INDUCTION COOKING WHEN CAMPING. Is it worth it? One Year Trial Results |
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- Опубликовано: 9 янв 2023
- I can finally conclude that induction cooking when camping is great, but only in certain conditions. Here are my conclusions after a year of trails and tests.
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“So I have chosen a hybrid system” - switches to his wife doing all the work 😂😂😂😂 well done on the hybrid system!!
I seem to remember him and Paul arguing over who was most likely to burn a pan of water when they used to travel together in Africa . So if you have a Gwyn and you are an Andrew you would take advantage of that . 🤣
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Lost it after reading your comment hahaha
One of the things with propane that's often overlooked is altitude and temperature. Propane is horrible at high altitudes and low temps. That's probably not a factor in Australia, but up here in Colorado, it's a huge factor. That's why I'm looking at induction for my next setup.
Good point!
Are you thinking of butane? I've used propane without issue below freezing and at 10k ft.
@@fratermus5502 No. I'm gonna try for an electric stove I think. I can get propane working below freezing and high altitudes, but it's very weak. With two burners on at the same time, it's useless, especially with wind. We are a family of 5 so we have to cook a fair amount of food. Propane just doesn't turn from a liquid to a gas well at low temps. I've never tried butane, primarily due to all the little cans I'd have to carry.
@@JMRobins1 Understood. Are you going to run a genny to power it? The Wh math seems daunting.
@@fratermus5502 No, it will have to be battery powered. I'm gonna run into serious space issues though, so my plan may not come to fruition. The rest of the Jeep will be built first while being conscious about battery space, but I won't compromise anything else for more batteries. If it doesn't work out, I'll stick with propane. It's a long term build I haven't even started yet so I have plenty of time to think it through.
For a long time I used my grandfathers old companion gas cooker. About 12 months ago I purchased a new Coleman gas cooker and wow. I wasn’t sure how much gas it would use, so I only got a little 2kg bottle with it and started counting the days use. I’ve actually now lost count, despite several massive trips, including 4 weeks on the road going to Cape York, I’m still on the original fill. New gas cookers have also come a long way in terms of efficiency.
You are spot on, heaps of stored energy in a gas bottle. And as for the wind, using a wind block of some description is a heaps cheaper solution that the several thousand dollar method ASPW waffles about.
The only good thing about his 25 minute video to say what could be explained in 5 minutes is that it helps me get off to sleep.
I think the gas burns the holes bigger in old gas cookers. your grandfather's one was probably hard to turn down also. my old bbq has 1 setting, max.
My wife an I did a 3 year trip around Oz, finished in 2018. We had 2 x 2kg gas bottles. We cooked every day on a 3-burner stove, usually using 2 burners, one at high output (stir-frying), one at low (simmering). We averaged 6 weeks use for each bottle, which meant that at anytime one bottle ran out, we had six weeks to refill the empty one. Our current 4x4 we are building, we will do the same, but also have a lightweight induction stove for windy days or quick snacks...
can we take a moment to appreciate them rationalizing this for us, instead of just enjoying this trip?
nailed it.
@@karl4834 😆
Wow mate that was by far the best explanation of gas vs elec I’ve ever heard.
Thanks heaps for sharing your knowledge! ❤
Thank you Adrew sharing your experience with us. I appreciate it.
I love the experience of gas for camp cooking. My vintage Primus 2 burner cooker was originally my grandfather's, genuine made in Sweden quality. The smell of gas, the hose and those threaded fittings that turn the other way is all part of the fun. Toast or crumpets on a wire toaster is delightful. And getting a gas refill at some outback town, and the old guy telling a story is what travel is all about...
Andrew, this was excellent! So so helpful, thank you.
I find all these modern amenities and gadgets absolutely fascinating, money and imagination freely flowing leads to wonderful things. Having said that, my inner primal caveman instincts are more satisfied and my mind more relaxed with a simple pot on a small grill over a wood fire. Getting away from all that soothes the soul.
Awesome content as always
Thanks for taking the time to do a real world review of induction
Love your stories and experiences shared. I know how much you like to be organised so I thought i would share with you that we store our induction cooker in a laptop computer bag. Fits perfectly and the bag is slightly padded. Keeps the induction cooker clean and safe for the terrors of travel.
Well done Andrew has definitely set me on the right path with inverters and induction cooking.. 👍
I respect the new tech, but I really like cooking with fire when I am camping. It's just the primal bit I enjoy. Fire for heat, light, cooking, ambience. It can't be beaten.
