All electric kitchen...has anyone done it?

[daleyocum]

Thinking about going to an all-electric kitchen in our FC25 (excluding the fridge.). I'm looking for examples of things people have done.

Our current situation. We have a 2018 FC25 that I've added 600w of solar and 500ah of Lithium to along with a Victron Multiplus 3000 hybrid inverter. We already have used our propane cooktop, using a two burner portable induction cooktop instead. We've installed a full size microwave as well. We use the propane oven on rare occasions. We boondock frequently and carry a Honda 2000 generator but only have to use it when running the AC or if there are a LOT of cloudy days.

I'm considering removing the range and going to a built-in Breville countertop oven and building a recessed place for the induction cooktop in the counter. This would be similar to what the Wynn's have done on their boat https://www.gonewiththewynns.com/ele...f-grid-kitchen

I guess we'd carry a little camp stove in case there were multiple failures but there would need to be a lot of failures for that to come into play (we'd run straight from the generator if the Victron died.)

Has anyone done this and how did you do it?

[Lily&Me]

I have two propane burners but only use them when I don’t have electricity.

I have a small electric coffee maker, hot pot, InstantPot and electric skillet.

If I had room, I might add a toaster oven.

Maggie

[Fungus]

Haven’t done what you’re talking about, but...

We use our Breville countertop oven at home almost exclusively. The big Viking wall oven is a glorified kitchen timer. Well, it was until the timer stopped working.

[daleyocum]

Originally Posted by BarbBW

This is an interesting idea I don’t like cooking with propane. Is your idea that this would work boondocking? Stove burners seem to use 1000 to 3000 watts and a small oven about 2000 watts. I can’t even get my hairdryer to work boondocking and it says 1200 watts. I would love to know how to get 3000 or 4000 watts so I can make coffee and dry my hair!

In order to not have to think real hard about what you plug in it takes upgrading the inverter and, probably, the batteries and converter. Alternately you’d need to run a generator when those loads are happening. If you don’t like generators then that means adding solar, 400-600 watts seems to be enough for most folks.

The gold standard for power systems is a Victron suite with their Multiplus 3000 watt inverter/charger and Lithium batteries and assorted goodies.

My power system and solar ran around $10k for parts and I did the install myself. The end result means every outlet is powered all the time and we can plug in anything you can plug in at home so long as we stay under 3000 watts while boondocking.

[coasttocoast]

You have a robust system, but I believe the Wynns have a system that is approximately 3x the size of yours. And the sun doesn't shine when the sun doesn't shine. My solution is not to cook in an RV except for some minimal microwave usage.

[gator.bigfoot]

The day I need a generator to go camping is day give it up. Use your solar and the rest propane, but why on earth everyone feels the need to make a lot of noise with their generators and pollute the peace and tranquility of nature is beyond me.

[fthopkins]

When RVing I have never cooked anything indoors. I go hardcore caveman, logs and charcoal.

[Portage to Caravan]

Am I missing something here? You'll burn gas in a generator but not on a stove or oven.

I second gator.bigfoot's response. "Why on earth", indeed.

I don't have a generator (yet) because I have propane, and will have as long as I can buy it.

[daleyocum]

Originally Posted by Portage to Caravan

Am I missing something here? You'll burn gas in a generator but not on a stove or oven.

I second gator.bigfoot's response. "Why on earth", indeed.

I don't have a generator (yet) because I have propane, and will have as long as I can buy it.

I personally wouldn’t use a generator because we have solar/lithium. I agree that would be weird to fire up a generator just so you can cook. To answer your question of why we use induction. Induction heats faster and is more consistent. It adjusts instantly. It has fewer hot spots on pans and it doesn’t inject moisture and combustion byproducts into the air. The burners are flat glass so cleanup is just a quick wipe.

[nryn]

Originally Posted by daleyocum

To answer your question of why we use induction. Induction heats faster and is more consistent. It adjusts instantly. It has fewer hot spots on pans and it doesn’t inject moisture and combustion byproducts into the air. The burners are flat glass so cleanup is just a quick wipe.

