Should I convert to Induction Cooktop and go all electric?

[pete5016]

Originally Posted by Don Juane

Go with induction if:

a) you do not cook and you do boondock
b) you do cook and you do not boondock

If cooking is your thing, then sorry we are not there yet with solar capacity unless you perhaps have a giant bank of expensive lithium batteries and only cook one day a week. Gas is a beautiful, reliable thing for boondockers and while you may go "all electric" and impress your friends while paying enough money to seemingly warrant getting there - sorry the technology will let you down if you are used to doing a lot of cooking and there's not a power pole outside.

Don - thanks. What's the issue with using a generator while cooking & boondocking?

[KennyGolub]

Originally Posted by Cousin Ed

WantAB has the right idea. We use the induction cook-top and it's okay. I like gas better but I also like having no propane and I'm sure you could use the space the tank takes up for something important!!!

X2 on this.....

Bottom line is that induction works. Besides, I do most of our cooking on the Blackstone griddle outside anyway


.

[KanzKran]

Originally Posted by trayl

2: RV induction cooktops are generally 2-burner, 1800amp units. They must be on their own dedicated 15amp circuit. Be sure you have/add this circuit. Also be sure your electrical system can handle this load.

3: Because of (2), the burners must SHARE the 15amp power. My cooktop does this by switching power from one burner to the other, if needed. Thus, if using both burners, heating may be limited. Not good if trying to boil up a big pot of spaghetti, but otherwise probably okay.

A solution to that would be to use two single-burner cooktops. Each will draw up to 1800W/15A with its single 1500W burner. Obviously, that will require two circuits. But it's a possible solution for those who don't have 240V available for a larger cooktop with higher total wattage but still want to be able to use both burners simultaneously at high output.

In fact, two Furrion single-burner units are less expensive than the two-burner model, which my van has. They look like they're identical from an appearance and control aspect.

https://furrion.com/collections/cook...uction-cooktop

https://furrion.com/collections/cook...uction-cooktop

They, and mine, have a separate child lockout for each burner, by the way.

Originally Posted by trayl

6: Here's the WARNING!!! Our cooktop has flat surface "touch" controls. IT DOES NOT HAVE A CONTROL LOCKOUT like our home (conventional) cooktop to disable the touch controls. <snip>

So... If you're planning to sway to an induction cooktop, best to you. I hope it works well for you. BUT, I VERY STRONGLY RECOMMEND YOU INSTALL A MANUAL ON/OFF SWITCH AS A SAFETY MEASURE.

That's an excellent idea. Like the lighted propane gas valve switch in the galley of my sailboat. And speaking of lighted, you're more likely to remember to shut it off if the wall switch has a pilot light. Like this one, which lights when it's turned on.

https://www.amazon.com/Leviton-5628-...000U3I0RM&th=1

[docj]

Originally Posted by KanzKran

A solution to that would be to use two single-burner cooktops. Each will draw up to 1800W/15A with its single 1500W burner. Obviously, that will require two circuits. But it's a possible solution for those who don't have 240V available for a larger cooktop with higher total wattage but still want to be able to use both burners simultaneously at high output.

In fact, two Furrion single-burner units are less expensive than the two-burner model, which my van has. They look like they're identical from an appearance and control aspect.

https://furrion.com/collections/cook...uction-cooktop

https://furrion.com/collections/cook...uction-cooktop

They, and mine, have a separate child lockout for each burner, by the way.



That's an excellent idea. Like the lighted propane gas valve switch in the galley of my sailboat. And speaking of lighted, you're more likely to remember to shut it off if the wall switch has a pilot light. Like this one, which lights when it's turned on.

https://www.amazon.com/Leviton-5628-...000U3I0RM&th=1

With all due respect, I'm sure you can buy induction burners with better specifications than those Furrion units. Furrion posts very few spec about its devices but from what I can read, I'm not impressed.

For example, it claims to have temperature control from 120F to 465F but my $100 counter top unit will control down to 90F so you could safely soften butter or chocolate if you wished (even though you probably wouldn't use the temperature control settings for that).

More significantly, it has only 180 minutes (3 hours) of timer range whereas my countertop burner has 10 hour capability. That may not sound like a big deal, but we often use the burner as a slow cooker and pretty much all of them will automatically turn off after an hour or so unless their timers are engaged. So having a timer with multiple hour capability is important.

Another important difference is the fact that the Furrion is only 1500W when many countertop burners are 1800W these days. That's a 20% difference in the time required to boil a pot of water for spaghetti.

If I had more specs I'm sure I could find other shortcomings. In my experience, Furrion is a company that markets OEM products, not one that sells high quality hardware. If you are looking for a good built-in induction burner I would start with a major appliance retailer such as https://www.ajmadison.com/

[KanzKran]

Originally Posted by docj

With all due respect, I'm sure you can buy induction burners with better specifications than those Furrion units. Furrion posts very few spec about its devices but from what I can read, I'm not impressed.

<snip>

Another important difference is the fact that the Furrion is only 1500W when many countertop burners are 1800W these days. That's a 20% difference in the time required to boil a pot of water for spaghetti.