But it's not always practical. Whole states can be under a fire ban, so your going to have to use gas at some point in time if you travel often.
Too slow
G'day Andrew, really good video mate & you explained the Pro's & Con's of the wide variety of supplying off-grid power thank you. I would love to upgrade to Lithium but for Us
it's way above our income, (Which is fixed). So having an Overland truck our best solution that works well for our needs is Twin 250 Amp Alternators (1 x Truck & 1 x House)
2 x 12 Volt 300 AH AGM batteries (600 Amp) & 1000 Watts (1 kw) Solar panels, the Inverter/Charger is a 4500 Watt continuous supply unit & our 10Hp Diesel Gen set also
charges the batteries & delivers 6.5 kva. Sometimes I would like a smaller Tourer & possible off-road caravan but when you live out there on the tracks & in the bush full time
I still think the bigger rig's are the way to go. Thank's for another great & thought provoking video Mate, Steve.
Great conversation Andrew. I use an induction burner at home from time to time as it is efficient and easy to control the heat but my real concern is that the induction burner is an electric appliance which is much more prone to failure than a camp stove and I would be a bit put out if my induction burner fails halfway through a long trip!
Thanks Andrew very informative wish I had the space to fit such a system
Thanks Andrew. Your review is timely - ahead of my build. I appreciate your consideration of workable alternatives.
Welding can also be done without expensive upgrades.
In 1998 I travelled over 150km on the Gibb River Rd, WAust, to reach a garage for a welding job. The steering oil reservoir had broken off the bracket on my classic Range Rover. Thanks to Jack Absolom's: Safe Outback Travel, I carried welding rods. With the generousity of a stranger, using their battery and jumper cables, I connected the batteries in series and successfully welded using 24V. The repair remained sound.
Clear as mud 😂 thanks for a thought-provoking subject
I 100% agree. We went with induction for our current build, and I might have over-engineered the system. But I'm still super happy about it. So convenient!
We had gas before, and we ran out of gas in the middle east. This is something I don't want to happen again. So for the next car we got a spirit stove, and that was not powerful enough. It took forever to make coffee, and frying a steak was pure horror. A Diesel hob takes forever to heat up and it's very hard to control the heat without moving the pots and pans away...
So we installed a domestic Bosch 2 field induction hob with 3.7kW of power and a 5kW inverter (for running it in hotter climates). It's a bigger 4x4 lorry so naturally we just put it in our kitchen worktop and it is just like cooking at home. Totally worth it!
4:29 Agreed. We use a Jet boil for brews, etc. and induction for "non water boiling/ heating" cooking. It also provides a contingency if there is an issue with the electricity.
Induction is the fastest way to boil water - period. Due to the induction process actually making the vessel itself heat rather than transferring heat to it there are very little losses in the process.
It’s approx twice as fast as gas.
@@jerrymyahzcat I don't think I ever mentioned speed? Its a question of efficiency. You will expend more electricity than gas to generate the same amount of energy to boil a given amount of water.
Love it! Since a few years ago I started to think that move to Australia could be a good idea, now I came across this video and I'm eager to go :) Cheers from Argentina!
For me induction is excellent if you're trying to cook anything outside with any wind. A very small amount of wind will double or triple the cooking time in a gas stove. That's where I see the real advantage. The rest is about your style of cooking, traveling and above all: budget. I use both gas and induction in my trailer.
not sure if I missed it, but did you consider mentioning that the induction cook top surfaces, typically are cooler than gas and no naked flame.
This has been a very interesting video - Andrew is a pioneer to undertake the experiment with induction cooking in the small camper / overlander. While there’s probably a mathematical equation to help decide when the benefit of electric outweighs more traditional cooking methods (e.g. gas or petrol / diesel), the variables to consider might include desired/likely daily cooking time, driving time (and frequency to recharge batteries), equipment cost, space, weight, battery capacity, need (or not) for solar panels (unless driving is sufficient), availability of gas / fuel etc. Another advantage of cooking with electric is the absence of the naked flame, to remove the risk of inadvertently sparking a wildfire. Several campsites in S.France already ban cooking with a naked flame requiring campers to use an induction cooktop (normally powered by shore power) - just as we see more and more electric cars on the road, perhaps electric cooktops will become more compact/affordable for overlanding in the future. Great video!
Hi have a look at what Safiery make, there Scotty will make charging in both directions easy. They also have a dual induction cooktop designed for the 3kw inverter.
