Picture - Susie Lieu Almazan

POWER ON
12-volt accessories can
make travel to and life
around camp easier
and more enjoyable
BY RICH JOHNSON
J
ust because you’re camping
is no reason to suffer. These
days, there is no shortage of
12-volt accessories to make
life easier in the outback.
From refrigerators to hair driers
to stoves to tools, there are plenty of
products to make life comfortable on
the road or in camp. Here’s a look at
some of what’s available.
Heaters
Keeping cozy on cold nights is a high priority in camp. The (1) Max Burton 12-Volt
Heated Blanket ($27) will keep you toasty, whether it’s for a roadside emergency
or extra comfort when camping. Preset temperature control maintains warmth to
just the right comfort level. Made of plush, warm polyester fleece, the travel blanket
not only produces heat, but also gives you an
extra layer of insulation. It measures 43¥59 inches
and the 8-foot power cord is long enough to
reach your vehicle’s backseat or a bed in your RV.
(2) Road Pro Products RPSL-681 12-volt direct
hook-up ceramic heater/fan ($38) connects directly to
the vehicle battery, providing heating or fan operation at the flip of a switch.
The fan speeds are adjustable, and the swivel base allows you to direct the
warm air right where you want it. A 14-foot power cord and all the necessary
installation hardware are included.
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Coolers
Keeping food cold is a big concern for campers,
and the market has responded by offering a selection
of 12-volt refrigerators and freezers. (3) ARB is an Australian company, and the Aussies really know how to
camp in the outback. When they engineered this fridge,
they made sure it could also serve as a freezer. This compressor-type fridge can be set to freezing temperatures.
It has a front-opening lid, making access easy when the cooler
is in the back of a vehicle. With several models available, the 50-quart
($854) unit is most popular and will hold up to 72 12-oz. cans.
Coleman offers a couple of 12-volt coolers in its
(4) Powerchill Thermoelectric line. Both units plug into
a cigarette lighter/powerpoint for ease of operation while
traveling or in camp. There’s also an adapter for 120-volt
AC when that’s available. Both the 16-quart and the 40quart units cool to 40 degrees F below ambient temperature
without the use of ice. The 40-quart unit can be positioned
upright or as a chest, and the door can be switched for left or
right opening. A tray shelf is included to keep items organized.
The 16-quart cooler (pictured) is $70, and the 40-quart cooler is $135.
Engel USA builds compressor-driven 12-volt refrigerator freezers with adjustable
temperature control ranging from 40 to 0 degrees F. (5) The Model MT35 ($765) is
a medium-size unit with an interior volume of 35 quarts. It serves well as a camp cooler
or is capable of freezing almost anything (for fishers who want to bring home their catch).
The unit also works off solar power, drawing from a low 0.7 to a maximum of 2.5 amps.
(6) Koolatron’s P65 Kargo cooler has a 33-quart capacity and features an innovative split lid/door design to provide easy access to drinks and snacks, even in a tightly
packed vehicle. Its thermoelectric cooling module cools food and drinks to 40 degrees F
below the outside temperature. If a “hot box” is what you want, flip the cooler’s power
cord to turn this versatile machine into a warmer, to keep hot food warm. An AC adapter
also permits plugging the Kargo ($180) cooler into a household outlet.
The (7) TurboKOOL RV Evaporative Air (Swamp) Cooler ($639) can operate
from electricity supplied by a solar panel and/or a 12-volt DC system. The unit
has only one moving part and is easy to clean. A reservoir holds water for the
evaporative cooling process, and dry air is used to cool the motor. A pump
sprays water over the surface of the filter for cooling, and the temperature
reduction is said to be between 20 and 30 degrees. It fits standard 14¥14-inch
roof vent openings and can be used as an exhaust fan.
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The (11) Vacuum To Go 12-volt wet/dry canister vacuum ($48) from Max Burton
is ideal for quick cleanups of wet or dry spills. It’s compact, portable and lighter than
other similar vacuums. It features a 1-gallon capacity, operates on high- or low-speed,
converts to a blower, and comes with a 5-foot DC power cord and a 36-inch flexible
hose. Three cleaning attachments make the job easier: crevice tool, dusting brush,
and hard surface tool. Two inflatable attachments are also included. The vacuum
comes with a reusable/washable filter and a shoulder strap for easy carrying.
