Induction Cooking info and experience.

[K_V_B]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

I disagree, certainly for any boat with less than 48v DC system.

Two reasons:

1. It is worth the small conversion loss for the greater efficiency -- and safety -- of transmitting a couple kW (or more) some distance at 230v. Even at 24v DC you are dealing with up to 100 amps or even more, you don't even want to think about it at 12v.

What I had in mind was using local storage near the hob (or integrated in the hob). Induction hobs with integrated batteries do exist, and they exist specifically to solve the problem that they need more power than may be available, but only for a short time.

In fact I stumbled upon this:

https://www.newrcompany.com/

Looks like a start for what could be a great solution for on board a boat.

[mako]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Other thought, what happens if it goes poof* With a 12 or 24v induction hob you can nip into town on a Sunday morning and probably buy a replacement. Your crew are not going to be pleased when you say you have ordered a 48v version via Ali X and it should arrive in country next month. We carry a spare inverter, a spare double hob and single hob even on a 12v boat.

This thread discussing 24/48 induction cooktops is the first I've heard of it. But to your statement above "With a 12 or 24v induction hob you can nip into town..." I think you meant to say 120v or 240v, correct? These simple table top units cost like $69. You can buy them on Amazon, Carrefour, etc. At that price you don't need spare parts, just buy 3.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by mako

This thread discussing 24/48 induction cooktops is the first I've heard of it. But to your statement above "With a 12 or 24v induction hob you can nip into town..." I think you meant to say 120v or 240v, correct? These simple table top units cost like $69. You can buy them on Amazon, Carrefour, etc. At that price you don't need spare parts, just buy 3.

Good spot, you are correct.

[wholybee]

Originally Posted by K_V_B

What I had in mind was using local storage near the hob (or integrated in the hob). Induction hobs with integrated batteries do exist, and they exist specifically to solve the problem that they need more power than may be available, but only for a short time.

In fact I stumbled upon this:

https://www.newrcompany.com/

Looks like a start for what could be a great solution for on board a boat.

$1500 is a hell of a lot of $$$ for a single portable hob. But wouldn't it be nice to be cooking for guests on the cockpit table? Not $1500 nice, but nice.

I have a $99 nuwave. It cooks better than either gas or conventional electric cooktops. It works fine off my 1500W inverter (I usually leave it on the 900W setting, which boils water as fast as propane) which maxes out at 75A DC, but quickly drops down to about half that as it comes to temperature.

It has replaced the built-in cooktop at home except when I need more than one hob., as it works so much better. I still have the propane stove on the boat and do the same. 90% of the time it is just the induction hob. If I need 2 hobs, then the second is from propane.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by wholybee

$1500 is a hell of a lot of $$$ for a single portable hob. But wouldn't it be nice to be cooking for guests on the cockpit table? Not $1500 nice, but nice.

My thoughts too. We need an annual de-clutter because it is surprising how fast stuff appears on board that actually just isn't needed.

[CaptainRivet]

Originally Posted by Pete7

My thoughts too. We need an annual de-clutter because it is surprising how fast stuff appears on board that actually just isn't needed.

Thats true...and the more space you have the more clutter is on board....
But easy 230V household stuff sorts a lot as i don't need to carry spare for that, you can get it nearly everywhere.

[K_V_B]

Originally Posted by wholybee

$1500 is a hell of a lot of $$$ for a single portable hob. But wouldn't it be nice to be cooking for guests on the cockpit table? Not $1500 nice, but nice.

1KWh of batteries, and an inverter will easily set you back 2000,- as well. The idea is that you would have a drop in that you can just hook up to the existing 12/24V supply, without needing anything else.

Moving the battery in to the consumer does that. And there is also a company doing something similar with winches.

[CaptainRivet]

Originally Posted by K_V_B

1KWh of batteries, and an inverter will easily set you back 2000,- as well. The idea is that you would have a drop in that you can just hook up to the existing 12/24V supply, without needing anything else.

Moving the battery in to the consumer does that. And there is also a company doing something similar with winches.

Not really...
A 100AH lifepo4 (which is 1.2kw) can be bought for 250Euro, a 1500W HF inverter good quality for another 250Euro (you can get cheaper). And that can be used for all purposes, not just for cooking

[earling]

this is actually interesting

[NorthCoastJoe]

After reading all of this, wow. How about using KISS principal. I just got a Nuwave and tested it out with a pressure cooker full of stew at home. Worked well for the stew.

If I go with two 12 volt 400 Ah Li-time batteries and have 1000 watts of solar, plus a 120 Amp alternator and a Honda EU220i, I think I am good. The boat is never on shore power.

I have a 500 watt 120 volt sine wave inverter and a Studer 200 watt sine wave 230 volt for everything else I might use.

So the question for me is what inverter for US voltage would be best without costing a crazy amount. It's primary use would be the cooktop and a kettle.
Or would I be better off with a 230 volt inverter and a 230 volt hub and kettle?

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by NorthCoastJoe

After reading all of this, wow. How about using KISS principal. I just got a Nuwave and tested it out with a pressure cooker full of stew at home. Worked well for the stew.