Hi Andrew, thank you - great bit of information and opinion for us to chew on, there's such a diverse range of possibilities to suit individual needs it's sometimes had to see the forest because of all the trees - for me you were able to clarify answers to some thoughts/questions I already had around the exact same issue in a fit out I'm currently doing - I was already factoring in a small lithium system so in the end I decided to up the capacity of that and go with a Hybrid set up with induction the method of cooking when fire is not possible or convenient followed with a small single gas burner as back up, for me this will be quite easy to rationalize as I travel one up and love cooking over open flame when possible - I will see how the set up goes and if successful I may up the inverter to accommodate a second induction cooker and add another 200ah battery for those longer stays in camp - followed by a garage sale of used camp cooking gear😜🤠. Cheers
Sounds like what we need. Can you provide any more detail on your lithium setup?
Hi Cameron, I'm going with Enerdrive & Red Arc gear - 200AH battery 2000W Inverter with W/RCD & AC Transfer, then RedArc Manager 30 with 240v charging and a basic display to manage/monitor the system, this is all backed up by 2 x 200W solar blankets if I need to top up in camp at any time, the fit out isn't finished so can't give you any actual feedback but I estimate this system will provide enough power to do all I want/need providing I'm sensible with its use.
We must do what's best for each of us. I live in the western U.S. Here propane is EVERYWHERE. Its fairly cheap. Overlanding I use it for heating camping trailer, running large burner for dishes water, the shower, cooking, and lanterns. I love propane . I couldn't go without. But in another parts of the world where propane is scarcer or more expensive I get it
Great video, I run induction and an airfryer, still use the jet boil for coffees but, and love it. I'm running a twin induction Westinghouse plate but the bloody thing always stops and says the plate is overheating. Just wanting to know what induction plate you use? Cheers
Great video. I am looking into fitout options for a sailboat and would love to be able to go completely electric (including propulsion), so that there is no liquid fuel onboard (no smell, and MUCH safer). You made a number of good points that have been helpful in informing (and reinforcing) my planning, particularly re battery storage capacity, charging options, and inverter capacity/quality (I am looking at the Victron Multiplus II 48/3000). And glad to see you reminding folks that this gear needs professional installation !!!
Excellent - I came to exactly the same conclusions and have stuck with gas. I have lithium (100ah) and good Victron chargers but my power is reserved for my Propex (constant winter living) and Starlink/pepwave/laptops for work. All in a JKU micro camper. Ones individual needs really are the determining factor. If I ever have a large overland rig (homemade earth cruiser) then more will be electric.
Thanks for continuing to report on this experiment. One more issue regarding gas cooking convenience depends on where you are traveling. If you stay within North America or Australia, you are going to be able to get your bottles refilled easily at any vendor carrying gas. In Europe, there are different gas fitting standards from country to country. You need to carry an array of adapters to make sure you can get your bottle refilled when you go to another country. Many travelers report nightmares trying to get their gas refilled because they didn't carry the right combo of adapters. That is eliminated with electric cooking. Another bonus of having a beefier electric system is that those traveling on cold climates (especially those that love Alpine skiing), a lot of them like making hot meals in "Hot Pot." Simply add ingredients. Turn on with a timer. When you come off the slopes you have a hot meal ready. You cannot do that with gas. It's been amazing to see the radical transformation in the portal electric systems in the past decade. Lithium really has transformed the options available. Thank you again for sharing your detailed testing of the latest portable electric system technology.
Thanks for sharing. Non-wild camping i.e. where A.C. Is available, the induction cooker is very convenient and fast even to boil water for tea ! Gas still remains the backup option.
Westinghouse twin induction cooktop retails for about $200. It's brilliant. Most pots and pans these days are induction capable - $25 at Kmart. I do have a Jetboil as a back up but I'd never go back to gas stoves.
Yes. It’s a 1400W + 1000W unit total 2400W max so a 2kW Inverter isn’t large enough. Need the 3kW to run both plates.
Been camping all my life. I kinda doubt I've spent more then a few hundred dollars on gas. Heck, I spent 2 weeks awhile back running a camp chef everest using both burners most of the time for all our cooking on a 5lbs bottle and we didn't drain the bottle. Most people wont even use that much before they change vehicles these days.. Running proprietary gas bottles is expensive, compared to larger bulk refillables.
my biggest gripe with inverter is the fact I need a high quality pan to begin with. Then if it ever warps, I have cold spots. With gas, I take my camp oven, use it as a large pan, and whatever cheap junker I can toss in a box and let it roll around for years not having to worry about it being perfect.
