Induction Cooking -- Tips?

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Adelie

That’s how long it takes to make breakfast for 4 in my household. I do most of the cooking so the times are how long it takes me not the admiral.

I’m going to get a small one, I’ll let everyone know how much power it really takes in several months.

A Kill-A-Watt meter will tell you exactly. No guess work.

[Singularity]

Originally Posted by CatNewBee

Hi folks, cool down, a new thread about cooking and provisioning with recipes and schedules when to eat may be interesting for some cruisers, but they would not expect it in a technical thread about feasibility of induction cooking on board, so it is a loose / loose situation to post it here for all, the ones interested in the thread matter are distracted, and the others interested in diets would not have a chance to find this treasures and discuss them.

A forum is a structured discussion by topics, so everybody can pre-select the topic he or she is interested in when reading, without the need to read every single post everywhere.

So let's get back to the induction matter and discuss diets in a new topic on cruising lifestyle and nutrition, or something similar, the topic covers then any type of cooking, not just by induction.

There are multiple previous threads on the subject of feasibility and technical issues of induction cooktops, including references to Ah usage.

The title of this thread is "Induction cooking - tips?" and not "technical and feasibility."

You stated that the average cruiser is not prepared for induction cooking while I provided a tip that specifically refutes your assessment, providing an evidenced-based cooking tip to substantiate my claim.

I don't know what your beef is, why it's hotter at noon where you live, vs the rest of the planet etc. but please understand that not everyone has 1600w of solar and 1000ah of lithium on tap with a genny to back things up. What is loose/loose to some is all in an intellectual days work for others.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I carry four 10 lb propane tanks, each one lasts a month, maybe a little longer.
So I need to refill propane 3 times a yr.
A tank cost depending on where you are about $10 to $15 to have refilled.

I just don’t see the need to “fix” that.
I think it funny that people who live in fancy homes want real expensive Commercial gas stoves in their houses to show off and go on and on about how gas cooking is so much better, you know instant heat adjustment etc.
“ I just don’t know how anybody can cook a good meal on an electric stove”
Meanwhile some in boats want to cook with electricity
1050’s an all electric home was the “Modern” thing to have.

For me the decision was initially purely about safety.
When I replaced the small fridges in the Galley with 2 Ozefridge top loading fridge and freezer units, it forced me to reroute the propane line down into the bilge along a very inaccessible space, then up 2 levels to the stove.
I couldn't get into that space myself to inspect the installation and delegating that made me uncomfortable.

So I researched and made the unplanned decision to try induction

Now that we are using induction cooking, the other benefits of extra work space, clean pots and no buildup of heat in the galley, makes the decision even a better one.

I'm not much of a cook but you can't compare induction with electric stove top.
On induction, the pot heats up almost instantaneously, which is what I think good cooks like about gas.

I haven't got rid of the propane tanks as they still are needed for the BBQ, but now all gas is external

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

. . . how gas cooking is so much better, you know instant heat adjustment etc. “ I just don’t know how anybody can cook a good meal on an electric stove”.. .

Well, there is a lot to that, actually. It's not just fussiness.


A gas stove in a home is a totally superior instrument to a conventional electric stove. I'm not exactly a Cordon Bleu chef myself, but I really hate cooking on conventional electric ranges.


Cooking on gas on a boat is not the same thing as cooking on a gas stove at home, because the heat is so weak, that it greatly reduces the effect of "instant heat adjustment".



But in any case, induction is simply night and day compared to conventional electric cooking, and you shouldn't compare it. You not only have instant heat adjustment, but you have huge power when you need it, and you not only heat adjustment, but actual temperature adjustment. It is seriously better than gas, even good home gas stoves, not to even compare with weak boat propane stoves.



That is a real reason for using it. But the even much bigger reasons for using induction are (a) safety; and (b) systems architecture advantage of eliminating the gas system. Obviously you need to have enough electrical power available, or it doesn't make sense. But for boats which already have a lot of high power gear on board, and have the generating and storage capacity to feed them, induction is a no-brainer, in my opinion.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Paul L

. . . 20ah for a small meal is more than I'd want to give up. ..

Obviously different boats, different power budgets. Different ships -- different long splices




10ah at 24v would hardly move the meter on my boat. Less than 5% of the practical capacity of the 420 amp/hour lead battery bank.


So I do cook meals off the batteries with induction.



But since I run the generator a couple of times a day anyway when off grid (like I was almost the entire summer last year), it's just no big deal to time one of those generator runs with dinner preparation, and the power is just free, since there's plenty of capacity left over from the 6.5kW heavy duty generator.



The induction cookers I am using now (two of them, so that two dishes can be going at once) can also be run perfectly well off the alternator and inverter while motoring.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

I'm not much of a cook but you can't compare induction with electric stove top.
On induction, the pot heats up almost instantaneously, which is what I think good cooks like about gas.

More and more professionals are gong over to induction from gas for a lot of there cooking.


It's even faster to respond than gas.



As for power consumption. My portable induction plate has a series of indicator lights showing Watts).


The other day I made tacos.
(1/2kg of mince, one onion, one small grated carrot, a packet of taco seasoning and a cup of water for the meat)


I sweated the onion and browned the mince for about 5 minutes at 800-100W (about 7Ah) in a steel wok.

I then simmered it for about 20 minutes on the lowest level 120W.

When simmering, the induction cooker was constantly cycling. The content would bubble for a few seconds and then the bubbles would subside for a few more seconds before resuming - so it appears to averaging about 60W (another 1.7Ah ).


So all up, about 9Ah for enough tacos for 3-4 people.



(The shells were heated in the microwave for about 10 seconds for each batch - less than another 1Ah total.)

