Prius: Fridge AND 120v Cooking? Power Question.

[Theme57]

Hello everyone, 

A while ago I was living in my 2013 Gen III Toyota Prius for about 5 months due to financial issues. I got most items working pretty well, bedding, clothing, waste, etc. for what I had available. I live in a house now, but want to better equip my Prius for on the road travel. One of the main problems I had was refrigeration, heating water and cooking. If I had to place priority it would be Hot Water (prep dry food, bathing and for tea/coffee), Refrigeration (more food options on road) and Cooking (more of a luxury and to save money). 

I saw a couple videos (Brent Prius and Living in a Prius ) and was curious on the power consumption. I was thinking of doing something similar, but wanted to ask this board for advice. The main reason for electricity compared to propane is I want to be able to prepare dishes without the need to step out of my car. Either due to weather or I am in an urban environment far from a campsite or park. Essentially I am trying to be stealthier when it comes to cooking. 

My first idea was to have the fridge and crock pot going so I would have food prepared on the road and could refrigerate it to eat over a few days. However, this doesn’t seem to be the most power efficient due to the crock pot running for up to 8 – 10 hours a day on the low setting. 

My second idea is to use a small hot pot like the Proctor Silex® 32-Ounce Hot Pot to make rice, pasta, Indian and etc. My dad and I did it with this exact model when we were in motels although we typically had to have it running for about 6 – 12 hours depending on the dish. Pasta and rice were fairly quick to make and cleanup was easy too. It could also act an electric kettle too. Again, the concern is power consumption if I was to cook actual meals and the size would only last 1 – 2 days.

My third idea was to keep use an electric kettle to heat water for dry food, tea and heated water to bath with. While I couldn’t necessarily cook with it, the hot water would without running something for hours or even a day seems to be the most power efficient, but does limit my options. 

Apologies if this is in the wrong section of the forum, but it seemed to be more of a power concern than the best way to prepare meals.

 

[TucsonAZ]

You don't say how you intend to power any of these, solar, shore power, generator, alternator? The reality is that any induction heating is going to pull more power than you can handle in a Prius without shore power or something to supply a lot of power. The fridge you could get away with on about 15watts per hour but that would require modifying a chest freezer and having an inverter.

I would opt for propane and a good thermal cooker (Google them) as that solves all of your needs with ease sans the not wanting to have to get out of your ride. You should find that heating water before hand and keeping it warm for a long time easier than trying to power any of the options you're asking about.

More details would help though, what's your power source options for example.

 

[John61CT]

Electric for any heating, especially cooking, is very wasteful, especially buying a huge inverter. A little microwave used for few minutes per day maybe, but more for a big van or RV.

Unless you're driving all day and have lots of "power to burn" left over from that.

Use propane, as if you were backpacking.

A fridge also uses a fair bit of power, but propane for that in a Prius isn't practical. Go 12V with a Danfoss style compressor.

Look at the smaller Engels, maybe Waeco. Avoid the Dometic style 12/120V.

Look at the "Max Burton" thread here https://vanlivingforum.com/showthread.php?tid=23305

 

[jimindenver]

I agree on the 12v compressor fridge and Road Pro has a fry pan, pot, lunch box sized oven and even a slow cooker that run off of 12v. You can find videos on you tube searching Road Pro.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

The main reason for electricity compared to propane is I want to be able to prepare dishes without the need to step out of my car. Either due to weather or I am in an urban environment far from a campsite or park. Essentially I am trying to be stealthier when it comes to cooking.

I agree with John61CT:  cooking with electricity is very inefficient. IMO cooking in a Prius and stealth are mutually exclusive.

For cooking while driving, look into what truck drivers are using.  Another option would be to stop to cook before stopping for the night. Propane stove cooking could be done in a vehicle (I've done it in a small two man tent) but it is very dangerous and shouldn't be done unless it is an emergency.  Backpackers cook outside in bad weather all the time.

A better option would be to use a pressure cooker and insulated bag.  Heat it up and pressurize, put pressure cooker in the bag to finish cooking.  Faster and more efficient than crock pot type cooking.  I've kept a pressure cooker hot for 4 hours in freezing temps.

For hot water when stealthing (is that a word?) I would get a good thermos (or two), heat water before hand to use when stopped for sleeping or in the AM.

 -- Spiff

 

[John61CT]

For normal dino juice vehicles, heating up a pressure cooker or boiling water off the Alt WHILE DRIVING would be relatively inexpensive, maybe even justifying investing in an inverter for a journey involving thousands of miles over a few weeks or months.

Dunno how that works with the Prius, it certainly has big batteries for **storage**, but the cost/efficiency of getting energy **into** them is an area I'd appreciate links to to get educated.

