Tools: 12V or 120V

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I'm looking to purchase few tools for my RV, like Air Compressor, Dry-Wet Vac and whatever other equipment that runs on electricity I may need. I have 5500W onboard Onan generator.

Should I consider 120V or 12V for that kind of equipment?
 
It depends on the tool, but 120V is a good general rule on things like air compressors and vacuum cleaners, unless you are going cordless Lithium Ion at higher DC voltage, which tend to cost a lot more.
 
120V all the way. Except maybe a good quality cordless drill. Several years ago when Kmart s till around and we were living full time in our fiver I found a really nice 2-1/2 gallon shop vac. It is the handiest shop vac I have ever owned. Use it weekly to vaccum the car out.
 
You are going to get more power and choices out of 120.
A decent cordless drill also
 
Air compressor with a Good generator 120 volt The 12 volt jobs take all day to inflate a Motor home tire if they are even capable of it.
Wet/Dry vac.. your choice I have both types
 
I have combinations of both types.....battery powered and 120VAC. So, my T.H. also has an onboard 5500W generator, so an easy/convenient 120VAC source of power is there whenever I need it to be. In that regard, I carry a Dewalt 120V 6 gallon pancake compressor that will produce 165 psi and of course the 6 gallon tank makes it possible to top off at least a couple of tires if needed. If I need to recharge it, I can start the generator and let it air up again....as many times as needed. With it being portable, albeit a bit heavy, I can obviously also use it on the truck tires. I also have a Viair 12VDC compressor on my truck, which was originally bought for the air horns. I plumbed it up though, so that I can connect an air hose to it to inflate the truck tires as needed. That would be used if I'm driving the truck and not pulling the trailer. It could also be used to air up a bicycle tire. We go biking quite a lot, and have never needed it for that, but it's there if needed.

Now the battery type stuff. Several years ago I sold off all of my DeWalt batterey tools and switched to Milwaukee brand....it was a great move, but that's another discussion. So the battery tools I carry include an 18V Impact wrench with the appropriate impact sockets for lug nut on both the trailer and the truck, as well as the torque sticks for both of those. I also usually bring my Milwaukee 18V 1/2" drill and an assortment of drill bits and driver bits.....phillips, flat blade, square bit, etc. I also carry a 120V charger for the 18V batteries. The one other thing I carry is a Milwaukee 18V leaf blower because I will climb on the roof as needed to blow off tree leaves and debris before running the slides in. If it has rained and there is a bit of standing water that hasn't drained off the slides, that gets blown off too. I attached a shoulder strap to it so that I can simply put it over my shoulder and climb the ladder to access the roof.
 
I'm looking to purchase few tools for my RV, like Air Compressor, Dry-Wet Vac and whatever other equipment that runs on electricity I may need. I have 5500W onboard Onan generator.

Should I consider 120V or 12V for that kind of equipment?

Pick the tools for their utility not their basic power. Any cordless equipment you buy is gonna need to be recharged (with 120V). Any pure 12V equipment like those which run on lighter socket power are gonna tether you to a cord anyway.

Having said that, I have a cordless drill and cordless "dust buster." I have a 12V 120PSI compressor that is fine for topping up tires and air bags. My wet/dry vac is 120V - I had a 12V one but it "didn't" suck - LOL...

I can't think of any other power tools I routinely carry in the RV.
 
If your rig has a built-in generator or you always carry one, then go with 120v tools. More power, lower cost and wider selection. But if you don't always have 120v available, consider at least some 12v or battery-powered tools
 
I keep a 120v vacuum in my camper, but only because it was a hand me down. Aside from that I have most of the tools in the menards brand Masterforce 20v lineup. Right now I'm sitting at countryfest in cadott, WI and I used my 20v weed whip to cut the grass on the site, the leaf blower to clean it up a bit, the compressor to air the tires before the trip and the blower function on it to inflate our pool, and I brought along the 4 gallon shop vac as a just in case, as well as my box with the impact wrench and all bits and drivers just in case, oh and pre trip I used the power washer to clean the exterior of the camper.
 
You take a pool with you while camping? That’s different but it sounds cool. 🤣😂😅☃️☃️☃️
We're at a big multi day music festival where the sites are just in an open field no hookups. The DW and I bought 2 spaces, and our two friends also bought 2 spaces each so we have a 2x3 formation. We arranged our campers into a U shape with the pool in the middle under a popup awning. You pay to have a water truck come around and fill your pool. It's a fun way to beat the heat.
 

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but 120V is a good general rule on things like air compressors
Unless you have one of these for a 12V compressor. I also used to think there were no 12V compressors that were decent for filling RV tires, until I heard about the VIAIR here in this forum. It's very quiet and very powerful. Especially good if you can run it from a lith house battery as I do. When used with lead acid, should be used with engine running, not necessary when used with a lith house battery.

I made special cables for mine so I can plug it into my lith battery in either of my RVs.

-Don- Reno, NV
 
We're at a big multi day music festival where the sites are just in an open field no hookups. The DW and I bought 2 spaces, and our two friends also bought 2 spaces each so we have a 2x3 formation. We arranged our campers into a U shape with the pool in the middle under a popup awning. You pay to have a water truck come around and fill your pool. It's a fun way to beat the heat.
And I was just kidding.
 
Unless you have one of these for a 12V compressor. I also used to think there were no 12V compressors that were decent for filling RV tires, until I heard about the VIAIR here in this forum. It's very quiet and very powerful. Especially good if you can run it from a lith house battery as I do. When used with lead acid, should be used with engine running, not necessary when used with a lith house battery.

I made special cables for mine so I can plug it into my lith battery in either of my RVs.

-Don- Reno, NV
I thought the same thing. Those compressors are awesome. I bought a slightly smaller one when I had a truck with larger tires. Made airing down/up the tires when playing in the mud much easier.
 
For me, all the power tools I put in the rv are Dewalt 20v. All take same battery.
Even for an air compressor to fill an RV tire??

I recently purchased a few of these. I was impressed with the first one I purchased, but I have not yet tried it on and RV tire. But I have on my pickup truck. I think it could even be used on an RV tire, as long as it is shut off every five minutes, for another five minutes. These are 50% duty cycle after five minutes of use, but they seem to perhaps even have enough power for an RV tire. But nothing like the VIAIR I linked to above.

I carry one in my electric motorcycles.

-Don- Reno, NV
 
Corded ones will give you more power and cost less but cordless are handy. I have a cordless Ryobi drill so bought a small vac, leaf blower, and tire inflator that takes the same battery as that.
 
Even for an air compressor to fill an RV tire??

I recently purchased a few of these. I was impressed with the first one I purchased, but I have not yet tried it on and RV tire. But I have on my pickup truck. I think it could even be used on an RV tire, as long as it is shut off every five minutes, for another five minutes. These are 50% duty cycle after five minutes of use, but they seem to perhaps even have enough power for an RV tire. But nothing like the VIAIR I linked to above.

I carry one in my electric motorcycles.

-Don- Reno, NV
I really want to give one of these a shot:

Dewalt 20v AC

The specs look impressive and I wonder how well it really does. It'd replace a few different items that I currently carry around (one air compressor for filling tires, one air pump for filling inflatable stuff)
 
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