Gas v Electric Galley

[Ipapadi]

Having just changed to a motor yacht with a non compliant Gas Cooker that has to be replaced, I'd be interested in comment. In an overall situation where cooking is at a minimum by partial live-aboards whose intention is to be always pugged in to 220 volt supply, what is there to consider to changing to the Electric alternative, taking it that installation requirements have been researched.

[tkeithlu]

If you've got reliable 220 VAC, electric cooking is a quite reasonable choice. It avoids problems with propane - storage, connections, and the inconvenient fact that the stuff is more dense than air and accumulates in the bilge if leaked. Propane is a more attractive choice if your electrical energy is limited. It also has the advantage of more intense heat faster, which some cooks (we're included} prefer.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Ipapadi

Having just changed to a motor yacht with a non compliant Gas Cooker that has to be replaced, I'd be interested in comment. In an overall situation where cooking is at a minimum by partial live-aboards whose intention is to be always pugged in to 220 volt supply, what is there to consider to changing to the Electric alternative, taking it that installation requirements have been researched.

Not much downside and a lot of upside, if I didn’t intend to spend 90% of my time at anchor I would do the same.

Induction is the way to go of course, and, depending on how much space you have you might want to go with a convection microwave instead of a conventional electric oven.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Ipapadi

Having just changed to a motor yacht with a non compliant Gas Cooker that has to be replaced, I'd be interested in comment. In an overall situation where cooking is at a minimum by partial live-aboards whose intention is to be always pugged in to 220 volt supply, what is there to consider to changing to the Electric alternative, taking it that installation requirements have been researched.

Not much to consider, in our experience.

Combo microwave/convection oven/air fryer plus an electric cooktop... works well for us. Works well at anchor too; we have a generator and I'm not afraid to use it. (And besides, we need to heat water and charge batteries approx 2x/day at anchor anyway.)

I'll probably change the cooktop to induction when I get a round tuit.

-Chris

[Anders]

I would love to have a electric oven but I will never cook on a electric hob.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Anders

I would love to have a electric oven but I will never cook on a electric hob.

As an ex professional cook I understand how you feel, but induction has been a game changer. Yes, I still think gas is better, but only just. It’s not like the bad old days of hopelessly slow temperature changes. The induction stuff responds very well.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Anders

I would love to have a electric oven but I will never cook on a electric hob.

Well… I would when it would be all that’s available but yes, a standard electric cooktop is not so nice.

That said, induction is perfect. It brings more heat faster when needed, goes back to OFF as quick as gas and can go to low and slow levels better than gas. It’s also twice as efficient as gas.

Our induction cooktops and convection oven are a game changer in life aboard, but it only became that after going big on solar and lithium iron phosphate batteries.

[bensolomon]

I use a single burner induction hob at anchor and it's great! Heats the eggs in about 5 minutes, cooks the fish in about 10 minutes and doesn't heat the cabin at all! I use a 2 quart water boiler to make the French press coffee in about 8 minutes.

It's been a game changer for me, and this on 210 ah battery bank with one 330W solar panel at 12 volts.

Ben

[Pizzazz]

When I switched from sail to power, I went electric (vs. alcohol on the sailboat). If you have a generator go all electric (water heater, icemaker, coffee machine, stove, oven, microwave and even the grill on the flybridge). You can use mostly household appliances (way less expensive), the boat feels more like a house and it is more convenient.

You need to setup an inverter where you can make coffee/tea, warm up food in the microwave, etc. without waking up everyone on the boat by starting the generator. Induction is also very power efficient. We had a discussion a couple years back that open flame heat transfer is 20-25% efficient, induction was 55-55%, microwave was 75% and I think pressure cookers were at 80%. This is relevant for long range cruising, i.e. how much fuel/gas you need to carry. Not important on a powerboat. Electric makes everything simpler and prettier.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

…but it only became that after going big on solar and lithium iron phosphate batteries.

How much solar do you think you need to go all-electric cooking? I would love to get rid of the gas cooktop for the new boat. (Assuming no generator here.)

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by GILow

How much solar do you think you need to go all-electric cooking? I would love to get rid of the gas cooktop for the new boat. (Assuming no generator here.)

We have 1,875W LG panels (record has been 2,200W output). We also run the watermaker and even some A/C so maybe 1,600W would be enough (4 big panels instead of the 5 we have).

I’m thinking about sliding arrays that “park” while underway and deploy at anchor, but I don’t think I need more capacity

[GILow]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

We have 1,875W LG panels (record has been 2,200W output). We also run the watermaker and even some A/C so maybe 1,600W would be enough (4 big panels instead of the 5 we have).



I’m thinking about sliding arrays that “park” while underway and deploy at anchor, but I don’t think I need more capacity

Thanks mate, those are useful numbers. I don’t have AC, which would have to be the big one in those power draws. My pair of Pursurvivor 35s don’t tax things much either.

It tends to suggest that if I can fit the 1500 Watts I believe is possible then induction cooking would be feasible.

My only concern is that I’m trying to keep the panels central on the boat for weight and simplicity, which is not the most efficient place for them.

One more question please, what battery capacity?

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by GILow

Thanks mate, those are useful numbers. I don’t have AC, which would have to be the big one in those power draws. My pair of Pursurvivor 35s don’t tax things much either.

It tends to suggest that if I can fit the 1500 Watts I believe is possible then induction cooking would be feasible.

My only concern is that I’m trying to keep the panels central on the boat for weight and simplicity, which is not the most efficient place for them.

One more question please, what battery capacity?

For an electric galley, you need 5kVA inverter capacity and 10kWh battery. I have 2x Multiplus 3000 so 6kVA and two times 10kWh batteries, although one is still AGM so less available. You can do with one battery, even when you have a cloudy day now and then, but after two cloudy days it will go low and won’t do a 3rd day without solar.

The good panels are big, think 2m x 1m. You need 4 or 5 of them. If you have dinghy davits, you can probably fit 3 above the dinghy, like we did. We have a 16’ beam and I wouldn’t want to go wider with the array (which is 10’ wide)

[GILow]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

For an electric galley, you need 5kVA inverter capacity and 10kWh battery. I have 2x Multiplus 3000 so 6kVA and two times 10kWh batteries, although one is still AGM so less available. You can do with one battery, even when you have a cloudy day now and then, but after two cloudy days it will go low and won’t do a 3rd day without solar.



The good panels are big, think 2m x 1m. You need 4 or 5 of them. If you have dinghy davits, you can probably fit 3 above the dinghy, like we did. We have a 16’ beam and I wouldn’t want to go wider with the array (which is 10’ wide)

All great data points, thank you.

[ItDepends]

My thoughts....

https://fetchinketch.net/boat_though...ic-or-propane/

Electric can be nice, but it is an expensive install, and expensive to run. As far as I know there is only one gimbaled induction cooktop suitable for use underway, and it is insanely expensive.

Using an electric cooker WILL increase your fuel budget by a good bit. Propane is very cheap.

Propane has risks, but so does electricity, especially the high current DC flows that are needed to power an inverter. Don't fool yourself, high current DC causes more fires than propane. Both are very safe when properly maintained. Both will kill you if treated cavalierly.