12 Volt Heaters and Fans
Weather conditions vary by season. With each seasons change it's good to be prepared for the next. Being at home makes the seasons easier to withstand, but not everyone has this luxury. Professional truck drivers do not have the option of sleeping at home every night if the winter gets too cold or the summer gets too hot. Their trucks become their home on cross country trips. For this reason, making the truck cab as comfortable as possible is a must. Avid Rvers often deal with extreme weather while traveling as well, but often have power at the campground they chose. Luckily there are products available to help ensure comfort during the rougher months of the year.
The summer season is known to most for the heat it brings. Staying cool during these longer days can be a challenge. Often times putting down the window is not enough. Plus, when driving at highway speeds with the window down, everything not bolted down is known to fly around the vehicle or fly right out the open window. For people with long hair, whole other arrays of annoyances occur when the windows are all the way down. A simple solution to all the headaches hot weather can bring are portable fans.
A 12 volt fan plugs directly into your cigarette lighter socket to provide the extra air flow needed to stay cool. These DC fans are great for use in truck cabs, but are also great in cars and RVs. Some can also be battery operated fans for use in tent camping. Staying cool is a little easier with a 12V fan in your truck.
Winter provides the exact opposite problem for most. Although not everyone gets snow in the winter months, the temperatures are normally colder during the day and freezing during the night. When staying warm is a must, a portable heater might be just the answer. 12 volt heaters also plug into the cigarette lighter socket. These heaters are great for warming small areas such as sleeper cabs, RV bedrooms, or cars. They can also be used to defrost windows on cold winter mornings. Some of these 12V heaters are a combination heater and fan to ensure comfort in all seasons. While these little heaters are convenient, running them for an extended period of time while the vehicle is off is not recommended. Buying a 12 volt bunk warmer or electric blanket is a great idea to ward off the cold on chilly summer nights or bitter cold winter nights.
With more and more states passing no idle laws, truckers are forced to find alternate ways to stay warm or cool while in their truck. There are truck stops available with IdleAire technology. This technology is provided to allow truckers to keep a comfortable temperature in their truck and not have to idle. This is only available in about 34 of the 50 states though. Not idling reduces noise, engine wear, and saves on gas prices, but it also provides a challenge to truckers. There are many 12 volt products available to help make life a little easier, but when using 12V power, always take the battery into consideration.
The last thing you want happening is to wake up from a great night of sleep, only to find your truck won't start. There are battery guards available to help insure your battery will have enough juice to start. They work by suspending power to all 12 volt items plugged in when the battery levels get low. Although not 100% guaranteed, they are reliable and sure beat staying up all night to shut the items off on your own. Living life on the road can be a hassle, but 12 volt appliances help make it a little easier.
12 Volt Heater |
12 Volt Electric Blanket
