diesel vs propane vs electric cooktop/oven

phil4501 · April 24, 2006, 05:32:07 PM

I'm not trying to cause trouble and I am grateful to the board for the prompt, polite and knowledgable answers based on real experience to my previous posts.

So let's here your opinion on a stove/oven for a boondocking coach with no propane at the moment. I could add it. Right now it is all electric and I will be adding a webasto or aquahot for the heating.

Remember...Boondocking

darrenayres · April 24, 2006, 05:44:06 PM

I don't know about 1975 but Liberty is considered a top notch bus converter today. Does your coach currently have a genset? If so, what size. Maybe my lack of experience with boondocking has me at a disadvantage, but I can't imagine why you couldn't have a quiet, efficient genset drawing fuel off your coach's tank.

Ednj · April 24, 2006, 05:58:09 PM

I would love to have this cook top= http://www.earthroamer.com/main_truck/vehicle_5systems.html , It is pricey but for boondocking this is it.

H3Jim · April 24, 2006, 06:04:30 PM

So how much cooking will you be doing in the coach. I have all electric, I boondock more than anything else. I don't cook a lot. Since I am in the middle of the conversion, I don't even have a cook-top yet, but do have a convection oven and microwave. My buddies usually have barbeque's, I have not missed having a cook-top at all. I bought an electric stove-top (although after reading Sean Welsh's recommendation for the induction cook-tops, I am probably going to be looking for one of those now). I have an electric coffeemaker. I am going on a 3 week trip with family at the end of June and they are going to bring an electric steamer, and electric rice cooker etc. The induction are extremely efficient. The only downside is that you must use pans that react to magnetism. Not really a big downside for all that efficiency.

I also have a good sized battery bank (over 600 amp hours at 24 volts), a fairly quiet 13k generator. Ultimately I will be adding solar to the coach too.

I am quite happy with my one fuel setup. But then again if I was a master chef I would probably miss it more.

I grew up using a gas stove, and I swore I'd never have an electric. Since several of my last houses have been all electric, I am now used to them, and am very comfortable using them. So what's your pleasure?

phil4501 · April 24, 2006, 06:07:10 PM

I have 12kw onan aircooled generator

I was looking at that diesel cooktop and force 10 makes a diesel fired stove and oven

My wife wants propane but just so she can have a 1950's one to go with the midcentury theme

The electric seemed silly for boondocking but I havn't tried it yet.

Nick Badame Refrig/ACC · April 24, 2006, 06:12:14 PM

Phil,

There is a link I posted for you in your other subject you posted.

Seaward Princess 2 burner 115v.http://www.boatersworld.com/product/337410716.htm

Nick-

Greg Roberts · April 24, 2006, 08:04:53 PM

I have a combo electric/alcohol cooktop in my Eagle and it is perfect for boondocking.

phil4501 · April 24, 2006, 09:28:22 PM

Induction? alchohol? I'm even rethinking electric. Let's hear more on the alchohol electric and induction stove. How about a link to that other thread on induction.

Thank you Nick for the link

Since I already own electric, and my generator is working now, I will give it a chance. I really don't know how much cooking we will do, or how much of it will be done indoors. I can probably get the generator quieter, but it is an aircooled. That is why I orinally was against electric cooking.

Phil Zisakis

H3Jim · April 24, 2006, 10:52:29 PM

Phil, here is but one brand, witha brief description. If you do a google search, you will come up with many more.

http://www.subzero.com/wolf/description.asp?category=cooktops&id=31

phil4501 · April 24, 2006, 11:06:30 PM

H3jim...Thanks but I was refering to the Sean Welsh's recommendation for the induction you mentioned. Is it on the old board? This type of stove is new to me.
Thanks aqain

Phil Zisakis

H3Jim · April 25, 2006, 06:56:24 AM

That link is an induction cooktop, and it talks some about the advantages - the cooktop stays cool to the touch, only the pan gets hot, so its safer and the is less wasted heat.

At this time I can't remember where I read it, if it was in his Blog, or a comment he made while posting on another topic. He just said that he could be happy haveing only an induction unit in his coach. I just checked his Blog, and there is no capability for search.

phil4501 · April 25, 2006, 07:03:03 AM

H3Jim...Thanks for the effort. I have found quite a bit of info on these.

Thanks again

Phil Zisakis

DJohnson · April 25, 2006, 07:12:53 AM

Our coach is all electric except for RV propane cooktop which we like. For boondocking it is nice to be able to cook something without starting the generator.

Dennis

H3Jim · April 25, 2006, 08:01:12 AM

Phil,
Sean's comment about the cooktop was in the spaceliner user group. My apoligies to Sean, but here is his short post:

We have a Sunpentown and we love it. We also have an LP cooktop, but
I would not hesitate to go all-induction.

For an all-electric coach, it's really the only way to go.

Just remember, you need ferro-magnetic cookware. We gave away all our
high-end aluminum stuff and bought All-Clad, which cost more than the
cooktop.

-Sean

Dennis, My coach is all electric, witha good sized battery bank and I can cook anything I need to in the microwave (draws 1500 wats) without starting the generator. The burners I have not yet installed are also 1500 watt, so I figure to be prety independent from the generator. Of course I do run it 1/2 hour to an hour a day.

Greg Roberts · April 25, 2006, 06:23:11 PM

Here is a link to the unit like I installed in my Eagle: http://www.interconmktg.com/pages_stoves/4300e.htm

Quote from: phil4501 on April 24, 2006, 09:28:22 PM
Induction? alchohol? I'm even rethinking electric. Let's hear more on the alchohol electric and induction stove. How about a link to that other thread on induction.

Thank you Nick for the link

Since I already own electric, and my generator is working now, I will give it a chance. I really don't know how much cooking we will do, or how much of it will be done indoors. I can probably get the generator quieter, but it is an aircooled. That is why I orinally was against electric cooking.

Phil Zisakis