Good video, and I think you boiled it down to, it is personal preference. It isn't for weight savings or cost saving as there really is none.
Seems like the travel buddy paired with the jetboil/msr reactor is all you need with your style of cooking. I'm sure Gwen would be able to adapt the meals to it as well when she goes along. Save lots of money and space and add a lot of convenience and reduce complexity.
I enjoyed this experiment. But, in the end a Coleman 2-burner Dual fuel stove is $200 and runs on petrol and lasts a few weeks of daily cooking with a half liter. And the Coleman won't break down with the exception of a $20 seal and pump refresh kit once every 2 years. After all these years the Coleman still wins.
Thanks Andrew. Enjoyed the video. Good info to think about.
BTW - you have a couple of typos on the CONS list…
Thanks for the informative video. Have just come to the same conclusion. Jet boiler for a quick set up and small heat & eat. But a quick saving tip for you in the morning routine drink making. I like a coffee and the wife has a tea. I make them both on the Nespresso coffee maker. Don't put in a pod and out comes boiling water. It's all about less set up and quick clean up. I have just built a slide on truck camper in NZ for my Ford Ranger. No gas (No gas cert's) and only an invertor (No elect cert's). Just getting my self containment cert so we can freedom camp. Have Redarc DC DC charger (40A), lithium 200Amp, 2000w invertor, solar 530W and induction cook plate.
This is an awesome analysis. Thank you! Something else to consider: going "full electric" in colder climates makes it for folks with smaller rigs that they don't need to lug around a diesel generator (in addition to the diesel, hoses, etc itself). The trick of the game is really about the speed of recharge (same as in the EV world). Can you replenish your energy banks efficiently enough after having consumed a sizable quantity?
I use a 1.25kg bottle with a single burner which lasts 8 hrs for cooking….. and I use a jet boil for boiling water.
I feel it’s just simple and light.
I do month long remote trips and weekend VHC trips
Thanks for the video.
👍
Thanks for the video
Hi Andrew, I use a small 240v pop up kettle for boiling water for coffee and pasta, when making coffee I only pour enough water for two mugs into the kettle to use less power
Same here Brad, just love my little kettle, so quick and easy, and I have marked on the plastic sides with texter 1 cup 2 cups etc, I hate heating more water than is needed 😁
I once tried to boil the kettle on a shitty Companion on-bottle cooker, at Bay of Fires in Tassie. Windy as f*ck of course, and half an hour later I was still waiting for that kettle to boil. I had all the wind shields you can dream of, still was crap. Love my 2K inverter from Jaycar, I run the induction on 1500W max, boils in 3 mins!
A good bush tv works all the time (assuming no fire bans) 😊 And yes I go electric most of the time.
It’s a bit like ice in an esky versus a fridge. And I bet the arguments for one or the other were almost identical too. Nobody would argue against a fridge now and I expect, in time, that will be the case for induction cookers.
I bought a 40ah portable lithium battery, it's the size of a lunchbox. If you don't need the high current loads, it runs the fridge, charges the phones and fan in the tent. It's great having so many options nowadays.
See Andrew another reason why the Nissan patrol 4.2 kettle was best car ever built
Jetboil for boiling water/coffee for us. Gas canister lasts for weeks and only takes 2 minutes to boil. We always have a spare canister. For cooking, we have used many gas cookers over the years. Even with our Cub Camper kitchen, we often just use our $20 Bunnings cooker and always have spare canisters on hand and they are readily available and cheap.
Great video, thank you Andrew. I have also played with the induction idea in my own setup... I have 200ah Lithium and a 2000W inverter and it works well.. like you mentioned in your video. There seems to be allot of focus on induction cooking with these electric setups, But there is also another part of the story that seems to be missed. I have found that using an electric airfryer is a great way to do meals while camping. I initially built the setup for induction cooking but found that I actually use it more for my airfryer. I also have a 12v TravelBuddy oven and it will be quite interessting to compare these. Using math the Travel buddy will warm 3 meat pies from frozen to ready in 2 hours @ 10A/h so total 20A usage. My 1100W airfryer use about 95A but only for about 15 minutes totalling to about 24A usage. So similar energy usage but reducing cooktime from 2 hours to 15 minutes. Still I carry both.. I use the TravelBuddy when I cook while I drive, but use the airfryer when I want to do a "ovenmeal" while stationary at camp. Will be good hear your thoughts on this too 🙂
Important to have more than 1 fuel for cooking, in case something fails. In the past I carried a Shellite Coleman stove in case I couldn't cook on a campfire. These days I have gas in the Tvan or Caravan and shellite stove in the Troopy and cook on the campfire where I am able. Perhaps in the future I'll go Shellite stove and induction cooker as i have the Lithium power already.
