The process that enables a truck driver to watch a television inside a truck cab is fairly straightforward, in this article, we demonstrate how to wire a truck TV into an HGV vehicle.
Items Required To Wire a Truck TV
Below we have set out a list of items that will be required to wire a truck TV into a HGV vehicle.
- Pure Sine Wave Power Inverter – View on Amazon
- Circuit Breaker – View on Amazon
- TV Aerial Signal Booster – View on Amazon
- Digital TV with Freeview – View on Amazon
- Digital TV Aerial – View on Amazon
- Connecting Cables – View on Amazon
How to Wire a Truck TV - The Process
- Connect a power source to the inverter with an inline circuit breaker switch.
- Plug in the Aerial signal booster and Digital TV into the inverter.
- connect the Aerial signal booster to the TV with a TV Aerial lead via the TV out socket.
- Connect the Aerial signal booster to a Digital TV aerial.
- Power on all devices and tune the TV via the remote control to receive the freeview channels available in the area that you park your truck.
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- Built in DVD player, USB PVR function for pausing live TV and recording and built in satellite receivers
Last update on 2025-04-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Can a Truck TV Be Plugged into a Lighter Socket
If a digital TV has a lighter socket adaptor it can be plugged into the socket to provide power to the TV, also a power inverter under 450 watts can also be powered by the dashboard lighter socket, it is important not to overload the dashboard socket as they are normally rated at 10 amps, so whatever devices you decide to plug into this socket should not exceed 10 amps.
Why Use a Pure Sine Wave Inverter to Power a Truck TV?
The reason a pure sine wave inverter is the best option to power a truck TV is that a pure sine wave does not cause clipping as it has a smoother wave sine, however , a modified sine wave power inverter can be used if the TV has a power adaptor instead of a standard mains plug.
Want to know about power inverters? see article: Truck Power Inverters what you need to know!
Top 5 Best Selling Power Inverters for Trucks
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- 1500W Pure Sine Wave Inverter - This power inverter provides 1500 watts of pure sine wave DC 24V to AC 240V continuous power (3000 watts peak power), Featuring 2 UK sockets, 1 USB port and 1 wired...
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Last update on 2025-04-12 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Why Do I need a TV Aerial Signal Booster in a Truck?
Very often it is difficult to get a good TV signal inside a truck especially in the UK.
When parking a truck for the night very often the truck can be parked where TV signals are blocked, it may be that the truck is parked in between two other trucks blocking the signal, or in a layby with hills or mountains.
Using a signal booster will ensure you obtain the best possible signal available in the location that your truck is parked.
What Type of TV Aerial will be Required for a Truck TV?
Choosing the best TV aerial for your truck will depend on whether you drive the same truck all the time, or if you drive different trucks regularly.
A digital omnidirectional TV aerial that can be fixed to your truck is a great option if you drive the same vehicle all the time.
A mag mount Digital TV aerial is the best option if you drive different trucks frequently.
Omnidirectional Truck TV Aerial
Last update on 2025-04-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Magmount Truck TV Aerial
Last update on 2025-04-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
How to Protect a Truck TV When Not in Use?
There are many ways to protect a truck TV when not in use, this will depend upon the size of TV you decide to use in the truck.
In my experience the best method is to have a flight case that the TV can be stored safely into before storing it away, some drivers will have various storage compartments available to them depending what type of truck they drive, such as space under a lift up bunk.
But a flight case will ensure maximum protection from bumps, spills, or even accidents.
Conclusion
Wiring a TV in a truck is a simple step by step process that can be achieved easily with the correct equipment.
A pure sine wave power inverter is the best option for powering a truck TV because it does not cause clipping with delicate electrical items.
When wiring a power inverter to the trucks batteries always use an inline circuit breaker to protect devices from any fluctuations in power.
A TV Aerial can be fitted to a truck permanently or a portable TV aerial can be used such as a mag mount aerial.
TV signal boosters will ensure that the most amount of channels will be able to be tuned to a truck TV.
Thank you for reading this British Trucking article “How to wire a truck TV” we hope you found it useful for setting up a TV in your truck.
