# Induction vs electric vs alcohol stove?



## guitarguy56 (Oct 10, 2012)

Ok... so I am remodeling my galley and have the opportunity to take out the old Origo alcohol stove out and put in my choice of stove cooktop... I'm leaning towards the induction cooktops as they are safe (no heat involved) and easy to clean cooktop... most of my cooking will be done while moored or in the slip... I have a portable propane cooktop if need be during voyages... the induction cooktop can also be used while under way since one is 1500 watts and the other is 1300 watts and you can input any wattage between 200-1500 on either of them... they are very efficient and the cooktop is warm to the touch after the pot is removed so it is very safe in my viewpoint actually safer than alcohol or propane... even the regular electric cooktop is unsafe due to the lingering heat of the elements... would this be safe being that it's a magnetic cooktop and might cause electrical interference to the boat's electronics? Am I being too cautious?

Nick


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## chucklesR (Sep 17, 2007)

Those are of course only good if you have space for two (one not electric), or a generator, or a large inverter and battery bank. 

Add those watt rating up - and consider you only have 30 amps at the pier.


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## guitarguy56 (Oct 10, 2012)

Yes... I would be only using one cooktop at a time... I have the Honda 2000 watt generator as well... cooking time with these units is under 10 minutes at most... heating water only takes 3 - 4 minutes... so not much to power them up... sure we have 3300 watts at the pier and that's plenty... we're not running all the electrical items at the same time while at the slip... most of my lights on the boat are LED's... only one not LED is at the mast.


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## tomperanteau (Jun 4, 2009)

It would work as long as you don't try to use it while out. Or at least if you did, you would have to have a LOT of solar and wind to compensate. Cooking anything on a stove top will take time to heat, and that time will also be draining battery banks, as Chuckles eluded to. If you're only going to use it at the marina, then you will probably be okay.


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## guitarguy56 (Oct 10, 2012)

All good points... there are two units, one is 1500 watts and the other is 1300 watts the 1300 watt unit being the smaller one is great for heating liquids, etc... Induction heating is very fast and efficient for heating and warming and can be used almost like a microwave oven to 'warm' foods as opposed to 'cooking' the foods, so it should be excellent when away from the slip... the induction cooktops have variable wattages so they are perfect for conserving electrical needs of the battery... and as mentioned I have the 2000 watt Honda generator for use while away from the slip...


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## tomperanteau (Jun 4, 2009)

Sounds like you have a plan. As long as you keep an eye on usage you should be fine. My approach comes from planning for an extended amount of time away from the dock, but yours does not, so sounds like you have a good idea of what you need.


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## sailordave (Jun 26, 2001)

And you can only use pots/pans that are made for induction heating...


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## Stumble (Feb 2, 2012)

Alcohol vs electric is its own issue, but electric vs induction is a no brainer. 

Induction is faster, safer, and uses less power.


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## wind_magic (Jun 6, 2006)

It is funny, I have three ways of cooking and you didn't list any of them!

I use wood, rarely a microwave, and very rarely white gas.


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## woodwrite09 (Sep 16, 2012)

Interesting,.... back in the 80's I had an old Chesapeake-built 32 ft ketch with a small wood stove,.. and freestanding, at that. Not only prepares meals, but makes for a cozy ambiance in the winter. Those were the days, eh? Aside from that, alcohol stoves have always been adequate for my purposes.


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## Lake Superior Sailor (Aug 23, 2011)

Your boat could be getting to customized and you may not be adaptable, Why LED'S if your at the dock? Or maybe a cottage at the lake? My boats about freedom,something hard to find around the world...Dale


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## Alex W (Nov 1, 2012)

A good deep cycle golf cart battery has a capacity of 6v * 220ah = 1320 w/h. That is to full drain, but the common wisdom is not to drain these batteries more than half way. So using your induction stove for one hour will require two batteries that weigh around 60-70lbs each. This is the whole house bank on a typical small cruising sailboat.

Your Origo alcohol stove will run for many many hours on one gallon of fuel. It is very safe to use as well (much safer than pressurized alcohol stoves) and is pretty efficient. I can't see any reason to have an electric stove on a sailboat.

In transient slips around here shore power usually costs $3/day. That will buy you a new gallon of fuel for your alcohol stove every 3 days. So it's also cheaper.

I personally don't really get the desire to use high power devices on sailboats. I hate dealing with the shore power cable and see it as a necessary evil to keep a dehumidifier running in the winter. I look forward to summer and not needing to hook up my shore power anymore.


