Your HOTLOGIC® can be used in a variety of places by adding adapters or portable power supplies. Because of the low amount of watts used by a HOTLOGIC® Mini, it is easy to power in remote or mobile locations. Adaptors will allow you to plug it into a variety of power outlets. If you plug your HOTLOGIC® into a portable power supply (a.k.a. power station) and connect that to solar panels or a generator, in theory you will have continuous power for operation.
Use Your HOTLOGIC® in a Building
If you are using your HOTLOGIC® in the kitchen, an office, a dorm room, or a hotel room, the 120V (AC) model works best. The HOTLOGIC® Mini (45W) or Family size (100W) both come in a 120V model.
A 12V (DC) HOTLOGIC® Mini requires an adaptor to be able to get power from an AC 120V outlet.
I bought a cheaper version of this adaptor (<$10) and had problems with it. The power stopped flowing through until I moved it or shook it just right. I feel it is better to pay a bit more to get a more reliable adaptor.
To use a 120V model in a foreign country, you will need a step-down converter. This one provides power for devices needing up to 200W of power.
Use Your HOTLOGIC® in Your Vehicle
The 12V HOTLOGIC® Mini is the ideal model to get if you want to heat your food while traveling. There are usually several 12V outlets available in vehicles built in this century. But you may be wondering if your HOTLOGIC® Mini can stay plugged in when your vehicle is turned off.
First, you must determine if any of the 12V outlets provide power when the vehicle is not running. If they do, then the next item to consider is the age of the battery. Newer batteries are more likely to still have enough charge left to start the engine after powering your HOTLOGIC® Mini for hours.
If you do not want to risk your battery, you can pick up a lithium battery power station or a lead cell jump starter with 12V and 120V outlets. Power stations can cost about $1 per watt. Whereas, the lead cell jump starter can provide about 270Wh for much less than $1 per watt. It can also be used to jump your car or pump air into your tires, if needed. A 120V HOTLOGIC® model will also work with this charger. Lead cell batteries weigh more than a lithium battery.
If you have a 120V model, then you will need to get an inverter, such as the one pictured here. This will work if you are only going to use your vehicle’s battery to power your HOTLOGIC®. If you have a power station or jump starter, then you can use that to invert the power from 12V (DC) to 120V (AC).
Power Your HOTLOGIC® Off-Grid
We talked about power stations a moment ago. Power Stations, jump starters or fuel powered generators can be used to power your HOTLOGIC® off grid. There are several items to consider when selecting a power source.
- What is the wattage output you need your power source to be able to handle? Add up the watts required by all of the appliances you want to run at one time.
- How many Watt Hours (WH) do you need? Multiply the watts for each of the appliances by the number of hours each need to run. Add these amounts for the watt hours you need.
- If using a power station, how long will it take to recharge?
As you can see there are many options for powering a HOTLOGIC®. With its small size and multiple solutions for providing power, this appliance is an excellent choice for heating food on-the-go or off-grid.