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Obviously different boats, different power budgets. Different ships -- different long splices




10ah at 24v would hardly move the meter on my boat. Less than 5% of the practical capacity of the 420 amp/hour lead battery bank.


So I do cook meals off the batteries with induction.



But since I run the generator a couple of times a day anyway when off grid (like I was almost the entire summer last year), it's just no big deal to time one of those generator runs with dinner preparation, and the power is just free, since there's plenty of capacity left over from the 6.5kW heavy duty generator.



The induction cookers I am using now (two of them, so that two dishes can be going at once) can also be run perfectly well off the alternator and inverter while motoring.

Different long splices, exactly. We have plenty of battery to handle that load. The difference is that you run your genset twice a day and we run ours 2-4 times a month.

[Pelagic]

Hi Paul,
When I first got into owning my own sailboat after a career on power yachts I learned so much from the live a boards on CF.
I thought the Holy Grail was to never use the Generator and then I experienced the miserly affect that had on enjoying the comforts of home.
I have 1308 watts of Solar so when the sun shines, so does that Holy Grail...
But in rainy season, and this year we had 42 days of steady rain....you use your generator.

I liken it to hard core sailors who never turn on the engine.
Good for them, but not my style when getting anchored before night is the difference

My Gen consumes 2 liters an hour.... If I budget 6 liters a day that is about $4 a day which is the worst case scenario during the rainy monsoon season

[Symphony]

Thread Drift Warning:
All-electric homes in the 1960s got a Gold Medallion and the most special thing of all - the doorbell button had a tiny pilot light inside.

You could see the doorbell button lit from the street. I thought it was high class when I was delivering newspapers.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

Hi Paul,
When I first got into owning my own sailboat after a career on power yachts I learned so much from the live a boards on CF.
I thought the Holy Grail was to never use the Generator and then I experienced the miserly affect that had on enjoying the comforts of home.
I have 1308 watts of Solar so when the sun shines, so does that Holy Grail...
But in rainy season, and this year we had 42 days of steady rain....you use your generator.

I liken it to hard core sailors who never turn on the engine.
Good for them, but not my style when getting anchored before night is the difference

My Gen consumes 2 liters an hour.... If I budget 6 liters a day that is about $4 a day which is the worst case scenario during the rainy monsoon season

Certainly some people take the holier than thou approach to fossil fuels on a sailboat. We use the genset when we need it. While on passage to deal with the extra load and solar shading, bad weather that negates solar and occasionally when I want to generate a lot of water in short time. We don't sacrifice to not use the genset, we just have a boat setup so it is comfortable without needing it often. I would not want a cruising boat that relies on running the genset everyday. The added noise, heat, maintenance and in some cases not being able to leave the boat overnights with the fridge running. Its just not a tradeoff that works for me.
As far as fuel efficiency goes my experience with gensets is that they just don't use much diesel. With low hours we put on our genset I'm sure there are times when the cost of the oil and filter at change time is as much as the diesel I burnt since the last change.

[mako]

So what about the dependability of induction stoves? There are still computer chips inside and things that will go down if taking a lighting hit. What examples have any of you had with your unit going down?

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by makobuilders

So what about the dependability of induction stoves? There are still computer chips inside and things that will go down if taking a lighting hit. What examples have any of you had with your unit going down?

No breakdowns after six years of use, besides...... we have two of them and each one only costs $80 delivered to your doorstep. Why even worry about it?

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by makobuilders

So what about the dependability of induction stoves? There are still computer chips inside and things that will go down if taking a lighting hit. What examples have any of you had with your unit going down?

Good question,
I Googled Mean time between failures on Induction Stoves

Got this
https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist....o-buy-instead/
And This
Power Loss

The main complaint of some domestically made cooktops is that they lose power over time, and this can lead to longer cooking times, depending on the manufacturer and model. Commercial units designed to last for 30,000 hours have a typical lifespan of up to eight years, the equivalent of cooking 10 hours a day over the lifetime of the stove. When buying an induction cooktop, ask about the expected hours and lifespan of the unit in conjunction with the unit’s warranty.

Commercial Units More Reliable

If you plan to switch to an induction cooktop, make a list of the important elements that can increase the lifespan of the cooktop. For instance, the glass tops in domestic units are generally just over 1/10 inch thick, while commercial units run about 1/4 inch thick. The thicker glass makes the cooktop more durable when combined with an increased power rating and heavy-duty heating components. The higher power ratings reduce the amount of cooking time needed and extend the lifespan of the unit. For example, Falcon Industries, a United Kingdom-based commercial cooktop manufacturer and supplier, indicates that typical domestic models have an average of about 2,500 cooking hours in them, which means if you cook two hours a day, you can expect a lifespan of just over 3 1/2 years.

[hellosailor]

You guys keep talking about heating canned soup. I don't know, I checked all my cans and none of them says anything about "heat before use". In fact the vichyssoise says CHILL before eating. I think you're doing it all wrong.(G)

Much as induction looks nice, only my teapot would work on it. My cast iron skillet would work, if I let it near the water, but all the rest is sadly, a very nice non-stick non-ferrous lot that I just don't feel like replacing.

Boat stovetops/burners are like marine heads: Not the same as the real thing. A good home burner will be 10-13,000 btu, but on boats? You're lucky to get one at 10,000 and the others will likely be 7500 or 8500. Suitable for many things, but best at just simmering. I don't suppose induction cookers could be similarly rated for btus, since so much depends on the POT rather than the "burner". I've got to suspect they are not all created equal though.

[cj88]

Has anyone who has tried silicone mats on the induction cooktops noticed any difference in performance?