all elecric motor homes/induction cook tops - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Bobc · RV-Dreams Family Member

all elecric motor homes/induction cook tops

folivier · RV-Dreams Family Member

Our Newell is all electric. It has a Gaggenau electric stove that works great. Also has Aquahot heat. Newell has Aquahot build a unique system that uses 1 1500 watt 120volt element and a 4500 watt 220 volt element that gives you true continuous hot water and heat. We've been in 20 degree weather for a few days and stayed nice and warm with the Aquahot on electric. When run on diesel the Aquahot and generator has an exhaust on the top of the coach. No bothering anyone with exhaust fumes.
The biggest advantage is not having propane to fill and carry around. Disadvantage? Needing to be plugged in to 50amp service or run the generator to cook.
No oven? The microwave might be a convection oven. These work really well once you figure them out.

Cindi · RV-Dreams Family Member

With the microwave/convection combo I see no reason for the propane oven. I am planning to remove the propane cooktop/oven and replace with drawers and an induction cooktop in my MH. Can't bake much in that oven anyway and the combo is eye level and more convenient. Makes much more sense to me.

Hdrider · RV-Dreams Family Member

We have an all electric coach and like not having to deal with or worry about propane any longer (not dogging on propane, just a personal preference). If we want to use the cooktop we do need to run the generator or be on shore power, not a big deal but certainly a point for the all electric coach haters to talk about. And the residential refer is a power hog but you learn to deal with what ever you might have and people without all electric have them as well.
Disadvantage boon-docking, I guess so a little but we have 1120 watts of solar on top and 900 amp hours of battery on board and its not bad at all. If ALL we did was boon-dock I might think differently.
We do like the aqua-hot system that runs off diesel. We don't camp in cold cold areas so we certainly don't worry about running out of fuel. Our holding tanks will fill up many many many times times before we will run low on fuel if we start with a full or 3/4 tank of fuel.

TRAILERKING · RV-Dreams Family Member

We don't have an oven. We have a propane stove top that rarely use unless bad weather and can't cook outside. We have the built in convection/microwave that we use a lot. We bought a portable single element induction cook top which is pretty cool.

The Bear II · RV-Dreams Family Member

The induction cooktops are becoming popular for a couple of reasons.... quick to heat and maintains accurate temperatures and then the main selling point "cool to the touch".

We have begun using a single induction burner unit instead of our stove and we now use our countertop convection oven more than we do the oven that came in our RV.

Times and needs are changing.

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hmmm, hearing that the induction cooktops that are coming in these all electrics requiring 220 volt is a problem for us. We do end up in places that only have 30AMP, so no 220 volt, and sometimes driveway camp with a 15AMP extension cord. Many campgrounds with only 30AMP have a no generator rule. Of course, going to 43' would cut out most of these places on its own. As I am writing this we are using two burners to make lunch, which is common, so we would need to carry two portable induction burners.

R12 · RV-Dreams Family Member

bjoyce wrote:
Hmmm, hearing that the induction cooktops that are coming in these all electrics requiring 220 volt is a problem for us. We do end up in places that only have 30AMP, so no 220 volt, and sometimes driveway camp with a 15AMP extension cord. Many campgrounds with only 30AMP have a no generator rule. Of course, going to 43' would cut out most of these places on its own. As I am writing this we are using two burners to make lunch, which is common, so we would need to carry two portable induction burners.

Our built in 2 burner True induction cook top runs on 120 V. and we stay at a 30 amp only campground for three months each summer with no problems running both burners at once.

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

Bob:

FWIW, we ditched the oven and replaced it with storage – which is all we ever used the oven for anyway with the microwave / convection system. A choice.

Linda got a 120volt induction countertop unit and has been pleased with its performance. IF you plan on any boondocking keep in mind all-electric and batteries don’t play well together. Staring a generator when needing a cooktop can be problematic in some areas. While we use the gas range little, when boondocking it gives us the option of minimizing electrical power usage just like an RV fridge. Again, a choice.

By having only a gas range, no oven and a flip down cover the counter top space is maximized to allow for counter top appliances such as the induction unit or even an electric fry pan. But so far the single burner induction option has worked well for us and is very compatible in 30amp, or less, parks. Even on "high" it pulls less than 13 amps @ ~120volts.

As to cost of operation, I doubt many motorhome users really know exactly how much fuel they are burning for the generator, as to cost, as it comes out of the vehicle tank. It can be estimated based on time if you keep those records. LP generator operation is a bit more expensive and, in the case of a motorhome, more a pain to fill the tank as it cannot removed and taken to a filling station (in most all cases.) You have to take the motorhome there or do on-site delivery. This could be a factor in your choice if you use a lot of LP for heating when not moving. But most all motorhome generators will be fueled by either gas or diesel, the same as the motorhome engine. I wouldn’t recommend an LP generator in a motorhome. I would highly recommend an LP generator in a 5^th wheel.

Thoughts for you investigations

Bill

Jack Mayer · RV-Dreams Family Member

We just tested a portable single burner induction burner at the Solar Rally. 8 amps at medium high - a typical setting.

Technomadia · RV-Dreams Family Member

We're an all electric coach, and optimized for boondocking without a generator, and thrive on 30A hook-ups (or less, actually).

We had to convert from propane systems to electric simply because our propane system was dated and very unsafe. Instead of trying to re-engineer it, we decided to go all electric instead.

We went with a 500AH lithium ion battery bank and a boosting 3000w pure sign inverter. We have 800w of solar on the roof, and a 600w ground deployable setup when we're parked for a bit. This allows us to keep everything running, even the A/C or a space heater for a couple hours if needed. We've even been able to use a long extension cord to run everything, including the AC all day, and just boost off the batteries to compensate (while 'stuck' for 7 weeks having our engine rebuilt).

We use a portable single hob induction cooktop, and it's a joy to use - quick to heat up, no excess heat into the coach and pretty power efficient. We have micro/convection oven combo instead of a propane stove.

The water heater is currently able to go electric or propane (we just use our BBQ grill tank when off-grid and don't have enough solar to run it.. which we usually do). One day, we may do a diesel hydronic setup for interior heat, hot water and block heating. But for now, it's all in balance.

We've now been entirely off-grid since mid-December and haven't needed to run the generator once. We probably should, just for maintenance.

More info:

Our Propane Free Conversion: www.technomadia.com/2012/02/our-propane-free-goal/
Our Solar Setup: www.technomadia.com/solar
Our Battery System: www.technomadia.com/lithium

- Cherie