I'm not trying to push Furrion, nor do I want to sound defensive; it's just the brand that the PO installed in my van when they pulled out the gas cooktop that came with it, per the original build sheet. So it was easy to use that brand to illustrate the solution for running two burners on highest heat simultaneously - use two single units, each on their own circuit, which was the point I was trying to make.

But since we're on it anyway, True Induction brand, which is very popular in RV's from what I've read here, shows 1800W 2-burner cooktops, but the manual for the in-counter model mentions that the power sharing function allows up to a "10" power setting on each burner, and up to "14" combined total between the two, which suggests neither burner can get 1800W.* That's similar to Furrion's specs, but I think they're being a bit more honest about 1500W per burner and 1800W max line load (15A at 120V). In the case of the Furrion, max setting is 10 for either, but the combined total cannot exceed 10 and will self-adjust like the TI. Two 1500W burners, but 1800W rated input, so something similar is going on in there, probably in some non-linear power to heat number relationship.

Some single-burner counter top units show 1800W, which obviously all goes toward that single burner, minus efficiency losses in the internal circuitry and coil impedance. The Furrion single-burner is listed as 1500W max line load, and the True Induction is 1600W, so assuming the same circuity losses, the TI has a 'hotter' burner.

Perhaps there are some double-burner types that can output full power to either burner when operated alone. I don't know.

We've only used ours a few times, including boiling up a pot of water for pasta, and I was impressed. Coming from conventional electric coil cooking long ago, then NG for the last 40 years, I thought it was pretty neat that it could boil a pot like that without heating the whole place up. And it's a pretty small place, being a van.

*I don't know what the losses are in the circuitry that generates the 24 kHz or so current in the coils, but it's going to be similar to a microwave oven in that it takes more line power input than you get out of it at each or both of the 'burners'.

[docj]

Originally Posted by KanzKran

I'm not trying to push Furrion, nor do I want to sound defensive; it's just the brand that the PO installed in my van when they pulled out the gas cooktop that came with it, per the original build sheet. So it was easy to use that brand to illustrate the solution for running two burners on highest heat simultaneously - use two single units, each on their own circuit, which was the point I was trying to make.

Don't get me wrong, I don't have any particular beef with Furrion, but there are a lot of induction burners on the market that scrimp on some features that make a lot of difference in how useful they are if you really like to cook.

One of the most common complaints about induction burners is that they don't simmer well and tend to scorch the food. The problem comes about because, just like microwave ovens, when you reduce the power they actually simulate low power by "chopping" the power on and off. If the chopping is too coarse the food will heat up too much during the "on" portion of the cycle even if the average is low.

The two countertop burners we have aren't particularly expensive (~$100) but both have 20 levels of power input and can be set to provide 10% of the total power. That's important if you want to melt butter and simmer foods very slowly. We use the burners a lot in lieu of slow cookers; they can be more precisely controlled than can our slow cooker.

One reason that having all these power settings is very important is that induction burners don't operate all that well when used in temperature mode. They sense temperature under from under the "glass" surface of the burner so it isn't all that accurate a measurement. I like to cook and would rather select the power setting I want than rely on the temperature monitor. That way I can get exactly the simmering level I want.

Frankly, most of my acquaintances with built-in induction burners in their newer RVs have the True Induction unit and, as a result of their complaints, I've decided that my countertop units are just fine for me.

Joel (AKA docj)

[awol50]

Originally Posted by pete5016

Don - thanks. What's the issue with using a generator while cooking & boondocking?

I rarely boondock and just use the diesel Genny as needed when I don't have power.
For someone that does boondock alot, those little 1-2k watt inverter gennies are super quiet and efficient. Costco had a Yamaha 2k inverter model for less than $500.

[Ivylog]

We do boondock often in the summer. Did replace the propane cooktop with a 2 burner induction because the DW likes it better than gas (previous preference). Discovered it draws a lot of power waiting to do something. Installed a switched power outlet so it’s off until needed.

Bought a portable propane single burner that can be used inside or out...mainly for times when it’s to early to run the generator.

[ALPINEER]

Or, you could go this route. I just finished installing this. I love induction but didn't want to give up gas. Now I have the best of both worlds.


True Induction TI-1+2B Built-in RV Stove with Double Gas Burner and Electric Induction Cooktop

I don't know how to post pictures, so don't ask.

[KanzKran]

True Induction single induction plus two gas burners. TI—1+2GT.

[lwmcguire]

Induction cooking is by far the most used method in the world

Takes us time to change in the RV world due to all the years without decent generator and battery packages

Safety, health, and energy requirements and cost of installation all lead to more all electric coaches down the road for class A and larger C's

[docj]

Originally Posted by lwmcguire

Induction cooking is by far the most used method in the world

Compared to "fire" I doubt induction "holds a candle" world-wide!

[CaptronNZ]

A good reason besides getting rid of the Propane system completely is to think about IC's is low emissions. Anyone with a bronchial issue such as Asthma needs to seriously rethink any gas burner. These give off micro-carbon particles that can irritate lungs substantially; from experience.
Yes you can use the extraction fan but who does all the time.

[fottip]

Originally Posted by Florida Rang

How do heat your coach when it’s cold weather ?

You obviously don't understand the AquaHot option. AquaHot does many things in an RV so-equipped, one of which is providing interior heating.