And roof solar is great. I have 2 panels on the Troopy and 2 panels on the caravan and they are nobrainers - they don't get stolen, don't have to be setup and moved so require absolutely zero work.
Just one thing to point out. Victron Multiplus II 12/3000 its not a 3kw inverter. Its a 3000VA which is a max.2400W @ 25 deg.celsius (min.1700W @ 65 deg.celsius)
For 6 months of the year while touring I used my Colman Dual Fuel and the Stanford Propane wand adapter.
With this setup I can use 4 different fuels on one stove…Colman Fuel, unleaded petrol, LPG, Butane or any other form of gas canister (with a few adapters that I’ve collected over the years)
For me cooking is part of my adventure and I eat like a king wherever I go… I have a 165ah GEL battery, a 120ah solar blanket and no DC DC… I simply don’t need the complexity in my vehicle for traveling in regions where I most certainly will not find replacements/spare parts.
I also cook on coals/wood because I simply love cooking outdoors and don’t do the glamping that’s associated with induction.
Makes sense. We keep getting burn bans here in the US so induction will definitely have wide spread adoption. I do wish there was a lower wattage solution.
1800w dual ring? That's 900w per ring.
Thank you for the comments on the 240v side, I’m a marine electrician in aus and so often I hear the comment it’s only 3 wires how hard is it, or I’m not paying you to do it😮, it is only 3 wires but so many people turn there cars/boats into total death traps
Thank you for great content - we always enjoy your videos. Please can you tell me which video editing software you use? Thanks!
Blackmagic Da Vinci Pro.
www.beafilmmaker.com/
@@4xoverland Thank you!
Pasta only need 80° Celsius to be cooked and with a pressure cooker you can save time and energy
Do you use lithium batteries with built in heaters for those times it’s cold?
Lovely
I bought an F-150 PowerBoost with a 7.2kW onboard generator. Two 20A and one 30A plug in the bed of the truck. Electricity is not an issue for me:)
Your house set up looks great and is the future, would you consider doing a video on the solar set up you have done? 🌞
Depends on your setup and if you want functional or cheap, i have a trailer with 3 fixed 160w solar panels, my DCDC 40amp charger, has solar priority, so in transit i run the solar pannels through a dedicated MPPT to get dual charge from both solar and the smart alternator.
When I stopped, i plug those fixded pannels back through the 40amp DCDC charger and use the dedicated MPPT wth up to 3 250w booster pannels and a 200w solar blanket.
You can also use the car like a generator by running the engine, to do the same dual charging stationary.
I haven't had a day that i couldn't charge.
I also use gas gor BBQ style cooking, but as a preference.
Jet Boil ($150) boils water in 100 seconds…small, compact (used for hiking/hunting/cyclotouring)…bomb proof…but you can’t weld your truck…less is more.
I think in your situation, where you have other needs for the serious power setup you can justify going a bit extra and use an induction cooktop. But you also have cameras to charge, you edit on the road, that power is doing other things. If it were just to power your cooktop and your nespresso machine, then it’s a bit over the top. I can make a good cup of coffee (I’m a latte drinking city slicking yuppie with a full espresso machine at home) with a Mokka pot on a stove and a coffee plunger to froth milk. I love my silly little $30 gas cooker, it works so well that I can’t see any reason to replace it with something better - unless I could justify a mini Weber bbq or something. BUT time is no concern when I’m camping, I don’t have to film, I have zero electricity needs (I’m in New Zealand so a fridge just isn’t necessary) so I’d never put in anything more than a secondary battery in the engine bay, which right now is still over kill. But where you have the need for an elaborate set up then yeah why not? It’s just not for everyone. Just because something is right for someone doesn’t make it right for someone else
Hi mate, interesting video.
We are cooking at home on induction for over 10 years now and love it. Not going back to gas.
Are you able to tell me how much amps you are using if you would use the inducing for everything? For coffee, tea and dinner?
Easy, look at the Wattage of the cooktop or coffee machine and divide it by 12, eg 2400W cooktop / 12V = 200A, 1600W coffee machine / 12V = 133A, batteries have a Watt hour rating, eg a 2000 Watt hour capacity battery will supply 2000W for one hour before is depleted, so running a 2400W cooktop you will have 50 minutes of cooking time running the cooktop at max power, which you never do with induction as you would just burn everything.
