Home, home in the woods

CAMPING IS THE PERFECT WAY to leave it all behind and immerse oneself in nature, with a campfire for light and warmth and a breeze for air conditioning. Why want for anything else?

The truth is, you probably do-say, plugging in and perking up a hot pot of coffee instead of straining a cup of mud with cheesecloth. And if you're camping anywhere near your truck, it can happen. All you need are these handy 12-volt accessories and appliances to bring a few of the comforts of home to the campsite-or wherever it is you may be headed.

A Cup of Joe: Speaking of coffee, get it going with a 12-volt automatic coffeemaker from RoadPro Electronics & Accessories (717/964-3642), which distributes a wide range of 12-volt products. These handy-in-the-A.m. appliances are available in five- and 10-cup versions ($30 and $50), with provisions to keep the carafe secure even while traveling. RoadPro also offers thermos-style warming/cooling pots and individual cup heaters, all of which plug into your vehicle's cigarette lighter or accessory socket.

Climate Control: Spend a lot of time camping inside the pickup bed? RoadPro has compact 12-volt heaters ($40) for warmth in the winter and a 12-volt mini air conditioner/humidifier/fan ($30) for relief from the heat. The cooling unit has a reusable and freezable liquid pack for supplemental AC.

Toasty Warm: if your old sleeping bag leaves a lot to be desired on cold nights, how about plugging in the electric blanket? RoadPro's bedding accessories come in lightweight cotton and draw about four amps, which will keep you comfy all night long ($50).

Flash of Brilliance: If your D-cell flashlight just isn't doing it for you, plug in with 1 million candlepower for some serious illumination. Optronics' (918/683-9514) Nightblaster handheld 12-volt spotlight is one of the best and least expensive, retailing for less than $42. Other brands and models are available in 400,000 to 1.5 million candlepower.

Inflationary Pressures: Maybe your lung capacity isn't what it used to be, but that doesn't matter when you have a high-speed air compressor to plug into your truck. Some have capacities of up to 300 pounds per square inch, with automatic shutoffs to keep from bursting your float tubes, tires, rafts and air mattresses. From RoadPro.

Just Chilling: Keep the groceries fresh or frozen in ARB USA's (206/264-1669) freezer/fridge, which operates off either 12/24-volt DC or 120 AC for use at home and on the road. Available in three sizes: 31-, 41-, and 63-quart, with prices from $845 to $1280.

Going for a Spin: Margaritas at the campsite? You bet. Maybe it's not the most important 12-volt accessory, but no host would be worth his salt without blended beverages. Bass Pro Shops (800/227-7776; basspro.com) offers a Whistler two-speed blender for $60 that could become one of your favorite pieces of gear.

BEWARE LOW BATTERY POWER: How long will it last? Gale Kimbrough, technical services manager of Interstate Batteries, suggests anyone using a 12volt accessory -check-its amp draw and compare it-to the reserve capacity (RC-) of the vehicle's battery before plugging in the appliances. (if you can't find the RC rating, call the battery manufacturer.) With that information, one can use the following formula to figure the approximate time you can safely run the accessory before the battery is too weak to crank the vehicle's engine: RC x .6 = theoretical amp/hours (Ah) of use. Multiply that by the efficiency of the battery (30 percent in summer, 20 percent in winter), then divide by the amp rating.

> Example: A typical full-size SUV battery has an RC rating of 140 minutes. So. 140 x .6 = 84 Ah. Multiply that by 0.3 in summer, which equals 25.2 Ah, or by .2 in winter, which equals 16.8 Ah. An accessory that uses 2 Ah can therefore safely be used for about 12 hours in the summer (25 / 2) and 8 hours in the winter (16 / 2) on a fully charged battery.

Copyright Hearst Magazines Apr 2000
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