 

[Oberneldon]

Theme57,

I've traveled in my prius 3 years 4 months straight each.

The YouTube of my setup is one generation old now having upgraded it before my travels this year.

This year I upgraded to LiFePo4 house battery that I can charge from prius, solar, or 120v. This runs my CF17 Engel Fridge 24x7 and more

I upgraded to use a 12 v rice cooker and I love it for so many meals.

My hot water is the same with a roadpro 12v hot water heater or I can heat with butane stove. Hot water goes in 64 oz Thermos brand 24 hour thermos - I heat water once a day and have hot water all day.

All this and more I have on my blog Brent's Travels

Remember that we keep the prius in the Ready Mode when using 12 v appliances other than the fridge.

macaloney.blogspot.com

Happy Prius Travels!

Brent

 

[user 37446]

This last post from Oberneldon/Brent is the authority here.  While I only car camp in my Gen 3, I use RoadPro (see previous posts) appliances/equipment and they work slowly but fine. 

The last thing I'd use is the electric kettle, the wattage draw is way too big, it's like running a large microwave. 

When I'm on the road I go to convenience stores, gas stations, truck stops (QT is used in cities) and get their almost boiling hot water available at the coffee machines.  I pre-warm a Stanley thermos and then fill it with the hot water.  I also use a wide mouth thermos for soups, oatmeal and rice.  

The art of driving and cooking with these limitations simply is time.  I allow the hot water to heat up the food over a period of hours (well, instant oatmeal is quick) and always am planning ahead as to the next meal.  Whether it is the RoadPro appliances on a driving trip or the thermos method, it just takes planning, that or a bank account that can handle eating out or foods that don't require prep. An example - Safeway sells ginormous hoagie/sub sandwiches for $6 that I can eat off for 2-3 days.  Of course the unused portion goes in the cooler, wrapped up, but that's an inexpensive way to do things.  I have not installed a 12v compressor fridg yet, I still use a small well insulated cooler however one day I will have a fridg. I avoid buying foods that need refrigeration, or I limit my quantities to that which I can consume in a day or two. 

I have a Coleman 2 burner propane stove but have never used it while in the Prius. I just don't find the need for it. If I were staying in National Parks with their 14 day stay limit I might cook outside with it, however I am an urban dweller and only go out for day trips, long weekends or the occasional longer road trip (1-2 weeks).  

Everything is a trade-off when you are in a small vehicle. If I had a full size van, I'd have a lot more "seasonal" equipment with me.  There's days I'd really like a folding lawn/campchair but there's not room...

I don't even have a house battery - I depend on a small jump pack (lithium ion) and the advantages of the Prius traction battery. 

Anyway, your question was about cooking appliances, and I am getting off-track.  Go with RoadPro. Not the highest quality yet they work.

 

[Dhswanson]

Hello everyone, 

A while ago I was living in my 2013 Gen III Toyota Prius for about 5 months due to financial issues. I got most items working pretty well, bedding, clothing, waste, etc. for what I had available. I live in a house now, but want to better equip my Prius for on the road travel. One of the main problems I had was refrigeration, heating water and cooking. If I had to place priority it would be Hot Water (prep dry food, bathing and for tea/coffee), Refrigeration (more food options on road) and Cooking (more of a luxury and to save money). 

I saw a couple videos (Brent Prius and Living in a Prius ) and was curious on the power consumption. I was thinking of doing something similar, but wanted to ask this board for advice. The main reason for electricity compared to propane is I want to be able to prepare dishes without the need to step out of my car. Either due to weather or I am in an urban environment far from a campsite or park. Essentially I am trying to be stealthier when it comes to cooking. 

My first idea was to have the fridge and crock pot going so I would have food prepared on the road and could refrigerate it to eat over a few days. However, this doesn’t seem to be the most power efficient due to the crock pot running for up to 8 – 10 hours a day on the low setting. 

My second idea is to use a small hot pot like the Proctor Silex® 32-Ounce Hot Pot to make rice, pasta, Indian and etc. My dad and I did it with this exact model when we were in motels although we typically had to have it running for about 6 – 12 hours depending on the dish. Pasta and rice were fairly quick to make and cleanup was easy too. It could also act an electric kettle too. Again, the concern is power consumption if I was to cook actual meals and the size would only last 1 – 2 days.

My third idea was to keep use an electric kettle to heat water for dry food, tea and heated water to bath with. While I couldn’t necessarily cook with it, the hot water would without running something for hours or even a day seems to be the most power efficient, but does limit my options. 

Apologies if this is in the wrong section of the forum, but it seemed to be more of a power concern than the best way to prepare meals.