Good video. I tend to think we're going down the route of having to require too much and give up too much to do induction. It's far from a lightweight solution amongst the other many cons and requirements. I understand that wind is a problem for gas cooking and that's a solid argument but utilising a wind break can help that. Overall is it worth the cost and time to set up in the long run? Honestly I tend to think it's really just a better setup for Camper Trailers and Caravans. The weight you're adding to the vehicle and all of the extra work, is it really worth it? At that point you're getting to the stage of asking the question, do I just bring a generator? I think your concept of the 'Live-In' vehicle is where I'd say Lithium is something you should consider. If you 'Live-Out' of your vehicle which is everyone that doesn't have a roof conversion, probably gas is a more reasonable decision.
ALSO Anaconda is Finally selling the Jetboil Basecamp and Genesis in Aus. So if you want a quality low weight, gas cooker you can finally give up the bargain bin gas stove everyone in this country has been forced into purchasing due to lack of alternatives.
I still use our Coleman Duel Fuel Burner and still love it. Perfect for our conditions at higher elevation and cold temperatures.
Having redundancy when out in isolation is a good idea for many things (food, water, power, vehicle functionality, safety systems, etc). My preference is electric/induction and having a backup of a small jet burner and both of those take a backseat if there is a fire on. Having solar at home I use induction as well, prefer how it performs (quicker heat up and more repeatable heat control) and reduces the unnecessary use of fossil fuels.
The safiery double induction is a great cooker and hardly any bigger (less practical) than a single.
Had 2 induction cookers last only 2 years. I'm not sure if it is only the brand that I bought. Gas cookers last a very long time.
Cheap induction cookers seem to be a lot less reliable than cheap gas cookers. If you dont have the money for a good induction cooker but still want to use electric the cheap regular electric hotplates that are around $50 seem to be reliable enough for me, I have one that is 5 years old and all rusty on top but it still gets hot.
Another factor is in some areas of Australia cooking with gas is banned during fire bans in the hotter months. Induction can circumvent this, but at a cost
Is this actually true?
Interesting.
What about the Partners two burner propane stove you had in an earlier Troopy? I use an old Coleman 413 and am happy.
I still have it.
you have a 3KVA inverter which does not output 3 KW, you have to factor in the Pf to get wattage, probably closer to 2.7 KW
na realistically that would be 2.25-2.5 operationally, 2.7-3KVA likely be in reference to start kick load...
We have a petrol Coleman double burner. Very convenient and cheap to use
I can also charge my batteries using a small Honda generator as I am a lot more prone to stay several nights in the one place than I suspect you are. In fact typical for me is to go somewhere, stay in the once place for a few days then go back home. I do my cooking with an electric hotplate with a camping gas stove as a backup that I basically never use. Only issue for me with that solution is my generator runs on petrol and my vehicle diesel which is somewhat annoying but there is no such thing as far as I know as a compact quiet affordable diesel generator.
For folks who have sufficient power off-grid induction cooking works great. Most campers won't have systems that can sustain that kind of current, though.
I would suggest always a 3kW Inverter with an Induction Cooktop as most of them consume around 2200W. So a 2kW Inverter just won’t cut it. Also even if they consume 1800W there’s no way you can run 2 at the same time even off a 3kW Inverter unless they are each only drawing power while the other isn’t (or only simultaneously for less than about 5sec which is typically the max time a 3kW Inverter can supply up to 6kW).
Also your comments about boiling with gas (jet boil etc) - All forms of boiling water EXCEPT Induction waste loads of heat energy. Because an induction unit actually causes the vessel itself to heat (there is no heat transfer, only energy transfer) almost the entire amount of energy consumed goes into the water with a little radiating away from the vessel. With gas or ceramic or any other form of cooking the cooker makes heat and transfers it to the vessel causing loads of waste heat escaping to the environment. Induction boiling of water is faster than any other method by far with negligible waste heat and will always be faster than any gas method. Induction heats approx a twice as fast as gas.
I have a 3kW Inverter, a 300Ah Lithium battery and cables rated to 500A between the two.
Battery, Inverter, Induction Cooker , 40A DC-DC charger and Cabling all for under $2000.
