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If you have satellite TV on your boat you know that voltage matters. Boats generally have 12 volt DC current, but larger boats will have an AC inverter so you can plug in anything you want. Now, that's fine if you're staying in the US but hey… I'm speaking to you really wealthy folks out there. If you sail across the world then you're just as likely to have 220 or 240 volt current running through the vessel. This can be a problem when hooking up electronics.

Voltage converters are great, but

Obviously if you have a boat that uses 220 volt power you know about voltage converters. A voltage converter does what it says: it converts one form of voltage to another. It's a very common thing, part of practically every electronic device. However, when choosing a voltage converter, keep three things in mind:

• Not every device actually converts voltage. Inexpensive "travel converters" do not convert voltage. They just change the shape of the plug. This is fine if your device has a power supply that will work with multiple voltages. If it doesn't, or if you're not sure, it will fry the device.
• Consumer voltage converters aren't designed to work all day. Most smaller voltage converters will stop working when they overheat. They're designed to be small and light and so they lack a lot of the protections you'd need if you wanted to use the thing all the time. They will generally stop working after about 45 minutes and won't work again until they cool down.
• A proper voltage converter can be expensive. You'll pay over $150 for a voltage converter that will actually do what you need it to. If you're paying less than that, it's going to disappoint you at some point.

The need for proper voltage

Your average American doesn't see 220 volt power much except when connecting appliances, but it's the standard in much of the world. If you plug in a 110 volt device (as everything in the US is) into a 220 volt outlet, something's going poof or getting fried, sure as shooting. You can choose an expensive voltage converter to make sure you don't have that problem, but there's a better way — make sure all the things you want to have on your vessel support multiple voltages.

The key is looking on the power supply and seeing the rating. The picture above is from a DIRECTV HR24-500 and it shows the voltage input is between 100 and 240 volts, between 50 and 60 hertz. If you see that on everything you bring onboard, you'll have no problem. The print might be really small or really fine but it's always there. If you have a multivoltage power supply then all you need is the right cord.

Here's the information you need

In the case of DIRECTV receivers, the HR24-200, HR24-500, H24-200, and H24-700 all have multivoltage power supplies. The HR24-100 and H24-100 do not. Some older receivers also have multivoltage power supplies.

To plug one of these compatible receivers into a 220-240 volt outlet, you need the cord that's right for your country. Solid Signal doesn't carry them due to the high price of importation, but you can find them on ebay or amazon's localized site for the country where your boat was built. The side that plugs into a DIRECTV receiver is called a polarized C7 and using that search term will get you what you want. All power cords are just wires so any generic power cord that fits both sides will work. Or, if you have one of these models, you can use one of those "travel converters" that doesn't convert voltage. It will change the shape of the plug.

It's worth noting that technically it's against your warranty to use any cord but the one supplied by DIRECTV but if you have a multivoltage power supply the odds of having any sort of a problem are going to be pretty slim.

What about DIRECTV's H25 or any other receiver that has an external power supply?

If your receiver has an external power supply, you can either use an expensive travel converter or buy a replacement power supply that will work with the receiver. It will need to fit into the power connector on the receiver, and have the following specs:

• Input voltage: 220-240V AC at .5A maximum
• Output voltage: 12V 1.5A DC

It should also, obviously, have a plug that fits the outlet on your boat. Again, the use of a replacement power supply will void your warranty but isn't expected to cause problems.

Need more help? Call Signal Connect!

Signal Connect is your friend in the business! No one does more international marine satellite activations than we do. To talk to an expert about your satellite TV system, call us at 888-233-7563. Or, if you'd prefer, fill out the form below and we'll get right back to you.


The post Which DIRECTV receivers can be used with 220-240 volt power? appeared first on The Solid Signal Blog.

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