an LED TV with an inverter.
LED TVs are sensitive electronics so it is highly recommended that you should use a pure sine wave inverter.
Final Words About Running LED TV on an Inverter
That’s everything you need to know about powering an LED TV with an inverter.
Plus, you should now know what size inverter you need for a TV.
Once you understand how many watts a TV uses then you will quickly be able to pick a power inverter with suitable capacity.
Adding to this, for modern plasma, LCD, and LED TVs you should use a pure sine wave inverter.
Using an inverter to power a TV from a battery is a useful way to do things when you don’t have mains electricity. Plus, it’s completely safe for your electronics!
Now you can enjoy your favorite shows in even the most remote locations.