Cookers
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Cleaning
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The (12) Koolatron 12-volt Lunch Box Stove ($50)
looks like a lunch box, but inside is a stove capable of
temperatures up to 300 degrees F. It can cook meals or
simply keep foods warm. It can heat baby bottles and baby
food jars for the youngsters, or cook soups, stews and pizza
slices in minutes. Also on its menu are hot dogs, rice, grilled
sandwiches and leftovers. It measures 9¥10.5¥7.9 inches
and weighs 3 pounds.
Koolatron also offers the (13) 12-volt Auto Grill ($50).
Powered from a lighter socket, it cooks foods from frozen in
just minutes. Both the top and bottom are heated grilling
surfaces to cook food faster, and they’re nonstick for easy
cleaning. The grill is sloped to drain the fat; the drip tray is
removable and simple to clean. The floating hinge on the grill
is designed to accommodate various thicknesses of meats.
(14) Max Burton’s Digital Stove To Go ($63) builds on
the original Stove To Go, but this digital model provides greater
cooking control, higher temperatures and larger capacity.
Use it as a stove, oven or slow cooker. Make casseroles, soups,
stews, hot dogs, and heat sandwiches, leftovers, or cook frozen
meals. It has two cooking modes and reaches 350 degrees F.
It also has a 1.5-liter capacity with a removable pan and steaming tray, features an LCD display and a 6-foot power cord.
The (15) Coffee To Go ($36) from Max Burton is just
right when only a few cups are needed. This four-cup 12volt pot will brew fresh coffee in minutes. Features include
an on/off switch and a viewable water reservoir so you can
keep track of water level, and it allows you to pour a cup of
coffee before the pot is fully brewed. It comes with a scoop
and reusable mesh filter. Included mounting brackets
secure the coffee maker to any flat surface.
The (16) Max Burton Pot-Popper ($42) is a handy
electric saucepan and popcorn popper that’s designed
so that you can enjoy soups, stews, beans, steamed hot
dogs, or fresh popped corn while in camp. It’s made of
lightweight aluminum with a baked-on enamel finish
and has a 1-liter capacity. The 5-foot DC power cord plugs
into any 12-volt lighter outlet.
(17) PowerHunt’s High Power 400 degrees F 12-volt
Griddle ($138) uses a proprietary power connection to
the battery through a 50-amp rated power strip to draw 45
amps to produce 400-degree cooking temperatures, making
this one of the most powerful 12-volt griddles available. The
power strip can be permanently connected to the battery
so it’s always ready to use. Durable and compact, this unit
features a multipurpose cooking surface for all sorts of
foods, and on one side, a sloped surface that drains grease.
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Personal Care
The (8) Road Pro Products’ 12-volt Curling Iron ($12) plugs
directly into any 12-volt accessory outlet using its 6-foot power cord.
A red power indicator shows when the curling iron has power,
and the three-position switch provides control for the 5⁄8-inch chrome styling
barrel. The insulated handle and cooling stand offer comfort and safety.
(9) PowerHunt’s High Power 1,450-BTU 12-volt Hair Dryer ($94) utilizes a
proprietary high-amperage power strip (sold separately) to provide a 30-amp rating
and the ability to produce a 200 degrees F air temperature. Dry your hair or defrost the
windshield in just minutes without inverters, generators or even a 12-volt lighter socket. It
features a powerful heating element that produces 1,450 BTUs, and a high-speed fan with airflow volume similar
to a 120-volt hair dryer you would use at home. Great for drying wet socks or gloves, or just warming up cold hands.
(10) Road Pro Products’ 12-volt Hair Dryer/Defroster ($12) features a folding handle for compact stowage
and a built-in rubber hoop for hanging. Its 8-foot power cord plugs directly into a cigarette lighter socket or
12-volt accessory outlet, and is said to be so powerful it can be used to defrost vehicle windows. The dryer
features a rotating air outlet vent and draws 14 amps.
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February 2011 ■ 31
SOURCES
Ultra-Portable
Power Storage
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Battery Charging
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Inverters
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Sometimes you
really don’t want to manually pump up your raft, inner
tube or other inflatable outdoor-activity
toy, and you can’t exactly fill your vehicle tires in the
middle of nowhere with anything less than a 12-volt power
inflator. Here’s a couple we found.
The (21) Black & Decker Air Station High
Performance Cordless Inflator ($70) offers the option
of running off its own internal battery or your vehicle’s
12-volt power adapter. It features two pressure modes —
high for tires, low for toys. An auto shutoff feature ensures
that tires and other inflatables are filled to the correct air
pressure, and then the inflator automatically turns off.
