My new plan for an indoor cooktop

[lenny flank]

I'm still a fan of my little DIY soda can alcohol stove. Though it too has no temp control and is either "off" or "full-on". (There are "simmer rings" one can make for them, but I never had such good luck with those.)

Not a problem for me, since much of my "cooking" consists of boiling water.

 

[John61CT]

And then you have, say what, 1000 Amp-Hr of batteries weighing, say what, 800 or 900 pounds? Or something in that weight range? Ooof.

500AH may be enough, only 300AH if LFP.

But in any case a 30+ foot rig should have no trouble.

 

[becida]

500AH may be enough, only 300AH if LFP.

But in any case a 30+ foot rig should have no trouble.

Where would you put that many batteries?
The Class "A" I had had room for 3 on the battery tray (vehicle & 2 house), the class "C" I have now has room for the two house batts.  

To me just saying there is room in a big vehicle is a huge reach, the statement is accurate but not real. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The guy who had the blog "To simplify" (?) He ended up with a VW Vanagon camper, an elect cooktop & a huge battery...as I recall he later took the elect cook top out. He since dropped the blog & went to just Instagram and was lost in the masses.. If you could figure out who I'm remembering   & find the old blogs there is some real world experience there....

 

[Jack]

I'm new and don't even have a van yet but, from the 200+ videos I've watched of van builds, I'm partial to having the cooktop directly inside the side door. That way, you don't have to exit the van to cook but can still open the door for all the cooking smells to go outside.

Personally, I hate microwaves. Never had one and don't want one. While I don't have everything figured out yet, I know I'd like to have an electric kettle, a NutriBullet, an Instant Pot, and a dual burner tabletop stove (most likely propane) to prepare meals with.

 

[QinReno]

.... I'm partial to having the cooktop directly inside the side door.  That way, you don't have to exit the van to cook but can still open the door for all the cooking smells to go outside.

I was thinking about that, but still figured I would need a hood with fan to make it effective. Many of the full-time vanners cook inside, but I've not wanted food smells in my van either. I've had the van less than a year, but want to spend a lot of time in grizzly country in the future. 

So, being a long time camper, I cook real meals outside on a table, and only ever boil water in the van. I plan to rig up some sort of quick-erect awning on the side of the van to cook under. Some people have a fold-down shelf on the side door to put the stove on, so it will at least be outside to some extent. Unless you are really in to cooking fancy meals, a 1-burner Coleman stove will probably be adequate.

 

[max+sophia]

can't be anymore than using a regular plugin electric kettle, can it?

Hi, Although most electric kettles use 1500 watts like the induction cook top, I found one that uses 800 watts.  With a gas stove available, an electric kettle could be reserved for times when shore power is available.

This <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DLRN11G/ref=sspa_dk_detail_3?psc=1"><b>SULIKO</b></a> also has a egg steaming feature, and filter for tea.  .I'm not sure I'd ever use the egg steamer, or loose tea in the filter. It's Pricey also.

My favorite is Amazon's double wall kettle, glass inside, plastic outside for safety.  It would keep the water hot for additional cups of tea, chocolate, coffee in bags (which I would use on the road), soup, oatmeal etc

 

[ChezCheese:-)]

My husband would like the egg steamer --he once burned boiled eggs until they exploded and hit the ceiling....

 

[max+sophia]

My husband would like the egg steamer --he once burned boiled eggs until they exploded and hit the ceiling....

Chez, Here's something both you and your husband, Le Chez Chef     , might like.

He could safely cook eggs, and steam the rest of your breakfast with this <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BKPBSFL/ref=sspa_dk_detail_3?psc=1"><b>HOMELEADER</b></a> 360 WATT Egg Boiler, and Steamer.

Hmm, I think I just sold myself a gizmo.

 

[QinReno]

Steamed broccoli for breakfast. Oh yum (maybe in another life). But the egg feature sounds nice. I can never boil exactly how I like them ... with just a bit if gooey left in the yolk.

 

[Jack]

I was thinking about that, but still figured I would need a hood with fan to make it effective. Many of the full-time vanners cook inside, but I've not wanted food smells in my van either. I've had the van less than a year, but want to spend a lot of time in grizzly country in the future. 

Same here.  Whatever vehicle I get, I plan to get two Fantastic Fans for the rooftop.  One blowing in and the other blowing out to keep air flowing.  And I don't want food smells in my van either.  Of course, in the winter, when it's too cold to go outside and cook, I want an Instant Pot for inside the van.

 

[becida]

All this talk... when I lived in a van & had a regular full time job (early 80's), my work had facilities available, I used the van as a sleeping place.
Years later when I took to the road I went places where the climate was much better than it could have been. Arizona in the winter is a good example.

I only cooked inside when I had to, but I was set up to do so. Morning coffee was often fixed on the stove inside but that means boiling water for my drip cone.

All this talk of vents over the stove and such makes me thing of an RV rather than a van....

Good luck to you all!

 

[Jack]

All this talk... 
I only cooked inside when I had to, but I was set up to do so. Morning coffee was often fixed on the stove inside but that means boiling water for my drip cone.