The key with lithium is to know the max continuous discharge current . My 300Ah battery has a max continuous rate of 200A so even though I have a 3kW Inverter, I can’t run it at max. If I had 2x 175Ah batteries with max continuous discharge at 150A each in parallel, that would provide 350Ah capacity and 300A continuous discharge capacity.
My setup allows max 2560W max continuous discharge at 12.8V meaning I can easily and safely use any appliance up to 2400W.
I chose 1 larger battery rather than 2 smaller ones (which I would have preferred) due to space limitations in my vehicle and also cost.
2 smaller batteries could have provided more capacity and power as well as redundancy (reduced capacity) should one fail.
I also always carry a gas stove and propane canisters as a backup and secondary option.
Excellent episode. Totally agree with everything you said. We, my wife and I use induction as I like my cappuccino in the mornings, Pod machines are king. I did go a different route with my 200 as like yourself I have half a clue. What I did do was a lot of research and went with all Renogy gear, charger, battery and 3kw inverter. All very neat in front and beside my fridge on a Clearview drop slide. This made it very affordable as Renogy equipment is 1/3 of the price of the big brand names. Very heavy and solid components and have so far not let me down. If I was on a tighter budget the old Primus cooker with the pressure pack gas canisters would have sufficed, but then I would not have been able to start the day properly with a cappuccino. Anyway, my wife loves your new Mohawk hairstyle. Happy camping.
Induction vs Burners. Burners will always be better and more efficient outside, but when cooking indoors is needed, then cook tops.
Dear Andrew, have you considered DC induction cookers? It's considerably more efficient than AC because you plug it directly to the batteries and don't lose energy converting from DC to AC with the inverter, wiring is simpler, etc.
Where can i find these kind of cookers?
great Video (and XploringOz's as well)... I came to the same conclusion before building in more lithium into my system to support induction. Right now 200ah is enough to support what I do almost indefinitely but I cook with Gas and my hot water when I need it is gas well (Karibe system).. In the US I see no reason to go induction other than the wind or showing off.gas is cheap and easy
Agree it is the future, however the cost just doesn't do it for me. We have a small 220v kettle we can run off the solar, AGM batteries and inverter if I want. For the now I will use gas or braai/potjie to cook. For the future... Who knows let's see if the price drops...
Thanks for the video.
Your conclusion summed it up well.
Best haircut you ever had 👌👍
Are the 3 kw victron inverters rated at a continuous 3kw and short time boost to 4kw?
Hunt out the technical specifications. I have the 24V version and the manual's data does mention peak power of 5,500 W, but doesn't give a time allowance. Continuous output is reduced at high ambient temperatures, with 3,000VA at 25 degrees C, but apparently only 2,400W. 40 deg C ambient gives 2,200 W and 65 deg is 1,700W. So a hot vehicle interior would impact rating seriously and you should not attempt to power a 3kW kettle. You can however synchronise multiple power supplies, so you could connect a small generator or second cheap inverter for short duration heavy loads and there is a dedicated automatically switchable output you could allocate to high power mode. I fully agree with the point on earth leakage as there could be limited ability for assured overcurrent fault clearance in a circuit breaker. Thinking now, I should also consider arc fault detection protection to avoid fire risk in case of AC side wiring damage and a short circuit fault.
4XO. Thomas Eddison in year 1892 was correct, we're going backward ! Was there mentioned the speed of cooking and the specific cutlery one needs to use on induction cookers when overlanding in the outback ? V.
I agree with everything you've said, however there is one downside everything is connected to the car. If anything happens to the vehicle you lose the cooking, your bed,
I prefer to keep things separate
Hey mate just wondering what the power consumption is for a simmer? Say if you are cooking something for a few hours ?
It will depends on what your simmering and the hotplate you are using but mine will drop down to around about 150w on low, but I doubt that would keep a medium sized pot simmering.
Why not install a diesel cooking stove? Seems like a viable option to me?
Hybrid seems the best of both worlds to me. Also each other can be a back up if the other fails.
Hi Andrew this video has kind of come at a good time as I have just got Heiner to send me a quote for a similar set up to you … this also has the hot water heater in it as well as the Egon water hub , yes you do need a lot of power and reserve if you are thinking of being away from civilisation for say weeks on end . Now hang onto your hats people and this is not installed just the bits and pieces over $13000.00 and this hasn’t got the AC side like points , wire and of cause the sparkies bill for installation & sign off.
Now remember that these EGON products are specially designed equipment that you can not buy in a burnings , there not mass produced like that , they are made up of very good components and parts that have been tried and tested by Heiner & Andrew as we have seen.