Huge induction fan here. It does heat faster and more consistently, but it’s also insanely energy efficient. I think I read somewhere that gas stoves transfer only 40% of their heat energy to food. Induction burners are closer to 85 or 90%. Boiling water is crazy fast. As a choice for an electric burner, it’s always my first one. I have a portable induction burner that I bring with when we travel with the Airstream (which I use when we’re plugged in or when I need a burner outside).

Still, I’d imagine it’d run down batteries pretty damn quickly, no matter how big the bank. Not quite clear on the goal—is it to eliminate propane altogether? You mention you’re not going to electric for the fridge...

[1StreamDream]

Originally Posted by gator.bigfoot

The day I need a generator to go camping is day give it up. Use your solar and the rest propane, but why on earth everyone feels the need to make a lot of noise with their generators and pollute the peace and tranquility of nature is beyond me.

I think very much like this ... but I am living a real world situation that will change me (probably forever). I do have a generator, its at home, I had no intention of needing or using it. I am on an extended stay in southern Texas for the month, and if you see the news about this region there are all kinds of power system problems. The place I am staying has been without power going on 4 full days now. I have some solar, but it has been mostly grey skies lately, and very cold (at/below freezing last few nights). I need the heat to run, and my house batteries in this circumstance don't get me more than about 10hrs. Without solar help, I cannot reliably recharge. Most folks around me have a generator, so I can borrow, and I also started using my tow vehicle with jumper cables, but the whole experience puts new perspective into the value in bringing a generator, even if just for emergency backup. I am in that zone, and very much wish I had it with me for peace of mind. I do everything I can to avoid using them, but in the situation I am in this week, I very much wish I had mine. More solar panels would NOT help me (this week), not enough surface area on my 25'. I will also be upgrading to Lithium batteries in the near future, similar reason, more margin for situations like this.

[daleyocum]

Originally Posted by nryn

Huge induction fan here. It does heat faster and more consistently, but it’s also insanely energy efficient. I think I read somewhere that gas stoves transfer only 40% of their heat energy to food. Induction burners are closer to 85 or 90%. Boiling water is crazy fast. As a choice for an electric burner, it’s always my first one. I have a portable induction burner that I bring with when we travel with the Airstream (which I use when we’re plugged in or when I need a burner outside).

Still, I’d imagine it’d run down batteries pretty damn quickly, no matter how big the bank. Not quite clear on the goal—is it to eliminate propane altogether? You mention you’re not going to electric for the fridge...

Our induction cooktop hasn’t been a problem from a power consumption standpoint in the summer, the solar tops us up by 1pm or so. In the winter we tend to camp with hookups so it’s a non issue. Those cooktops are s cheap these days, under $100. They do require the high cost of admission with Lithium and a 2000w or more inverter, though.

I think I’d always need propane for the water heater and furnace if nothing else.

[T Mac]

I bought a portable induction cooktop to use in the camper when boondocking or just stopping somewhere for lunch. I tested it out in our kitchen - comparing the boil times of the induction burner and our 5 burner electric cooktop. No comparison. The induction burner is still in the house, plugged in right next to our electric cooktop. It will go with us camping and when we're back, it will go right back to the kitchen. Get an induction burner for the camper. It creates a lot less "2nd hand heat" than the propane burner does.

[TouringDan]

I am building a “state of the art” Airstream using our 95 34’. I am installing a 12,000 btu/hr mini split heat pump to cool and heat the Airstream. The compressor is going on the tongue where the two 30# propane tanks were. I will only have room for a 10# propane tank, so I need to lower our propane consumption. I plan to use a compressor fridge so no propane needed for the fridge. This leaves us with only needing propane for the water heater and the stove. I was not aware of the efficiency of the electric induction cooktop. This might provide another way to cut down on propane consumption. We already have a 2,000 watt inverter to provide power and have a Ninja grill, so an all electric kitchen just might be in our future.

This only leaves propane needed for the water heater. I am not sure if I will have enough solar or battery power to heat water. This is certainly a possibility though.