All this talk of vents over the stove and such makes me thing of an RV rather than a van....

You're a pioneer, Rob, no doubt!  I'm willing to bet you had to fight a lot of stigmatisms back then.  I admire you for holding on to your beliefs to this day.

For me, the fans are all about air flow.  I get hot really easily and can't stand stale, stagnant air.  I have a big fan running 24/7 in my apartment right now.  Venting for cooking (when I do need to cook in the van) is just a secondary benefit.  

The main reason I'm choosing van life is to take back the freedom of my time.  All my life my time has been at the mercy of others and continues to be to this day.  I've had enough.  I've reached my limit.  Van living, for me, is simply the means to take back my time.  I'm not out to rough it, prove anything, or even to be "green."  I'm not trying to be part of a movement, a tribe, or even a culture.  I'm just a guy that wants to be free for awhile.  If I can manage a few S&B comforts in the process, that's even better.

 

[becida]

 I'm not out to rough it, prove anything, or even to be "green." 

No proving, no roughing it and nothing green that I've seen doing my vandwelling. It's just living how I want to live. 

Please feel free to do what you want & how you want to do it & to be honest I find the 'why' is none of my business.  I stopped by the thread because I thought maybe I could help someone.

FWIW I think fans are good when it gets hot, we have several.

Best of luck with your hopes & dreams on this!

 

[QinReno]

He could safely cook eggs, and steam the rest of your breakfast with this <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BKPBSFL/ref=sspa_dk_detail_3?psc=1"><b>HOMELEADER</b></a> 360 WATT Egg Boiler, and Steamer.

My egg steamer, as cited by M+S, arrived 20-minutes ago, so I put 4 eggs on for medium-well, and am now eating them. Great device. I can never get them how I like them when boiling.

The only problem is, the instructions recommend using the "egg pin" provided to put a hole in the egg before steaming. I don't know how that will affect keeping the boiled eggs afterwards without refrigeration. It's always something.

 

[max+sophia]

The only problem is, the instructions recommend using the "egg pin" provided to put a hole in the egg before steaming. I don't know how that will affect keeping the boiled eggs afterwards without refrigeration. It's always something.

Call or email the company and ask what the advantage is to putting a hole in the eggs.  I don't see how that would make any difference with refrigeration.  So glad the egg thingy worked out.

 

[ChezCheese:-)]

Poking the hole in the shell is like a controlled pressure relief valve, so the eggs don't crack unduly. Since cooked eggs do not last indefinitely like raw unwashed eggs, you're going to have to refrigerate them and eat them within a few days anyway. Boiled eggs must be refrigerated. Remember that!

 

[simply lesa]

I use an Origo stove top. It runs on Denatured Alcohol marine fuel. Non pressurized.

 

[QinReno]

Poking the hole in the shell is like a controlled pressure relief valve, so the eggs don't crack unduly. Since cooked eggs do not last indefinitely like raw unwashed eggs, you're going to have to refrigerate them and eat them within a few days anyway. Boiled eggs must be refrigerated. Remember that!

Yeah, I believe pressure reduction is the reason, prevent the eggshells from cracking. Funny that you can boil eggs without the shells cracking, but steaming is different. I did like it how it was so easy to make the eggs just how I like them, can never get them just right when boiling. I'll go get some more eggs and play some more.

I'm a part-timer. The reason I got the steamer was that I was hoping to boil up an entire dozen or so eggs before a trip, and then have them to eat over the next week or more. But sounds like I will need to throttle back on this plan. I guess I can always go 2 rounds of ice in the cooler to lengthen their life.

 

[max+sophia]

I'm a part-timer. The reason I got the steamer was that I was hoping to boil up an entire dozen or so eggs before a trip, and then have them to eat over the next week or more. But sounds like I will need to throttle back on this plan. I guess I can always go 2 rounds of ice in the cooler to lengthen their life.

Hi, This site says <a href="https://www.incredibleegg.org/cooking-school/tips-tricks/egg-storage/"><b>EGGS RARELY SPOIL</b></a>.  My daughter has chickens and says the same.  That would be with refrigeration of course, and I like the plastic cartons to keep the eggs from losing moisture or absorbing odors from other foods.

 

[ChezCheese:-)]

Chickens and ducks lay eggs once a day or a little bit less. They collect up a clutch of them before they start setting on them, because once they start setting, they have to stay setting on the nest pretty much constantly till they hatch. Therefore Mother Nature designed fresh eggs to be very persistent indeed.

Commercial, factory laid eggs which are stored in cold storage are, by USDA regulation, safe to sell/eat for 365 days. The cheapest eggs which you find on sale at Walfart or discount grocery stores for some ridiculously low price per dozen, are these cold storage eggs bearing that 365 day expiration date.

Having raised chickens and ducks, I know how much it costs to produce a dozen eggs if you are feeding the birds decent grain, and I can't imagine wasting even a nickel buying cheap eggs. If you have a choice, that is. But I digress.

However, once you cook them, eggs WILL go bad if not refrigerated.