If I go with two 12 volt 400 Ah Li-time batteries and have 1000 watts of solar, plus a 120 Amp alternator and a Honda EU220i, I think I am good. The boat is never on shore power.

I have a 500 watt 120 volt sine wave inverter and a Studer 200 watt sine wave 230 volt for everything else I might use.

So the question for me is what inverter for US voltage would be best without costing a crazy amount. It's primary use would be the cooktop and a kettle.
Or would I be better off with a 230 volt inverter and a 230 volt hub and kettle?

The weakness of you system is the inverter and maybe your DC voltage.

A 120v AC induction hob is going to draw 1800W max. That means you want to have a 2000-3000W inverter. You may think that you can turn down the power on the hob to only use 500W but a lot of jobs don’t throttle the power they cycle full power in and off several times a second. Even though it’s only running full power (1800W) for a traction of a second, that’s still more than 3x capacity of your existing inverter. And have a pure sine wave inverter like you have is the correct way to go, most induction burners don’t like square or modified wave power.

If the burner is the only high draw item in the boat then 12v DC is fine but keep the inverter very close to the batteries. 1700W @ 12v means you are drawing 150amps. You should use 1gage wire to carry that for round trip distances up to (15’) or 7.5’ each way.

If you already own the batteries you are committed to a 12v or 24v system. You can much more easily find large inverters that run off 24v 36c, or 48v.

[Pete7]

Two x 12v 400AH LFP is a huge amount of power. Do you really need all that? How about fit one and see how it goes.

Attached was our experience of spending 18 days on board and full electric cooking supplied by 220Ah of LFP in the UK. The only thing we can't do at the moment is heat water from the LFP which I am working on if we are stationary for a few days.

We run the electric cooking supply at 12v and Adelie makes a good point about going 24v. We also carry a spare 1600w inverter in addition to the 2kW main inverter, just in case. Inverters are Sterling as is most of the electonics on board. Whilst it doesn't have the "cleverness" of Victron, it isn't as fussy either and just works. There is a problem running some high end washing machines off Victron inverters for example.

How about a dedicated 230v inverter supply from the LFP for the galley, that way you can use a kettle etc.

Pete

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by NorthCoastJoe

After reading all of this, wow. How about using KISS principal. I just got a Nuwave and tested it out with a pressure cooker full of stew at home. Worked well for the stew.

If I go with two 12 volt 400 Ah Li-time batteries and have 1000 watts of solar, plus a 120 Amp alternator and a Honda EU220i, I think I am good. The boat is never on shore power.

I have a 500 watt 120 volt sine wave inverter and a Studer 200 watt sine wave 230 volt for everything else I might use.

So the question for me is what inverter for US voltage would be best without costing a crazy amount. It's primary use would be the cooktop and a kettle.
Or would I be better off with a 230 volt inverter and a 230 volt hub and kettle?

Buy a “kill-a-watt” meter and measure how much energy you need for cooking dinner with it. Then compare with your battery capacity. A 12V 400Ah lithium battery has a nominal voltage of 4x3.2= 12.8V x 400Ah = more than 5kWh. The Kill-a-Watt will show a number in kWh so then you know exactly.

[CaptainRivet]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Buy a “kill-a-watt” meter and measure how much energy you need for cooking dinner with it. Then compare with your battery capacity. A 12V 400Ah lithium battery has a nominal voltage of 4x3.2= 12.8V x 400Ah = more than 5kWh. The Kill-a-Watt will show a number in kWh so then you know exactly.

800AH is plenty for all onboard.
And the dinner will be always different. I need for nearly nothing means 10min boiling water or 5AH for eg pasta genovese till 300AH when I make a 2.5kg london broil beef with oven vegetables and polenta because the oven is running on 200 degress celcius or 140A straight for 2h plus around 20Ah for the polenta.
He ask for inverter.

[CaptainRivet]

Originally Posted by NorthCoastJoe

After reading all of this, wow. How about using KISS principal. I just got a Nuwave and tested it out with a pressure cooker full of stew at home. Worked well for the stew.

If I go with two 12 volt 400 Ah Li-time batteries and have 1000 watts of solar, plus a 120 Amp alternator and a Honda EU220i, I think I am good. The boat is never on shore power.

I have a 500 watt 120 volt sine wave inverter and a Studer 200 watt sine wave 230 volt for everything else I might use.

So the question for me is what inverter for US voltage would be best without costing a crazy amount. It's primary use would be the cooktop and a kettle.
Or would I be better off with a 230 volt inverter and a 230 volt hub and kettle?

If 120 or 230V depends where you sail most.
230V has the advantage of less current compared to 120V means the AC cables must be half the diameter of 120V ones.
A single induction burner hob needs 1800W, there are double burner for 1800 but they are quite small, most are 2500 till 3500W

I would get right away a 3000W inverter, gives you some headroom to run all household appliances and also the inverter lives much longer as always close to max and the price difference of a 2000 to a 3000W is small.
As good budget inverter in can recommend the 3000W Giandel.