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

Alex W said:


> ..... I can't see any reason to have an electric stove on a sailboat.
> 
> In transient slips around here shore power usually costs $3/day. That will buy you a new gallon of fuel for your alcohol stove every 3 days. So it's also cheaper.
> 
> I personally don't really get the desire to use high power devices on sailboats. I hate dealing with the shore power cable and see it as a necessary evil to keep a dehumidifier running in the winter. I look forward to summer and not needing to hook up my shore power anymore.


I'm with you there, Mr W!!.. completely don't get setting yourself up to rely on electricity to make even a cup of coffee. Origo/alchohol if you must, or a proper propane installation makes more sense.. even for powerboats, IMO.


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## guitarguy56 (Oct 10, 2012)

Alex W said:


> A good deep cycle golf cart battery has a capacity of 6v * 220ah = 1320 w/h. That is to full drain, but the common wisdom is not to drain these batteries more than half way. So using your induction stove for one hour will require two batteries that weigh around 60-70lbs each. This is the whole house bank on a typical small cruising sailboat.
> 
> Your Origo alcohol stove will run for many many hours on one gallon of fuel. It is very safe to use as well (much safer than pressurized alcohol stoves) and is pretty efficient. I can't see any reason to have an electric stove on a sailboat.
> 
> ...


Alex... all good points... but my electrical knowledge would tell me my deep cycle battery is 12v @ 480 amp/hr = 5760 w/hr... certainly enough to cover a good weeks worth of the induction stove use since it is the most efficient of all electrical stoves... second I only use it while on the dock... again very efficient, third I thought I mentioned the 2000 watt Honda generator.... surely that is 10 plus hours on little over 1 gallon... more electrical needs than I need for weeks of the induction ovens use... maybe you need to read up on it... sure it might seem like it's 1500 watts but that is 1500/hr and the stove only uses less than 5-10 minutes total per 'on' time so that is 1500/6= 250/hr use of electrical watts used per 10 minutes time... very efficient... 4 minutes or less to boil a pan of water... then while offshore I have a propane stove I 'might' use on occasion... rarely would I even cook during a day or two sail... I would just make prepared food or quick meals... did I mention I also have a 700 watt microwave and it works perfectly fine also while on shore power and offshore too?  I think anything flammable is not going to be inside this boat and only gasoline to power the outboard and generator will be in the cockpit in it's appropriate vented location.


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

I went for a 4-burner electric cooktop and oven on the new "Zanshin" so that there would be no propane inside the boat (I have a propane aft for the BBQ, and as a reserve cooking mechanism). The system works incredibly well, I turn on the inverter for the hobs, have instant hot plates or oven, then finish off with a cool kitchen a couple of minutes later.
I was skeptical about electric cooking aboard before I went this way and now I'm happy I chose it.


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## Alex W (Nov 1, 2012)

480 ah 12 v is a huge battery, I assume that is a battery bank made of four individual batteries. I was giving the capacity of an individual battery, not a full bank. 

It sounds like your mind is already made up. If you like the idea of an electric stove than just install one. 

We all have different approaches to how we sail and what we want to carry aboard. I have no desire to carry 350lbs of batteries or a generator so it would never occur to me to use an electric stove on a sailboat. I enjoy cooking so my stove gets regular use. As a result an electric stove would never make sense for me. It sounds like you have a different set of priorities and objectives.

Your model for fuel/electric use of the stove is overly simple. Boiling 2 gallons of water to make crabs will use twice the power (or stove time) as boiling a gallon of water to make pasta. Making brown rice will take more power than making instant oats just due to the longer simmer time and convective heat losses. If you only boil 1 liter of water at a time then you can make a simple model like one stove use is 10 minutes of full on time. However for your very limited use of the stove it sounds like you'll be fine.


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## guitarguy56 (Oct 10, 2012)

Yes mind and galley is already made up... stoves (2) are in both won't be used at the same time although they can as long as the total wattage does not exceed over 2500 watts... they are working great and haven't had a glitch... they cook as described, don't need special pots as many have said, there is a metal cook surface you put on top of the stove if you have non metal pots but I have special pots to use on the stoves... the batteries are 12v 8D batteries and I have two of them and they only total 200 lbs... plus only one is used for the cooktop use the other is used for general use on the boat to run electronics, lights, etc... I'm planing on installing a flexible solar panel I have that is used in the roofing industry and is blue in color that will be on top of the cockpit dodger I will be getting made... two of these solar panels are all I think I need to keep these batteries in tip top shape... this will be of course after the sailboat is brought back to Savannah, GA. where we get a little more sun.


