Cooking and traveling

[mel s]

Originally Posted by denlock

We do this all the time if we are going to be driving all day. We also put it in the sink with towels wrapped around it. I don't have a all electric coach, so we run the generator, which is good for the generator to exercise it.

denlock
You don't need an all electric coach, nor do you need to run the generator, to run a crock pot while driving.
However you do need an inverter with a watt output equal to, or greater than, the watts that the crock pot draws.
Mel
'96 Safari

[wa8yxm]

I have 3 slow cookers, One is a "lunchbox" design (Burton) designed to be plugged either into 120VAC or 12VDC and used while driving.. I have indeed cooked dinner in it many times while driving.. I did add a heavy duty (20 amp rated) 12 volt accessory outlet with 10ga wire feeding it (had a reel of the stuff) however.. Or I can run it off the inverter..... If I ever find the 120 volt cord.

[unw1red]

Here is one with a latched lid.

Crock-Pot SCCPVL600S Cook' N Carry 6-Quart Oval Manual Portable Slow Cooker, Stainless Steel

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003HF6PUO..._ZwVywb17DN215

[denlock]

Originally Posted by mel s

denlock
You don't need an all electric coach, nor do you need to run the generator, to run a crock pot while driving.
However you do need an inverter with a watt output equal to, or greater than, the watts that the crock pot draws.
Mel
'96 Safari

I do have a big enough inverter, but would rather exercise the genny. Plus the roof air is probably on anyhow.

[mel s]

Originally Posted by denlock

I do have a big enough inverter, but would rather exercise the genny. Plus the roof air is probably on anyhow.

denlock

It's your coach.... use it however you want.
Mel
'96 Safari

[Sweetbriar]

Crock Pots have very low energy demands. My 4 quart pot only needs 155 watts (less than 2 amps) which even a low cost invertor can handle easily.

Anything you can cook in an oven can go in a crock pot. Well almost anything. I would skip bacon. We've done pot roasts, chicken, ribs, pork chops, pork loins and such besides the standard homestead favorites. Doesn't have to be a stew, soup or a heavy liquid based recipe. The pot will get the meat internal temps up high enough over time to fully cook the meat, kill any bad critters if present and can even over cook to the point of drying the meat out. In other words jerky. Only down side is a crock pot won't brown or crisp a food item so a bit of preplanning might be needed. Slow cooking a low cost cut of meat will help tenderize it also. You won't turn chuck roast into a rib roast but you can get close.

I also use a crock pot as a warming pan for pot luck camp ground meals I didn't cook in it. Pre-warmed it will keep the food warm for a good while even without power. For our summer two week trips I put together gallon zip lock freezer meals before hand that are designed for an all day crock pot cooking. 100's of ideas on the web. One example 20 Meals in 2 Hours - Slow Cooker Freezer Meals! - Who Needs A Cape?. I'll lay the bags flat in the home deep freeze so they take up a little space in the coach freezer as possible. Thaw out over night, dump into the pot for 10 hours on low and we're having dinner with no fuss. If you a really lazy there are liners for the crock so there's nothing to clean if you go as far as using paper and plastic to eat off of.

[unw1red]

You can even cook thinks like pasta, lasagna and rice dishes. +1 on the roast and veggies. The best way to cook it.

Another RVing hint. No cleanup after your crock pot meal is done. Very important in an RV.

Reynolds Metals 00504 Slow Cooker Liners 13"X21" - 2 Pack

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HVG7SYW..._i7VywbVMA80Y3

[PDR John]

Our inverter never gets shut off. Only time I mess with a clock is after a time change.

We have cooked in the crock pot without a care in the world. We do put it in the sink.

With 8 batteries and a 2800 watt inverter, I don't even think about what I can or can't use. We even, accidentally, ran our electric blanket overnight before. Had very little effect on things.

[Sweetbriar]

Originally Posted by PDR John

,,, We even, accidentally, ran our electric blanket overnight before. Had very little effect on things.

An electric blanket is a another excellant example of a low wattage heating device that is very effective for it's power demand, just like a crock pot. My queen size blanket only uses 135 watts per side and most of the time my side is off due to the volcano a sleep beside me. A huge amount of battery capacity savings over running a 12 VDC propane furnace and a lot quieter.

[unw1red]

135 watts on high. Most people use a medium setting. That is about 50 watts per side or 4 amps per eight hours. Crock pots running on high for eight hours consume about 24 amps.

In both cases, the power usage is VERY low compared to a heat pump or microwave/convection oven.

[Bumps]

We put our crock pot in the sink, with towels wrapped around it. By the time we stop, I am STARVING -- from smelling all that goodness while driving.

X3 on being starved at the end of the day. We will typically use the crock pot on the days with lots of miles. \ken

[PDR John]

Originally Posted by Sweetbriar

An electric blanket is a another excellant example of a low wattage heating device that is very effective for it's power demand, just like a crock pot. My queen size blanket only uses 135 watts per side and most of the time my side is off due to the volcano a sleep beside me. A huge amount of battery capacity savings over running a 12 VDC propane furnace and a lot quieter.

Originally Posted by unw1red

135 watts on high. Most people use a medium setting. That is about 50 watts per side or 4 amps per eight hours. Crock pots running on high for eight hours consume about 24 amps.

In both cases, the power usage is VERY low compared to a heat pump or microwave/convection oven.

I didn't have actual numbers, but thanks for posting them.

Mine was on low, I didn't even notice a change in voltage (per usual drop).

[unw1red]

Originally Posted by PDR John

I didn't have actual numbers, but thanks for posting them.



Mine was on low, I didn't even notice a change in voltage (per usual drop).

Always remember V * A = W

Watts divided by Volts = Amps

135 / 110 = 1.25 Amps per hour

A typical RV house battery (6V deep cycle) is rated at ~225Ah

An electric blanket could run for days without cranking the genny.

[Cooperhawk]

Crock-Pot® 6-Quart Cook & Carry Slow Cooker - BedBathandBeyond.com