RV Tech
Necessary Toys
By Alan Lidstone
Kitchen and bath 12–volt products cover a wide range of needs for the including coffee makers, slow cookers, frying pans, heaters, pizza ovens, microwave ovens, cooler/warmers (small to large), refrigerators, freezers, washer–dryers, hair dryers, hair curlers, vacuums, and air cleaners.
Miscellaneous 12–volt products in wide use include cell phone chargers, GPS devices, electronic compass and weather information devices, warming blankets, vehicle thermometers, power drills, and air compressors. You can also find 12–volt home entertainment products, such as HD–TVs, DirecTV and Dish Network satellite receivers and dishes, radio–clocks, and DVD players.
We recommend you check the power options for washer/dryer, refrigerator, freezer, and home entertainment systems closely. You will find some 12–volt power products provide the additional flexibility of being able to switch between 12–volt DC, 24–volt DC, and 120–volt AC power.
Where You Can Find Them – RVers, Campers, boaters, tail gaiters, and anyone looking for 12–volt appliances will find that their RV suppliers, such as Camping World or JC Whitney, RV dealers and suppliers, and boat dealers and suppliers carry 12–volt products. Often the items they don't carry can be ordered for you. The dealer may also direct you to a website or another dealer.
By doing a Google or Yahoo search, you can also find a wide selection of websites that carry 12–volt products and appliances, along with technical information, installation requirements, and more. Prices for similar 12–volt products may vary widely. Comparison shopping before purchasing will help ensure getting the product, price, and delivery schedule that meets your needs.
What About Inverters – RVers should consider an adequate capacity inverter or inverter/charger (connected directly to the battery) to convert 12–volt battery to 120–volt power for high power consumption products, including washer/dryers, microwaves, and pizza ovens already installed in the RV. You will need to know the total of all wattage requirements of the various 12–volt products and appliances you anticipate using at one time to determine the wattage output needs of an inverter.
Staying in "off the electric grid" locales will also be enhanced by the use of solar arrays and wind power generators to keep the batteries charged and reduce the need to run your generator.
Safety Suggestion: We recommend that all inverter installations and wiring changes be performed by a professional RV service technician.
Microwave Oven Considerations – RVers considering a 12–volt microwave oven should be aware that these microwave products may come in two designs. Some use a built–in inverter to change a 12–volt power supply to 120–volt AC power to run the microwave, while others run directly on 12–volt power.
It is very important to check the wiring requirements and power consumption for a 12–volt microwave oven. Microwave ovens are high–power consumption appliances requiring from 450 – 750 watts of power. This means that if you are using a 12–volt power supply, the amperage draw from the battery or batteries can vary from 37.5 amps (450 watts) to 62.5 amps (750 watts), or more.
In contrast, a microwave plugged into a 120–volt AC outlet will have a current draw of 4 amps to 7 amps, which is well within the 15–amp to 20–amp circuits in most RV 120–volt AC electric circuits.
A microwave oven running on 12 volts (no built–in inverter) may require a relatively short heavy–duty direct connection of a 12–volt microwave oven to the battery, such as a four–gauge power cable with a maximum length 9.8 feet. This may be fine for tail–gating, but may not be feasible for many RVs.
The other option is to use a standard 120–volt AC microwave with a properly installed adequate capacity inverter to convert 12–volt battery to 120–volt power for coach needs. Using an inverter may be less expensive because you can use the existing RV 120–volt AC microwave.
12–volt products, appliances, and consumer electronics that enhance the RVing experience are available online at Camping World, JC Whitney, 12 Volt Accessory Outlet, CMACM Technologies, Twelve Volt Microwave, ports Imports Ltd., and LivinginComfort.com.
The use of 12–volt products and appliances requires that you have adequate battery power. Monitor your battery capacity and usage, and your battery recharging closely to ensure that you do not discharge your batteries excessively.
Remember, Safety First, and Happy RVing!!!
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