It's no crock.

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* The heater operates off 24 VDC and connects to your vehicle's auxiliary power supply with a single 2-wire power cable. When you use the heater, make sure the vehicle's engine is running so you won't drain the batteries.

* Although the heater was designed for mounting in military vehicles, it can also operate as a freestanding unit.

* The heater basin is large enough to heat a gallon of water. Or it can heat 40 ounces of water and up to five MREs at the same time. Just don't try to cram in more than five MREs at once. They won't cook properly.

* Although the heater looks somewhat like a crockpot, it's not. Heat only unopened MREs or rations in the heater. Never toss foods loosely into the heater and then try to bake, fry, stew or simmer them. You'll cook up a cleaning nightmare of burned-on food, oil and grease in the pot. Preparing food in this way can also cause a health hazard.

* The heater cannot get hot enough to disinfect or decontaminate water.

* The heater has two different models: RAK-15 and 471012. The current NSN for both models is 7310-01-387-1305.

In some cases, repair parts for the two models differ. The parts list in TM 10-7310-241-12&P spells out which parts support which model.

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