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## Alex W (Nov 1, 2012)

Why ask what others thing about stove options if you've already made up your mind? You could have just presented this as a "here is my project" type of thread.

The 8D deep cell batteries that I've seen weigh 150lbs each, so my estimate was a little off, but not a lot. 

I'm curious about the solar panel fabric that you are using. Do you have more information on it, specifically the watts generated per square meter or other useful metrics?


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## guitarguy56 (Oct 10, 2012)

I asked about the magnetic interference of the induction stove elements against the compass and other electronic equipment... no one answered and I did some basic tests to see if I got interference and I didn't so I installed the stoves... will need to go out further and do some tests though... the solar cells are Dow's solar roof shingles... the ones I have are the earlier versions without the glass inbedded and they are fully flexible like a hard fabric... they are 18 inches wide and 8 feet long... they have 8 solar cells in each panel, each solar cell produces 12 volts @ 18 watts so 8 panels produces 144 watts... I have two of these panels on hand. The new DOW panels are single panels and have a more rigid glass surface but are still flexible and need to be nailed/screwed onto a rigid panel... see here: 

www DOT dowpowerhouse DOT com/why-powerhouse/index.htm

So if I get the dodger made to accomodate the 2 solar panels I should have 288 watts/hr going to my solar controller and into my 2 batteries... hopefully.


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## davidpm (Oct 22, 2007)

guitarguy56 said:


> So if I get the dodger mage to accomodate the 2 solar panels I should have 288 watts/hr going to my solar controller and into my 2 batteries... hopefully.


So how many watts do you have to reserve for your electric guitar


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## guitarguy56 (Oct 10, 2012)

> So how many watts do you have to reserve for your electric guitar


An acoustic guitar needs no electrical watts since they were invented some 300 years ago? :laugher


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## miatapaul (Dec 15, 2006)

I could see using an induction Hot plate when at dockside for convenience. But not as a main cooking source unless I had a nice big boat like Zanshin, I assume he has a onboard generator to charge his batteries. No way would I want to go to the trouble of hooking up a portable generator to be able to cook, if my batteries were low. Two eight foot long solar panels? Where? Why not minimize your electrical demand if you want to go solar?

My only issue with alcohol stoves is that they give me a headache, so I am stuck with propane. Of course I like to cook, so I really like to cook over a flame, not electric. Can't stand cooking on Electric.


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## guitarguy56 (Oct 10, 2012)

miatapaul said:


> I could see using an induction Hot plate when at dockside for convenience. But not as a main cooking source unless I had a nice big boat like Zanshin, I assume he has a onboard generator to charge his batteries. No way would I want to go to the trouble of hooking up a portable generator to be able to cook, if my batteries were low. Two eight foot long solar panels? Where? Why not minimize your electrical demand if you want to go solar?
> 
> My only issue with alcohol stoves is that they give me a headache, so I am stuck with propane. Of course I like to cook, so I really like to cook over a flame, not electric. Can't stand cooking on Electric.


Don't understand the difficulty in what I've done and why one version is better than the other unless one has tried it... it works perfectly for me... the boat is not an ocean going vessel, not going to Hawaii or New Zealand with it... coasting up and down the Puget Sound area in close vicinity of less than 20 mile or less radius, maybe go to Anacortes, San Juans, Port Townsend, etc.... so not much cooking going on there... mostly the stoves are for use during moorage or while in the slip... don't see what the negative reaction is... it's the same reaction when a computer is given to a senior citizen... at first it's 'why do I need that electronic junk, I can read a newspaper or book'... but seniors are embrazing the digital age slowly... after all you're on this forum on a computer on the internet... 'ya ain't reading this on a book are ya?'. Any fuel used whether it's kerosene, propane, alcohol, butane, even wood is full of it's own dangers both to health (carbon monoxide, inhaling soot, smoke, etc.) and fire danger (open flames, oil spitting/falling onto open flames, etc.) to the boat (many flamable objects in close proximity to the stove like seat cushions, etc.)... why use it, why risk it? To each his own... I've chosen mine... 

Regarding the solar panels... Yes... 8 feet long 18 inches wide and as flexible as a 1/8th inch plastic panels... in fact I have it rolled up as we speak in a coil that is only 12 inches diameter stored for use... they work fantastic... so when I get ready to get my dodger made they'll be incorporated on top of the dodger getting all that glorious sun in Georgia/Florida...