Now iv worked in a dealerships for 8yrs fitting accessories to customers vehicles from Redarc equipment to all different types of things bullbats, tray conversation ,Anderson’s for power and stability control systems and it takes manny hours of work making up all the wiring ,crimping ,soldering ,heat shrinking, to make it look like a brand new vehicle again and not some doggy autoelec’s work as some jobs where subbed out .
No I am not an autoelec just a Technician of 36yrs that like things to be done well and last for a good long time with out a problem, so yes that comes at a cost it is not for the average joe blow weekend camper this is really for someone who nilly wants to live in the overland vehicle ( Troopy of course) for longer periods of time . Yes gas would be way cheaper and I will have my jet boil that iv used for years on my motorcycle adventures but I am trying to build this vehicle to be self efficient and induction sounds like a good clean way to do it .
As this is from a ground up build yes Lithium is way dearer but installed correctly will not just out last a AGM set up but way out perform it , iv had this old Troopy for manny years doing bits and pieces as I go so knowing the ins and outs of it, the body is the same as a brand new one … could not cut the roof of a new one and can save that money to put into the build of the old 75 series 1HZ. Go for ever … if you have read this far yes there will be typos I’m a mechanic not a English teacher and it is some crazy early hour of the morning .. peace ✌️ .
This is a nice composition ... There are two other questions/points I am interested to get your take. One you touched on but changed topic and didn't come back. What if you have 200Ah (I have the same inverter) and how the energy lasts. 2. I have a 400 ah shack I am using hot plate to cook on and curious how much better battery life than induction. Gas and wood are some of my other options but situations etc. come into play. In winter we have lots of rain so I do use shore power to recharge the shack... still using hot plate so have to charge much... so if induction will be more efficient use .. It could make the battery charge last longer... ... questions... not making the statement.
Hi Andrew you've come a long way with this lithium technology but one thing you forgot to mention is if you go camping in the winter and it's below zero is Tasmania lithium batteries can be catastrophic damaged so in winter you may have to have a plan b
A portable wind generator will run all day and night there.
I'm surprised this channel doesn't have a million subs, when you compare it to the garbage out there. I run both in my troopy through my 3000w inverter and 270AH lithium set up, and twin gas burners, upgraded my alternator to suit, along with all the other mods that doubled the purchase price of the truck and then some. Don't have the flip top though as I need 5 seats, so tent/swag for short trips, camper for intermediate, and van for touring.
I often wonder that too. But I think its because I don't promote brand names. And brand names get the most views.
I think elephants are smarter than deer.
Andrew I am VERY surprised you have not installed a desalinator/RO watermaker???!!!. Have you ever considered it - like the RAINMAN unit???? . For my new build I am definitely going to install one - that means I can stay at any spot that has either salt or fresh/brackish water for a long time..... IMHO worth the cost.
just a bit of pedantry .... most inverters are sold on "Watts out" however Victron use KVA - which is how much power its pulling from the battery, so your 3000kva inverter (or my 2000kva one) are not 3000w/2000w. My 200KVA tops out about 1700w, my 3000w giandel tops out about 3400w but is a much lower quality bit of kit, however will run 2 high powered items together. Full time living on solar here.
Try sous vide cooking. I cooked this way. Inverter can be tiny 500w, cook while you are driving. With this type of cooking you can leave your food for hours in the water. When you stop driving, take a flamethrower and make the tasty crust. This way you need no big inverter. Everything is makeable, you have to adapt your livestyle.
Bait and switch. You advertised Gwen and I got an Andrew delivery.
Oh, the horror.
@@4xoverland 😀
Thanks for the info, just a bit longer video than was needed to convey what you did. 😬
Something I have always wondered, does the steam/smoke/smell etc. of cooking so close to the vehicle (on the tailgate or dropdown table) with the gull-wings or boot open not bother you inside the vehicle? The steam making things wet, smell or even if the oil/water when boiling makes a mess in the vehicle - especially when you are sleeping in the vehicle. Or am I overthinking this? When we overland we tend to take things that can make the inside of the car not so nice to sleep/drive in for many days on end a bit further away from the vehicle for that reason, so I want to know whether it is necessary.
I agree with all those pros and cons but I don't like cooking with induction at anytime and especially when camping. I like cooking with woks and Induction cooking does not work very well with woks. It's hopeless. Woks are round and need a flame to wrap up the sides of the wok. Induction only puts a hot spot at the bottom of the round wok. It doesn't work correctly. Thanks for another fabulous video.