Using an Electric Tea Kettle to Save Propane ?

[jongleur]

We have a couple of these. They
seem super efficient, quick and
nothing on the outside gets too
hot too much. I'm assuming not
much efficiency losses with this.
https://www.boxed.com/product/1452/h...FdgagQodwaoKxQ

[Tayana42]

So, can I just throw a handful of AAA batteries in my coffee cup and wait for it to boil?😉😉


S/V B'Shert

[a64pilot]

Using your battery bank to heat water is nuts, there is a tremendous amount of energy required to heat water, energy that I think you can't afford from your bank.
Now size your bank and charging systems big enough to heat water OK, but it's going to cost lots more than the propane to heat water would.

This is really a lot like the electric propulsion system for a boat argument, possible? yes, Inexpensive or easy? No

[Cherise]

How about a portable alcohol heater/stove?
Denatured alcohol is fairly cheap, not as cost effective as propane of course but it's also a useful cleaning tool. I have enjoyed it as both a heater and as a single burner. If you're in hot weather, bring it into the cockpit and make your coffee out there, then your breakfast!
Also, as a heater you can increase the heat by adding a skillet on the burner, acts like a radiator. It was 50f the other night outside, it got the cabin to 71f all by itself. $40 at a consignment shop too.
Looking forward to using it at anchor on the fordeck this month- cushions, blanket, boil a little hot chocolate and roast marshmallows under the stars. You can't do all that stuck below!

Sent from my SGH-T999L using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Greggegner]

Motoring use your electric kettle...suggest you use a thermos so you only make tea once or twice a day.


Greg S/V Sweet Dreams
Pearson P385 out of Racine Wisconsin

[sparrowhawk1]

Ocean. The simple answer is yes. But whether it is worth carrying depends on how much excess power your wind gen produces. I have 2 low out put wind gens and about 400w of solar. On cloudy days I have to conserve electricity but can get by. If there are 3 sunny days in a row I will have more than the batteries can take. That's when I use my 1500w PS inverter with 750w induction hotplate. I match my use with how much extra electricity I think I will have, always being conservative. I use a propane tank exchange where the tanks are only filled to 3/4. So a #20 tank would last me between 3 and 4 months. When I started using excess electricity I got well over 6 months . but to be perfectly honest I probably changed my habits (cooking meals that required less time when using electricity and cooking less when its cloudy,waiting for the sun so I can cook for free

[a64pilot]

If your motoring, plugged into shore power, or have a massive Solar bank or something, then OK go for it, otherwise your cycling your battery bank, it only has X number of cycles in it and propane is so cheap it your not saving money, your spending money.
To save money rig up a way to safely use the big grill canisters, one of them would last for months I'm sure.


Sent from my iPad Pro using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[sparrowhawk1]

A mugs worth of boiling water only uses 3-4ah. If I cook for 1/2 hour with my panels at full output I use 20ah. In just a couple hours my bank will be full again.

[sparrowhawk1]

But I think the best way to save propane is to get a pressure cooker and make an insulated "box" for it. I'm cooking chicken and beans as I type. I soaked beans overnight put them in a ss container that fits inside the pressure cooker, added water to pc,water to container to cover beans,spices and chicken. Brought up to pressure put in insulated box and will be ready for dinner

[JanetGroene]

I always carry a pocket-size, cheap coil heater that one puts in a cup to heat water. Makes a pint of boiling water in a pyrex cup in about two minutes. You're talking only about propane versus an electric kettle, but because I'm on shore power occasionally I also carry an 1100-watt electric hot plate for about $12. http://amzn.to/1OV8Nfr It takes up little space and, unlike a single-use electrical appliance, it can turn anything into a thermostat-controlled cooker. Use it with a tea kettle, corn popper, skillet, coffee percolator, saucepan, steamer, Dutch oven, ad inf. Fancier hotplates are available including induction hotplates.

[Ribbit]

I have used a Kelly Kettle for ages when motorbike touring. Half a newspaper will boil my 2.5 pint sized kettle, in about 3 minutes. So will a handful of lollipop sticks, or pretty much any other litter.

Mine is this one and I added the cooking kit:

Camp stove for Outdoor Camping Kettle Aluminum Base Camp Kelly Kettle - KELLY KETTLE® - Camp Kettle boil water in outdoors fast in extreme weather conditions

I intend to get this one (lower and wider) for use on the boat, as well as ashore (on the beach, etc). When ashore I can cook a meal and fill vacuum flasks up with boiling water that will last me all day.

Wholesale Kelly Kettle Cook Stove Aluminum Base Camp Large - KELLY KETTLE® - Camp Kettle boil water in outdoors fast in extreme weather conditions

I can use it on deck/in the cockpit with my Origo 5100, as well as on the stove in the galley, without the firebase, and take advantage of the heating chimney to boil water plenty fast enough with either gas or alcohol fuels.

Any cooking ashore should be free for fuel just by using dead twigs/leaves/etc., with the fire base.

By not overfilling the Scout version it should be easy to get it stable to use under way (keep the weight of water low down).

[Mtngeo]

Portable Immersion Heater - BedBathandBeyond.com

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Mtngeo

Portable Immersion Heater - BedBathandBeyond.com

125W ? That will take about 20 times as long as your average 2-3KW electrical kettle to boil a mug of water.

[CroMacster]

Hot drinks are nice and all, but if the debate is about optimizing energy consumption it seems the obvious solution is cold brew coffee or sun tea. I suppose if one wants a hot beverage the debate continues.

[Dockhead]

The key is sizing the kettle correctly.

Our previous kettle was 2.3kW, which is a fairly average domestic kettle (they go up to 3kW I think). Our inverter would run that ok, but you had to shut off any other significant consumers.

Remember also the Peukert effect means the batteries will be drawn down disproportionately if you do it very fast.

I found a 1200 watt one last year (at the ironmongers, in Cowes), and this is much more convenient, because it does not require other AC power consumers to be shut down.

Obviously it takes a bit longer, but for two cups of tea (the average scenario) it's fine. Two or three minutes I guess.

For those with less inverter or battery capacity, there are usable kettles at 750 watts.


With respect to my friend A64, this is a perfectly reasonable way to use electrical power on board, especially a boat like mine which frequently has Brits and Russians on board (two nations who drink tea like it's going out of style -- about a cup every hour average it seems like). The amount of power used is minimal as the device only runs for a couple of minutes at a time.

It's especially handy at sea in rough conditions when you don't want to mess with the stove.

Running an electric kettle is a primary use for an inverter. When I bought my boat, she did not have an inverter installed, and the surveyor noted this, with the remark, "how are you going to run the kettle at sea?"