What Is the PowerMate 12V Converter and What Can You Run With It?
If you've ever needed to run a fuel pump, a sprayer, or a set of work lights in the field and found yourself wiring directly to your truck battery — or dragging out a generator — the PowerMate 12V converter was built to solve exactly that problem.
It's a simple concept with a lot of practical applications. Here's what it does, who it's for, and whether it makes sense for your setup.
What the PowerMate actually does
The PowerMate is a portable power supply that converts your cordless tool battery into a regulated 12V DC output. Instead of running a cord to your truck, hooking jumper cables to a battery, or firing up a generator, you snap in a battery you likely already own and you have immediate, portable 12V power wherever you need it.
It's available in two versions — one for DeWalt 20V MAX and FLEXVOLT batteries, and one for Milwaukee M18 batteries. Both versions have identical specs and capabilities. The only difference is which battery platform they're built for. If you're already running DeWalt or Milwaukee tools on the job, you buy the version that matches what you have.
Neither version includes a battery — those are sold separately. Midway Tanks carries compatible batteries and starter kits for both brands if you need them.
Specs worth knowing
Both the DeWalt and Milwaukee versions share the same core specs:
- 12V regulated output
- 20 amp maximum output
- Built-in on/off switch
- Integrated fuse protection
- Low battery protection to prevent over-discharging your battery
- Circuit protections against overload, over-voltage, overheating, and short circuit
- Four magnetic mounts with 130 lb pull force each
- Powder-coated steel bracket
- Lever-style quick connect terminals for fast wiring
One note on battery compatibility for the Milwaukee version — it works with all M18 battery sizes except the High Output 8.0Ah. All other M18 Ah sizes are compatible.
What can you run with it?
Anything that runs on 12V DC power and draws 20 amps or less. That covers a wide range of practical applications that people typically handle by wiring to a vehicle battery:
- 12V fuel transfer pumps
- 12V water transfer pumps
- Agricultural and spot sprayers
- Lawn and garden sprayers
- LED work lights and job site lighting
- LED light bars
- Strip lighting in trailers or campers
- Small 12V air compressors and tire inflators
- Camping and off-grid power setups
- RV accessory power
- Tailgate and event lighting
- Small fans and ventilation
- Electric fence controllers
The 20 amp ceiling covers the vast majority of common 12V equipment. If you're not sure whether a specific device falls within that limit, check the amp draw on the label or spec sheet before connecting.
What it won't run
Two things worth being clear about. First, any device drawing more than 20 amps is outside what the PowerMate is designed for — connecting one will trigger the built-in overload protection. Second, the PowerMate outputs 12V DC, not 120V AC. It won't run standard power tools, corded equipment, or household appliances. It's purpose built for 12V equipment specifically, not as a replacement for a traditional inverter or generator.
How it mounts
The four built-in magnets — each rated at 130 lb pull force — let you stick the unit to any metal surface quickly and securely. Truck beds, toolboxes, equipment frames, trailer walls — anywhere metal is, the PowerMate can go. There are also holes in the bracket if you prefer to screw it down permanently to a wood or metal surface.
The lever-style quick connect terminals make wiring straightforward. One Milwaukee customer noted he swapped the connector for a different style disconnect plug to get a better fit with his extension wires — worth knowing that the terminal style can be adapted if your setup calls for it.
How is this different from wiring to my truck battery?
Wiring to a truck battery works, but it comes with real limitations. You need to be near the truck. You need to run cables. If you leave something connected and walk away, you risk draining the battery. And if you're working somewhere the truck can't go, you're out of options.
The PowerMate cuts all of that out. The battery goes where you go. There's no wiring to the vehicle, no cable management, and no risk of leaving something connected and killing your truck battery. You flip the on/off switch when you need power and flip it off when you're done. The low battery protection takes care of the rest.
For anyone who regularly runs a fuel pump, sprayer, or lights off a vehicle battery, the difference in convenience is immediate.
Which version should I buy?
Simple — buy the version that matches the cordless tool brand you already use.
If you're running DeWalt 20V MAX or FLEXVOLT batteries on your tools, get the DeWalt version. If you're running Milwaukee M18, get the Milwaukee version. There's no performance difference between the two — it's purely about which battery you already have on hand.
If you don't currently own either battery platform, both work equally well. DeWalt 20V MAX and Milwaukee M18 batteries are widely available and both are supported by large ecosystems of compatible tools.
→ Shop the PowerMate DeWalt Version at Midway Tanks
→ Shop the PowerMate Milwaukee Version at Midway Tanks
→ Shop Compatible Batteries and Starter Kits at Midway Tanks