Dan

[daleyocum]

Originally Posted by TouringDan

I am building a “state of the art” Airstream using our 95 34’. I am installing a 12,000 btu/hr mini split heat pump to cool and heat the Airstream. The compressor is going on the tongue where the two 30# propane tanks were. I will only have room for a 10# propane tank, so I need to lower our propane consumption. I plan to use a compressor fridge so no propane needed for the fridge. This leaves us with only needing propane for the water heater and the stove. I was not aware of the efficiency of the electric induction cooktop. This might provide another way to cut down on propane consumption. We already have a 2,000 watt inverter to provide power and have a Ninja grill, so an all electric kitchen just might be in our future.

This only leaves propane needed for the water heater. I am not sure if I will have enough solar or battery power to heat water. This is certainly a possibility though.

Dan

Depending on the amount of solar you are installing induction would be high on my list. We love ours and they are dirt cheap.

We frequently max out our 3000 watt Multiplus inverter. The rule in the trailer is you can run two things that get hot at the same time! That’s quite livable but it takes awareness. 2000 watt inverter would mean you can only have one thing that gets hot.

I wouldn’t think running the hot water heater on battery would go well. Ours CAN run on the inverter but we never do. We’d rather save battery for things that can only run on electricity.

[TouringDan]

Originally Posted by daleyocum

Depending on the amount of solar you are installing induction would be high on my list. We love ours and they are dirt cheap.

We frequently max out our 3000 watt Multiplus inverter. The rule in the trailer is you can run two things that get hot at the same time! That’s quite livable but it takes awareness. 2000 watt inverter would mean you can only have one thing that gets hot.

I wouldn’t think running the hot water heater on battery would go well. Ours CAN run on the inverter but we never do. We’d rather save battery for things that can only run on electricity.

I am committed to only having a 2,000 watt inverter to operate everything in our Airstream. This is because I don’t want the additional cost and complexity of the 3,000 watt Multiplus inverter and also to minimize the amount of electrical energy I am using. My plan is to never plug into shore power, to only rely on solar power, 5-100 Ah lithium batteries and the 1,000 watt inverter generator in my TV. I will have lots of solar- up to 1,600 watts on the Airstream, 400 watts on the TV bed cap and 400 watts of portable solar if needed.

I realize by having only a 2,000 watt inverter I will need to selectively operate appliances, but this is my plan.

If I can operate the water heater on electricity and have an induction cook top I could have an Airstream that would be 100% electric and operate completely off the grid. I believe this is worth pursuing.

I did some calculations and it looks like it will take about 1,000 watt hours of electrical energy to heat up 6 gallons of water from 50 to 120F. This is about 75% of the electrical energy stored in one 100 Ah battery. So heating water sounds like it is possible.

All that being said, I have nothing against propane as I will still carry my 5 gallon propane tank to operate my gas grill.

Dan

[daleyocum]

I guess it will depend on where you camp. If it gets cold and you are away from hookups you’ll need a propane furnace. Heating the trailer, which needs 1,200 watts, isn’t something that can realistically be done off of batteries for very long and would max out your inverter.

[TouringDan]

It will definitely depend on how cold it is where we are camping. Now the minisplit is very efficient and, unlike regular heat pumps, operates down to -13F. It won’t max out the inverter as the input power is only 1,120 watts. The heat output is about 3,500 watts. I am thinking this will be good down to about 40F, but all this is in theory. We won’t know until we go camping.

Dan

[daleyocum]

I suspect your batteries will be dead by morning. That’s going to be around 120 amp drain so roughly 1000ah.

[TouringDan]

Originally Posted by daleyocum

I suspect your batteries will be dead by morning. That’s going to be around 120 amp drain so roughly 1000ah.

I agree if the heat pump runs continuously. I am thinking that it may only run 50% of the time. If it does run continuously then I will definitely need to run the furnace. Of course I won’t remove the propane lines until I am sure that I don’t need them.

I have 5 Renogy lithium batteries and have room for 8. I have read that you can’t have more than 5 in parallel. I am not sure if this is correct. I will add 3 more batteries if it is acceptable.

Thanks for your comment.

Dan