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425/264-1391; arbusa.com.
BLACK & DECKER:
800/544-6986; blackanddecker.com.
BRUNTON:
800/443-4871; brunton.com.
COLEMAN:
800/835-3278; coleman.com.
ENGEL USA:
561/743-7419; engel-usa.com.
KOOLATRON:
800/265-8456; koolatron.com.
MAX BURTON:
800/227-0196; athenabrands.com.
POWERHUNT:
888/222-9710; power-hunt.com.
ROADPRO PRODUCTS:
866/622-7979; roadproonthego.com.
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Air Pumps
Brunton offers the
(25) SOLO 15 ($648) that provides
easily portable power for outdoor
adventurers who wish to operate
or recharge electronics such
as laptops and communication
devices for hours. The unit is
easily recharged when plugged
into a household outlet, vehicle
12-volt outlet or by using solar
panels. Its peak power is 77
watts, and total capacity is
154 watt-hours. The total storage
capacity is 12 amp hours at
12.8 volts with a maximum
output of 14.6 volts. d
An integrated digital gauge
allows you to quickly check
tire pressure while inflating.
The (22) Slime 12-volt
Air Compressor with Gauge
& Light ($29) is a compact,
portable tire inflator that can
inflate car tires, bicycle tires,
balls, inner tubes and rafts
(adapters included). A built-in light offers convenient
operation after dark. The powerful 300-PSI compressor
plugs into any 12-volt power outlet and is claimed to inflate
a standard car tire (P195/65R15) to 35 PSI in about eight
minutes. Among its many features are an easy-to-read
gauge and a 2-foot-long, quick-connect air hose.
campinglife.com
Some large inverters (such as
the Xantrex PROsine 2.0) function
as a battery charger when you’re
plugged into campground hookups.
Some small inverters bite onto a
battery or plug into a power point in
a vehicle to recharge batteries or to
power cell phones and computers or
power tools and other larger powerhungry electronic devices. (23) Black
& Decker’s 500-watt Power Inverter
($100) delivers household 120-volt AC
power so you can operate standard
appliances, electric tools and electronics that require up to 500 watts
of energy, including televisions,
blenders and more. The dual AC
outlets allow you to charge multiple
tools, and operate electronics and
small appliances at the same time.
It connects directly to the vehicle’s
battery. The (24) Xantrex XPower
Micro Inverter 175 ($45) incorporates
high-frequency technology to convert
12-volt power from the vehicle’s
cigarette lighter/power point into
120-volt power. It can be plugged in
to your car, truck, SUV or RV and
allows you to recharge and run electronic devices such as cell phones,
laptop computers and computer
games. The three-prong AC outlet
handles all chargers and adapters
for mobile electronics; and its LED
indicator shows power availability.
campinglife.com
SLIME: 888/457-5463; slime.com.
TURBOKOOL: 800/326-4410; turbokool.com.
VDC ELECTRONICS:
800/379-5579; vdcelectronics.com.
XANTREX: 800/446-6180; xantrex.com.
LITTLE GUY TRAILERS, GO TO WWW.CAMPINGLIFE.COM
While driving, your vehicle will keep your battery(ies) charged, but when
you stop, you need to use other methods of keeping up the charge. If you’re
in a campground with electrical hookups, simply plug in or use a charger,
depending on your setup. There are also solar-charging options.
The (18) VDC Electronics BatteryMINDer ($130) is a 12-volt, 2-, 4-,
or 8-amp charger, maintainer, desulfator and conditioner that
works to extend both the performance and life of all types and
sizes of 12-volt batteries. It automatically dissolves sulfation
crystals using a patented low-voltage, high-frequency pulse
technology. (19) Brunton’s Solaris 26 ($620) foldable solar
panel employs CIGS (Copper Indium Gallium diSelenide), the
most efficient thin film solar technology available. It’s a
great choice for compact high-output solar power and when
open, measures a full 21.5¥37.5 inches. Folded, it’s a compact
11¥8.5¥1 inches, and weighs just 28 ounces. Its maximum
output in bright sunlight is a respectable 26 watts. The (20) VDC Solar Charge
Controller ($165) with its 5-watt panel will keep a 12-volt battery charged and desulfated. This system includes a 5-watt solar panel and a battery charger/maintainer/
conditioner that works on all types of batteries — flooded, gel and AGM. It uses
high-frequency pulse technology to automatically dissolve sulfation crystals.
ARB:
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