BLACK+DECKER BDH1200NVAV: problems, parts and running costs

Checked: 2026-10-09

Summary

Hardly anything is documented about this exact model: research found no owner complaints, no independent tests and no community discussion of the BDH1200NVAV. The one recorded failure mode — a blown 10A fuse hidden inside the sealed 12V plug — comes from the sibling Flex Vac, which shares the same 10A rating. Running costs are nil because both filters are washable and the unit is powered by the car, not the grid. It is worth buying only near the $20 reseller price, not the $110 industrial price.

Common problems and fixes

Shortened appliance life with the engine running — the manual warns that running the vehicle’s engine while cleaning can shorten the appliance’s life. Fix: clean with the engine off. [1]
No power from a dead cigarette-lighter socket — the socket may not be live when the ignition is off, so the vacuum will not start. Fix: turn the ignition on. [1]

Parts and consumables

10A glass fuse inside the sealed 12V plug — not user-accessible without prying the plug housing open; no parts catalog exists for the NVAV, and BLACK+DECKER directs repairs to a qualified repair agent. [12][1]

Yearly running cost

Nothing is bought per year: the dirt bowl is bagless, both filters are washable and reusable, and no other consumables exist. Yearly running cost is therefore nil apart from an unquantified vehicle power draw.

When it is a good buy

Near $20 — Compass Health, a medical-supply reseller, lists it at $20.00 (price as captured in the 2026-10-09 research pass); acceptable for light car cleaning if you accept an untested legacy SKU with unknown stock age. [6]
At $110.17 — Motion, an industrial supplier, lists it at $110.17 as a factory order; difficult to justify with no test data and no consumer retail presence. [9]

Alternatives: the BLACK+DECKER Flex Vac BDH1200FVAV at Lowe’s is the better choice when you want a current SKU with active retail support [14]; the BDH1200PVAV Pivot Vac is the pivoting sibling listed in BLACK+DECKER’s current car-vacuum lineup [16][3]; the Black+Decker 20V Max Dustbuster AdvancedClean+ Pet, Wirecutter’s pick, is the better choice when you want a cordless with expert recommendation and active support [8].