Diesel or Induction or propane cook top

aernan

Observer
For me the whole idea is to make a kitchen, bed, bathroom on wheels where I can go to the fridge and get a cold beer. I can get propane easy enough and I assume it would take me quite a while to burn a bottle. So if the induction cooktop is a total power hog I could design in a gas burner instead. That's why I'm asking about the down sides.
 

aernan

Observer
I have heard that if your appliances use a standard hose that you can usually adapt it to the domestic regulator and tank in many countries with a hand full of thread adapters. During the early years most likely I'll be touring North America.
 

Trestle

Active member
I have used origio alcohol stoves (1 build), propane stoves (2 builds), induction cook tops (1 build), but not diesel cook tops.

I am currently planning out my next build, and my decision will be between propane and induction. The wife wants the use of an oven (not microwave), so that is the only reason I am considering propane at all. Do I size up the solar/batteries so as to run her Breville high speed glorified toaster oven, or do I back off the solar/batteries and add propane in. If I introduce propane, may as well use it for the water heater too.

Without her "need" for an oven, I would go with induction all the way. My current setup is using 320 watts of solar, into 4x 6V golf cart batteries, a 2000w pure sine wave inverter, and a 1500w induction cook top. I keep a portable propane bottled camp stove as a backup, and have only used it when we cook fish outside so as to keep the smell from permeating the cabin. The solar setup is not supported by the alternator, but does have the capability to charge from shore power. I have yet to need shore power, but we have also yet to do any extensive winter camping. That solar/battery setup is plenty good enough to run the following, and has yet to drop below 78% charge:
-running a Maxxfan all night (for white noise to sleep), and during the day if warm out
-running a Breville espresso machine for two espresso drinks to include steaming milk every single morning
-running a Webasto diesel fired air heater when cold
-running 2x 12v fridge/freezers, 1 Waeco 65 liter chest style and 1 Vitrifrigio 42 liter door style
-running 2x computers with an extra 12v monitor all day, a 4G cell signal booster, 3x cell phones
-charging a bluetooth speaker
-running video players at night
-cooking with the induction cook top 2x per day for 2x people (not just boiling water)
-running a blender 1x per day for morning smoothies
-regular water pump/filtration use
-various LED lights throughout

Not yet utilized as the build is incomplete:
-Diesel fired hot water heater for showers

That is a lot of use for such a small solar system, yet it does very well. You have a LOT more space to put a ton more solar. You also have a lot more GVWR to carry a ton more battery capacity. I do my taxes in AZ, and I get $0.30 on the $1.00 federal, and $0.25 state back in the form of a tax credit each time I spec a solar system in a build so long as I use it for 2 weeks per year. So $0.55 tax credit for the complete solar system.

My previous build had 520 watts of solar, the same battery setup, and a 3000w inverter. We lived out of it for 1.5 years. In the winter, we did supplement it with the use of a small 1800w generator when sun was not around. We also power desk top computers. Worse case we fired up the generator for 20 minutes every 4 to 5 hours when it rained on us for weeks on end. Heat and cooking were with Propane as it was a pull behind trailer that already had that infrastructure.

The gov is basically subsidizing a solar setup, so my suggestion is to build the best system you can, and use induction to get the job done. Quick, quiet, efficient, do not need to vent to cook, do not need to carry propane/CO2 monitors/etc. which is a safety risk as compared to electric, and can be supplemented with a generator (backup) or your alternator.

FWIW.
 

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