 

[Dhswanson]

I've been living in my Prius for 3 years and using my induction cooker for 2 or 3 meals a day.
An induction cooker is possibly the most efficient cooking appliance ever built. A Prius is probably the most effect gasoline generator on the planet.
My setup is an 800W. induction hot plate, and a 1000 W. pure sign inverter. For simmering and boiling I usually draw only 300W. of the 800. For fast boil or to bring the pressure cooker to pressure I use the 500 watt setting for 5 minutes, then 2-300 W setting. Cooking does not auto start the gas engine as often as the AC does.
The incredible instant control of the induction cooker pleases many professional chefs.
It's the safest way to cook anywhere as the pan is heated by the electrical current not the cooking surface. Really perfect for inside a vehicle.
If you set one up be sure to use adequate wire size and fuses. A pure sine wave inverter rather the modified is needed for the induction circuitry.
The pans used need to have iron in them. Cast iron pans work great or pans marked as induction ready or capable. Pressure cookers are available for induction that cut cooking time by 1/3.
I finally just today found the one downside to induction cooking in a vehicle. My friend said my car smells like a Chinese restaurant ?

 

[John61CT]

Sorry maybe compared to other four-step routes to using electricity that setup seems "efficient".

But the total energy efficiency of burning X amount of propane to make say 5 gallons of chili, compared to the Y quantity of gasoline combusted to generate electricity, run it through an inverter then induction cooker.

No contest.

Not saying it's evil don't do it, but don't kid yourself into thinking it's environmentally conscientious just because a Prius is in the picture.

 

[Theme57]

Theme57,

I've traveled in my prius 3 years 4 months straight each.

The YouTube of my setup is one generation old now having upgraded it before my travels this year.

This year I upgraded to LiFePo4 house battery that I can charge from prius, solar, or 120v.  This runs my CF17 Engel Fridge 24x7 and more

I upgraded to use a 12 v rice cooker and I love it for so many meals.

My hot water is the same with a roadpro 12v hot water heater or I can heat with butane stove.  Hot water goes in 64 oz Thermos brand 24 hour thermos - I heat water once a day and have hot water all day.

All this and more I have on my blog Brent's Travels

Remember that we keep the prius in the Ready Mode when using 12 v appliances other than the fridge.

macaloney.blogspot.com

Happy Prius Travels!

Brent

Thank you for posting this Brent! What do you think about an electric kettle or would the rice cooker be good enough and more versatile?

 

[Theme57]

Sorry maybe compared to other four-step routes to using electricity that setup seems "efficient".

But the total energy efficiency of burning X amount of propane to make say 5 gallons of chili, compared to the Y quantity of gasoline combusted to generate electricity, run it through an inverter then induction cooker.

No contest.

Not saying it's evil don't do it, but don't kid yourself into thinking it's environmentally conscientious just because a Prius is in the picture.

Not at all, it's less about the environment and more about being in places where cooking with a stove wouldn't be much of an option hence something that would run off the battery.

 

[Oberneldon]

Thank you for posting this Brent! What do you think about an electric kettle or would the rice cooker be good enough and more versatile?

I can't speak to the electric kettle as I have never tried it, but the 12v rice cooker I got from China (AliExpress) worked better than expected for this years travels.

Heat hardy canned soup
Make rice
Cook pasta
Heat water
Cook fish
Cook fresh veggies
Heat anything in a can

Note that it draws 7 amps so I have a dedicated blue seas plug tied to my prius 12 volt battery and only cook this way in ready mode

I have a 2 burner butane/propane stove for larger cooking and frying

Brent

 

[mpruet]

It all depends on how much you want to do in conversion of the Prius. 

I do a lot of car-camping in my Prius.  I have a Dometic refrigerator (18-CF) which is more than sufficient.  It runs on 12-Volt and has an amperage usage below 1.0 amps/hour.  Since I keep the car running at night for AC/Heat, I keep the refrigerator plugged into one of the cigarette lighters.  I also keep a 35 AH AGM battery with me so that if I want to turn the car off for an extended period of time, I can run the refrigerator off of the battery.  I also keep a 150 Watt pure sine inverter that plugs into the cigarette lighter so that I can recharge the battery once I'm back.  I also use the inverter to charge up my laptop if need be.  My phone and iPad are charged through a usb connection which plugs into the cigarette lighter. I do not use any other AC devices.  I have a small single cup heating spoon that I picked up from a truck stop.  I use that to make coffee and/or tea.

I know of some folks that have gotten much more fancy with setting up a house battery connected to the small 12-volt battery in the back.  Also I know of some folks that hooked up an anderson connector to a 1000 watt inverter which then was connected to the 12-volt battery of the Prius.  I might end up doing that because then I could power an 800-watt microwave oven, but for now all of my cooking is done via propane. 

 

[user 37446]

It all depends on how much you want to do in conversion of the Prius. 

