Which/How many appliances do you have?

[WanderingRose]

I love my small InstantPot, and if you plan to run a generator periodically to charge batteries you can cook something substantial for a couple of meals while doing so.

If you are going to be mostly off the grid, I would consider eliminating electrical appliances altogether other than an IP.

You can cook a lot in one skillet or pot over propane, and use a small teakettle for your coffee or tea.

Buy a toasting fork for your bread, or one of those little wire camp toasters that sit on your burner.

Simple cooking, and less to store.

 

[rm.w/aview]

^ We find that the skillet works well for toast keeping the amount of items carried low.

 

[bullfrog]

Even Jimindenver with all his solar can't just plug in anything he wants for long. Just saying not many have enough money or space for a solar system to heat and cool with and none without a generator to come close to grid power.

 

[VanForNow]

^ We find that the skillet works well for toast keeping the amount of items carried low.

I second the motion to make toast on a skillet instead of buying an electric toaster.

This is the technique I use, & for a small rig the skillet has the added virtue of also serving as a furnace while being heated to the point where it prepares toast.

 

[Weight]

I have medical reasons for having a microwave. Built my house bank and system to have that. With the power needed, I can use a small Mr Coffee and a two slice toaster. It is so much convenient in the morning when my brain is addled. I use a butane camp stove for meal prep. I did have a cast iron pan. That is in storage and a pricey stainless from Cuisinart is easier on my wrists. There is the 4 quart kettle for boiling water.

 

[WanderingRose]

I love my teakettle, and at times go for instant coffee or tea bags, but a stovetop percolator makes a great cup of coffee.

 

[travelaround]

I'm planning to take my rather large Mr. Coffee Thermal Coffee Maker... It it large but I want to find room for it in my van, which will also be large... I think I can do it. Priorities! It makes great coffee very quickly, and puts it into a thermos to stay warm for hours without any electricity used to keep it warm.

 

[B and C]

You do realize this coffee maker uses 1300 watts at 120V AC don't you?

My cheap 12 cup Proctor Silex is only 900 watts and I only run it from the generator. I have a 40 Oz. thermos I pour the made coffee into. Easy to take to my chair outside and refill my cup there. If I have to make coffee from the battery, I have a cheap 5 cup one that uses 525 watts. I also carry the Coleman coffee maker that fits on top of a propane burner. If you can't tell, I really like coffee.

 

[Weight]

how many watts? for how long? sometimes big numbers can be small amp hours. I make 1/2 liter of coffee and pour it into a pint Thermos. That is enough for me. What does it take? 5 minutes if that long. The coffee maker is 700 watts. So maybe <60 amps from the battery, 5 amp hours to put back. I can live with that for quick, real, brewed coffee.

 

[B and C]

^^^She is wanting a 1300 watt coffee maker = huge draw.

 

[travelaround]

It takes only 5 minutes per day. I think I'll have enough electricity available with dual heavy duty batteries and solar panels as well.

That said, if I find out it is unrealistic I can modify my plan later on after I get started.

 

[Vonbrown]

12v fridge and a toaster.

 

[Rainier70]

My appliances are a 12v freezer/fridge, a Camp Chef dutch oven dome, and a stove top pressure cooker.  The pressure cooker can do many of the same things as an oven except with steam.  Think of it as a propane fueled insta-pot.    

The dutch oven dome....  

 

[maki2]

If you are not yet on the road do this... get in the groove right now and quit using everything except what you consider to be essentials to have in your mobile life. If you have a microwave or range with oven and burners quit using them other than one or two burners such as you might have when you travel. Partition off your fridge to match the space of what you will have for traveling. Box up all the pots, pans and dishes you won't need in your mobile kitchen. Same goes for things such as toasters, blenders, etc.

The fastest way to figure out what is essential and what you can easily live without is to live without all the stuff you are used to having. You will immediately begin to sort out exactly how many plates, bowls, utensils and pans you need.

Such a challenge can be fun to do if you just let yourself get into the groove of being up to new ways of living.

 

[PattySprinter]

Get a stainless steel one like this  I got from Amazon, it has double walls and keeps the coffee hot for a long time. You will never need to buy filters, and will last for ever. 
https://www.amazon.com/Secura-Stain...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=QJKGA0C70MP5WT698PDK

I am so glad that you posted this link! I tried a glass French press and it cracked after about a month.

 

[jacqueg]

French press makes great coffee.

I'm a one-cup-a-day person, so I've moved to the aeropress. Also makes a great cup.

 

[Feelit]

a few.. iron, vacuum cleaner, boiler, teapot, mobile router, notebook

 

[vanlifeadventures21]

Butane camping stove
Jetboil
12v fridge
That’s it for me!

 

[jimindenver]

Even Jimindenver with all his solar can't just plug in anything he wants for long.  Just saying not many have enough money or space for a solar system to heat and cool with and none without a generator to come close to grid power.

I think comparing my systems to a van dwellers is kind of unfair. First I have much more solar than most any van and second, my appliances have been chosen for their low draw. The two exceptions are the Mr coffee and the 700 watt microwave. Both of those are on the cusp of the solar's ability and still can run quite some time nibbling at my bank. Other than that everything will run under the radar of the battery bank during peak hours as my systems out produce a Honda 1000 inverter generator. Here is a list of appliances, most can run none stop between 9 and 4 in the summer.

Two 5000 BTU A/C's that pull 410 watts each. I have a video up of both running while the solar holds the voltage at 2 PM.

a 450 watt hot water heater that takes two hours to take 6 gallons of cold water to 150 degrees. I left it on for days before but keeping the water hot doesn't take much.

On my two burner electric stove the smaller burner takes 470 watts and can run hours even boiling water. Usually it is set lower and the duty cycle is much less. The big burner is on the cusp at 1070 watts but again it is usually set lower and doesn't take that much staying hot.

The Microwave takes 1080 watts and nibbles above the solar's output for the minutes I run it. I did run the old one pulling 1375 watts for 18 minutes in low light nuking taters.

The freezer runs 24/7 and has to be using 50-100 Ah a day.

I have a 400 watt oil filled heater and a 250 watt ceramic that both can run at peak on a cold clear day without touching the battery.

The cell Booster pulls 1 amp a hour 24/7

The TV takes 65 watts and who knows what the firestick uses. They tend to run late into the night most of the time.

I have no idea what it takes to keep all of the hotspots, computers, cameras and tools charged up. I have never paid attention to the clippers or hand blender either. Most of my power tools pull a lot for the seconds they run.

all in all I use 2-300 Ah of power on a winter day when I am not using the air conditioners.

oh yes, do not forget the Christmas lights.




Merry Christmas everyone

 

[maki2]

Other than liking to have a 12v fridge I don't care about having small electrical kitchen appliances. I do have a diesel stove/top heater and a small single burner propane/butane stove. My drill motor will power a blender jar. Of course I suppose a radio is also an appliance, that is nice to have.

What I need power for is phone, computer(s), tablet, whatever booster might be needed for internet, lights, camera and now and again some misc small power tools. I need those items to help generate some extra income.

I don't have enough roof space for a solar farm, just one 160 watt panel and a 200amp hour AGM. So I carry a 1000i Honda generator. That is for the tools or for rainy days to top up the battery.

Recreation...I am happy with a good book downloaded onto my tablet. I have a TV tuner for the computer for over the air but there are only a few shows I like to watch. But I enjoy designing and making things and that generates income so it makes more sense to spend my time on that creativite entertainment instead of ingesting entertainments from outside sources. But sometimes I like noise in the background so radio or audio books are good to have for that kind of companionship feeling.