#12 VOLT FAN HEATER UPDATE#
#12 VOLT FAN HEATER PORTABLE#

Next to the cord, a bit more to the left, there’s a small area where you can replace the fuse (the device comes with a 20 Amp blade fuse – be aware that some 12V car heaters have smaller, harder to find fuses and, since these tend to blow up a lot, you need to make sure you can replace them) along with a LED indicator.

On the right side of the heater, you can find a relatively large switch to enable the Heat mode or the Cool mode (if kept in the middle, it will turn Off the heater) and, on the rear side, there’s a built-in power cord (about 6-foot long) that easily reaches into the lighter socket. The device itself is not really that small, measuring around 12.75 x 8.0 x 4.0 inches (some devices from the competition are almost half as big – it also weighs about 1.2 pounds) and the case is entirely made of plastic, covered by a black (or grey) matte finish, on the top presenting a significant bulge, while on the front, it has a dedicated area with multiple cut-out areas to allow the air to come out (there are no other ventilation holes anywhere on the case). One minus would be the lack of a handle which would have made it more easy to quickly defog the entire window, but the RoadPro is still able to defog the windshield in a timely manner even if has to blow air in a more limited space on the window – the device only comes with an adjustable swivel base. Like I said in the introduction, the device will not heat up the car and it may also not be that effective against defrosting since the area from which the air blows isn’t that large (it can partially defrost small areas). The heater in your car is broken and if repairing it would cost more than the car itself, then a device such as the RoadPro RPSL-581 car heater can ensure that the windshield is kept defogged. Important Note: Be aware that all of these devices can become a fire hazard if left unsupervised or if they function next to flammable materials.

#12 VOLT FAN HEATER PORTABLE#

So, while a small portable car heater may work efficiently on your windshield (more or less), you may still need to feel warm while driving (especially if the heater gets broken in the middle of the winter) and thankfully, there are some interesting solutions out there, such as the heated seat cushions or electric blankets which will be a lot more effective into keeping your body warm. Harbor Freight (RoadShock) 12V Car Heater

#12 VOLT FAN HEATER UPDATE#

UPDATE : I have added the Harbor Freight (RoadShock) to the best 12V car heater list RoadPro RPSL-581 12V Car Heater Since the cigar lighter socket is the weak spot, the heater can be hardwired directly to the battery (with a fuse with higher Amperes to protect the wiring) or you can use an inverter (in this case, you need to be careful not to drain the battery – which can happen when the vehicle is stationary and the engine isn’t running).

So, one shouldn’t use a 12V car heater under any circumstances? Well, not necessarily.

One problem that can arise while connecting a 12V car heater is that the socket comes with low amperage fuses and, if the device you’ve connected isn’t properly made (the cheaper the cost, the lesser the quality), then there is a high chance these fuses will blow or worse, the entire cigarette lighter wiring can become compromised. Well, at least that’s what we expect it to be, but, unfortunately, this cannot happen because the 12V socket simply wasn’t designed to handle a powerful car heater instead, the maximum we can really get is a simple windshield defogger and, at most, to warm our hands (the maximum power output is usually between 150 – 200W). The best 12V car heater should be able to replace the built-in car heater (at least to a certain degree), being capable to defog and even defrost the windshield, all that while keeping the passengers relatively warm.

12 volt fan heater