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## inprin (May 5, 2011)

If you haven't already gotten rid of your origo and it is in good condition Iwould be interested. Email to iprince at roushfenway dot com


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## Bob142 (May 27, 2012)

Does your induction cooktop work with your inverter?


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## guitarguy56 (Oct 10, 2012)

Bob142 said:


> Does your induction cooktop work with your inverter?


Bob... the induction cooktop is running on the slip power and with a switch to convert to inverter power from the batteries.... it is very efficient (98% efficient compared to any other form of cooking)...

Inprin... the old Origo stove was tossed in the garbage... not useful when it was replaced with the induction stove... didn't want to buy replacement parts for it... the induction stove is very cool to work on and clean... nothing like it... may even replace the electric stove at home for an induction cooktop surface!


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## Bob142 (May 27, 2012)

I have been cooking with induction at home, work and on the boat on shore power for a couple of years...but when I plug in to my inverter it doesn't work...it is a 1750 inverter so I am going to try a 3000...


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## Razcar (Jan 23, 2013)

This may sound like a chop shop type idea that others poo poo in other threads, but how about those ultralight hiking stoves that use pressurized white gas (and can also burn diesel, gasoline, kerosene, and rum)? It's super light, lights like a rocket engine and is rather self contained.... someone tell me it's a bad idea...


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## wind_magic (Jun 6, 2006)

Razcar said:


> This may sound like a chop shop type idea that others poo poo in other threads, but how about those ultralight hiking stoves that use pressurized white gas (and can also burn diesel, gasoline, kerosene, and rum)? It's super light, lights like a rocket engine and is rather self contained.... someone tell me it's a bad idea...


The only thing I don't like about these on a boat is that they can really only be used when the boat is steady, and they are best in a quiet little cove at anchor.


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## Alex W (Nov 1, 2012)

Razcar said:


> This may sound like a chop shop type idea that others poo poo in other threads, but how about those ultralight hiking stoves that use pressurized white gas (and can also burn diesel, gasoline, kerosene, and rum)? It's super light, lights like a rocket engine and is rather self contained.... someone tell me it's a bad idea...


They throw up high flames when they are priming, flames that are likely to catch curtains over your stove area on fire.

White gas is highly refined gasoline, and not something that I want to carry a lot of on my boat, especially inside the cabin.

Alcohol stoves (like the Origo) are a lot simpler, effective, and safer.


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## wind_magic (Jun 6, 2006)

Alex W said:


> They throw up high flames when they are priming, flames that are likely to catch curtains over your stove area on fire.
> 
> White gas is highly refined gasoline, and not something that I want to carry a lot of on my boat, especially inside the cabin.
> 
> Alcohol stoves (like the Origo) are a lot simpler, effective, and safer.


Mine doesn't do all that, I have a multi-fuel version that also uses kerosene. Like I said, I like it, the only thing I don't like about it is that it doesn't have a good surface on top so only works when your boat is very steady.


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## davidpm (Oct 22, 2007)

Bob142 said:


> I have been cooking with induction at home, work and on the boat on shore power for a couple of years...but when I plug in to my inverter it doesn't work...it is a 1750 inverter so I am going to try a 3000...


Let us know how it works.?
What model are you using.
It will be interesting to know how many amps it draws.


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## davidpm (Oct 22, 2007)

guitarguy56 said:


> Regarding the solar panels... Yes... 8 feet long 18 inches wide and as flexible as a 1/8th inch plastic panels... in fact I have it rolled up as we speak in a coil that is only 12 inches diameter stored for use... they work fantastic... so when I get ready to get my dodger made they'll be incorporated on top of the dodger getting all that glorious sun in Georgia/Florida...


Which panel are you using?
What kind of real world output are you getting?


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## guitarguy56 (Oct 10, 2012)

davidpm said:


> Which panel are you using?
> What kind of real world output are you getting?


David... the solar panels are in Savannah, GA... I'm up here in Seattle... so the panels will not be installed on the dodger till I get the sailboat down there... but regarding the power it's 144 watts at 12v and it's very efficient at charging 2 banks of 12v batteries... I have two of these panels and looking forward to getting them installed.

Regarding the inverter... make sure it is a 'pure sine wave' type inverter... mine is a 2000 watt Prosine unit... very costly unit >$500... brought it some time back in Savannah and brought it up here with the cooktop... it works perfectly.

I'll take a picture of the unit tomorrow sometime... try to post it online...


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