I do a lot of car-camping in my Prius.  I have a Dometic refrigerator (18-CF) which is more than sufficient.  It runs on 12-Volt and has an amperage usage below 1.0 amps/hour.  Since I keep the car running at night for AC/Heat, I keep the refrigerator plugged into one of the cigarette lighters.  I also keep a 35 AH AGM battery with me so that if I want to turn the car off for an extended period of time, I can run the refrigerator off of the battery.  I also keep a 150 Watt pure sine inverter that plugs into the cigarette lighter so that I can recharge the battery once I'm back.  I also use the inverter to charge up my laptop if need be.  My phone and iPad are charged through a usb connection which plugs into the cigarette lighter. I do not use any other AC devices.  I have a small single cup heating spoon that I picked up from a truck stop.  I use that to make coffee and/or tea.

I know of some folks that have gotten much more fancy with setting up a house battery connected to the small 12-volt battery in the back.  Also I know of some folks that hooked up an anderson connector to a 1000 watt inverter which then was connected to the 12-volt battery of the Prius.  I might end up doing that because then I could power an 800-watt microwave oven, but for now all of my cooking is done via propane. 

That's a good alternative way to do things if you have the $$ to buy the small Dometic or Engel. I don't right now but likely will when I get the minivan.  Of course then I will lose the advantages of the Prius traction battery.  Oh well.  Anyway, another overlooked way to cook is to go into the gas station/conveniance store and ask the staff if you can use their microwave.  I've only been told no once in about 100+ tries.  That way I can cook or reheat whatever food I want to and it's their power.  Usually I have gotten a little gas or a coffee or a cold drink so it's not just one sided. A little courtesy to ask goes a long way.   

I've found that even the small 1 burner compact butane stoves just aren't needed when in an urban environment - there's always a means to heat up your food or water available.  For refrigeration I did try the Coleman PowerChill cooler but was dissatisfied with it's overall performance, 40 degrees less than ambient (at best) just doesn't cut it when it's 95-100 degrees out and your food spoils. I ended up with a small Coleman cooler, about 20 quarts, and wrapped it with Reflectix (for sun) and also some bubble wrap on all sides. That plus the occasional refresh of free ice in a 64 ounce cup (from the convenience store) usually works. The key for me is to not depend on the cooler, just use it for the occasional time that something needs it. My ice purchases average $2 a week, if that. Over the long term (4-5 years) a 12v compressor fridg is less expensive but for now it's short-term costs that rule.

 

[John61CT]

> short-term costs that rule

IMO stay in the Prius until you get yourself past that situation.

Changing to a different vehicle with lower reliability and higher per mile costs overall will cost a **lot** more in the next few years than just the initial purchase.

I would personally wait until buying the new van is less than half what you have in the bank, minimum $3000 left over, AND put $1 per mile in the bank into a dedicated repair/replace account before you drive those miles.

FWIW, maybe 2¢

 

[musicman]

I have ran 2 batteries in a vehicle to have extra power for heavy inverter use. I had a solid state relay set up so one battery was always charged enough to start my vehicle

 

[Softstep]

I've been living in my Prius for 3 years and using my induction cooker for 2 or 3 meals a day.
   An  induction cooker is possibly the most efficient cooking appliance ever built.  A Prius is probably the most effect  gasoline generator on the planet.
   My setup is an 800W. induction hot plate, and a 1000 W. pure sign inverter. For simmering and boiling I usually draw only 300W. of the 800.  For fast boil or to bring the pressure cooker to pressure I use the 500 watt setting for 5 minutes, then 2-300 W setting. Cooking does not auto start the gas engine as often as the AC does.
   The incredible instant control of the induction cooker pleases many professional chefs.
   It's the safest way to cook anywhere as the pan is heated by the electrical current not the cooking surface. Really perfect for inside a vehicle.
    If you set one up be sure to use adequate wire size and fuses. A pure sine wave inverter rather the modified is needed for the induction circuitry.
     The pans used need to have iron in them. Cast iron pans work great or pans marked as induction ready or capable. Pressure cookers are available for induction that cut cooking time by 1/3.
   I finally just today found the one downside to induction cooking in a vehicle. My friend said my car smells like a Chinese restaurant ?

 Hi Dhswanson, Can you please give more details. Id like to use this set up myself.
 Im assuming youre connecting the inverter to the starter battery, but your comment about fuses raises questions.
 Ive seen 1 800 watt induction hot plate. I just want to heat up things like soup, oatmeal or boil a potatoe orsteam some veggies.
  Please if you could go into more detail about the hot plate your using and how you set it up, Thanks so much

 

[RVTravel]

dhswanson is more active on his facebook prius camping page. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1662402837333297