Portable AC unit can keep car cool

Friday, September 26, 2003

Dear Tom and Ray: A few summers ago, the air conditioner on my 1993 Dodge Caravan went out. The cost to fix the unit (from two different sources) is $1,700 to $2,000. The car is not worth that much, so I have not fixed it. Last week, while walking through a Home Depot, I saw a portable, stand-alone air conditioner on sale for $595 (you can see where I'm going with this ...). The unit requires a 115-volt connection to operate it. Can I get an adapter at Radio Shack, buy the rolling air conditioner and plug it into my cigarette lighter? I know other appliances can be plugged into the lighter, but I'm not sure the car can accommodate the demands of an air conditioner. Ignoring the fact that I will look like a hillbilly, what do you think?John

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