Power draw of Nespresso type coffee machine.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Terry107

The only negative point is that it is another item that needs disposing of ,and these require recycling.A teaspoon of coffee or that matter coffee beans is preferable to reduce the amount of waste items. Ok if you are just pottering around the coast.

True, I was very uncomfortable about the waste aspect until I found a place that recycles them. (The aluminium sort). It’s a bit of a pain but my favourite outfit does not do aluminium yet so I don’t buy them, I sent them an email and they say they are doing so soon.

[Dooglas]

Originally Posted by High Pointer

I boil water on my stove and use a plunger pot, great coffee in minutes

BINGO !

[Djarraluda]

I run a 1500w. Continuous rated inverter which is listed as 3000W surge. So my question is what is the actual peak/continuous rating of your inverter?
Also run my Nespresso machine with 220 Ahr gel bank, never recorded the short term voltage drop though.
Roger

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Djarraluda

Also run my Nespresso machine with 220 Ahr gel bank, never recorded the short term voltage drop though.

Roger

Within reason, the number of AH in the battery bank does not matter for this job. What matters is the ability to deliver instantaneous current. (Not all that different to the issues that face a starter battery really.)

One way to solve this is with multiple smaller batteries in parallel, or by using a battery chemistry that is not troubled by high currents.

I don’t know anything about Gel batteries. Are they considered good with high currents compared to, say, conventional FLA?

[wingssail]

At home, or even at the dock, in the US or a lot of countries, you have dock power and the ability to go to a store and buy more Nespresso modules.

We've gone to the opposite end, the simplest approach:

Boil water, grind the beans, use a Miletta filter: quick easy and bullet proof. (we carry a spare grinder). The whole beans are in the freezer after opening the bag. We grind only the amount needed for the next pot.

Some of our neatest adventures have been finding whole, roasted, coffee beans in far away places. I cannot imagine finding Nespresso cups in some of the places we've been to.

[Tillsbury]

Originally Posted by GILow

So how many batteries are you running in parallel, or in other words, how much current are you drawing from each when the machine is heating?

I run from a pair of AGMs, 170Ah each or so. Maximum draw around 95A in total. The batteries happily provide 120A for the microwave, but I haven’t gone over that

[HankOnthewater]

I have a Nespresso coffeemaker on board, that is used whilst at the dock, at anchor or other times when seas are benign and we have plenty of battery power.
It operates via a 3000 Watt pure sine wave charger (max 6000 W for 3 minutes), and it uses 90-100 Amps for 50 seconds when heating up. One cup takes 55-60 seconds and uses 80-110 amps (from 12 Volt batteries).
I have the same in campervan, but with an 1500 W pure sine wave inverter (3000 W for 3 minutes). Inverter brand is "Rich". In the van I have three 100 Amp/hr AGM batteries, on the boat 8x 120 Amp/hr.

Both on the boat and the van, such setup worked well for several years now. BTW, those coffeemakers do not last too long, if we are lucky they fail within the warranty period

If not the pod coffee maker, we use plunge coffee (is that what they call 'french press'?), or next step down: instant coffee.

Note on edit ..... the marketing blurbs of many inverters are very optimistic on the max power they can supply

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by GILow

I don’t know anything about Gel batteries. Are they considered good with high currents compared to, say, conventional FLA?

On par perhaps, but really happier for longevity with low rates both charging and feeding loads.

Quality TPPL type AGM is the ticket among lead chemistries, but with any C-rating, relatively higher Ah capacity banks do mean higher currents in absolute amps units.

None come close to LFP, a 20Ah bank will put out more amps at a higher voltage than any 200Ah lead bank if it's for just a short time.

[john61ct]

But really, engineering such systems just to brew coffee using electricity is IMO quite insane, when a little Jetboil and my above suggestions would do just as good a job.

[Scott Berg]

Originally Posted by newhaul

yes they appear to be at sea disposable ( they consist of aluminum and used coffee grounds ) exceptions are .
MARPOL Annex V places limits on ocean discharge of solid waste materials. Plastics may not be discharged into the sea at all. Paper (including cardboard), metal, and glass may not be discharged in Special Areas. Special Areas include the North Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, the Greater Caribbean (including the Gulf of Mexico), and other important areas

We love our Nespresso. We have a 3000w Victron with 6 GC2 batteries (675a/h); no problem at all, just takes seconds. Also, they are 100% recyclable. We save the pods and return them in the prepaid envelopes when in the states. One 5g bucket saves a years worth. How they recycle is pretty amazing, the opposite of plastic stuff...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meSPeX6MJ7s

[Scott Berg]

Originally Posted by john61ct

But really, engineering such systems just to brew coffee using electricity is IMO quite insane, when a little Jetboil and my above suggestions would do just as good a job.

A good job, but doesn't approach a Nespresso... we have French presses, aero press, etc. Nespresso rules... and I like the recycling...

[john61ct]

If the addiction was pot, then alternator-driven grow lights could appear worthwhile 8-)

[Dockhead]

Nespresso will recycle the genuine ones themselves.

In any case, it's a trivial amount of metal, I guess less than a gram per pod. Stamp them flat and recycle a whole summer's worth at the end of the season together with your aluminium cans at home. This is truly not a big deal.

Originally Posted by GILow

True, I was very uncomfortable about the waste aspect until I found a place that recycles them. (The aluminium sort). It’s a bit of a pain but my favourite outfit does not do aluminium yet so I don’t buy them, I sent them an email and they say they are doing so soon.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Nespresso will recycle the genuine ones themselves.

In any case, it's a trivial amount of metal, I guess less than a gram per pod. Stamp them flat and recycle a whole summer's worth at the end of the season together with your aluminium cans at home. This is truly not a big deal.

Sorry, I wasn't very clear, what I meant was that my favourite bean roaster does not yet put their coffee in aluminium pods. It's a pity, because I tried their pods and I really liked the taste, just not enough to justify the waste.

Without meaning to start a bean-war, , I find the Nespresso pods are a long way from the best flavours out there.

[Tillsbury]

Have you tried the reusable pods you can fill yourself with your choice of bean? I haven't myself but it might be a good compromise for convenience but keeping your choice of coffee.