New to the forum, so I'll spend some time browsing thru all the postings and maybe I'll ask a question or two.

Recently I started converting my B250 van into a small RV. I deal with a lot of woodworking, but hope to be quite specific on solar as well.

Follow my progress on cargovanconversion.com

 

Nice website. For the solar and battery setup you should run your designs past Landyacht318. He's the resident expert in those departments. Even I don't challenge his advice in those areas, and that's saying a lot.

 

Thanks for the referral; I'll check him out.

Van.

 

After my last post, I took a short brake, but now I’m refreshed and at it again. We are in the final stretch of the multi purpose cabinet and next time I hope to have it ready to install in the (cargo) van conversion.

Follow my progress on cargovanconversion.com

 

As I am struggling a bit to finish the multi-use cabinet, the next phase of the van conversion will entail some of the wiring for the off-grid electrical system. Before any new cabinets are built, cables have to be laid. At the same time, buying a battery charger, inverter, some batteries and an induction cooktop, will give give me ever more use of the van, while the conversion is underway.

Follow my progress on cargovanconversion.com

 

YOu seem to be really good with wood... well that is an understatement... your planning and work on your interior is amazing. However, I wonder how you are going to cook with an inducion cooktop on battery power. I know the principle of induction cooking, but I would think that the physics of the power it uses (amount of batteries needed) and the inversion of DC to AC would be prohibtive in a small camper. Propane on the other hand is cheap and relativley light weight to cook with. I used to have a propane stove I could attach to the back door of the van when it was open and that would allow me to cook standing outside. Unless it was raining, that worked well for me and kept the mess and smell outside the van. I am curious as to how you are going to proceed...

Roger

 

The cabinet, I'm working on right now, will house the cooktop, so to have the use of it before the van conversion is finished, I'll install one. The plans include a propane cooktop and a propane heater both connected to a propane tank located underneath the frame.
To postpone and/or avoid working on the propane tank and lines, I wanted to try out the induction cook plate. Cooking with induction is great and, especially in the van, a lot safer than propane. And you avoid or limit co2, moisture, etc.
Price-wise, it is probably a toss-up, cheaper than propane (solar) and may avoid a propane tank altogether, if I can find a different solution for the heating. More expensive for the increased capacity needed for the inverter.
Cooking in or at the van will be limited to some tea and a small meal and expect that to be 20-30 min a day at about 700W/AC. That's about 6.5 Ah x 10 (from AC to DC) = 65 Ah divided by 2 or 3 = 20-30 Amp use a day. With a four 6V battery bank of approx. 400Ah and a max. availability of 200Ah (50%), that should pose no problems.
As I said, it may not be the final solution, but worth to try out. Electrical usage in a van or RV is a major issue but so is safety. I will post my experiences on my website cargovanconversion.com

 

4 6 volts will give you more than 400 A/h total, but your 700 watt induction cooktop will draw close to 800 when powered by an inverter.

When one factors in the Peukert effect, which basically says the larger the load on a battery, the less overall capacity it will be able to provide, then your battery life calculations are extremely optimistic.


I fully understand the safety aspects of CO and cooking in a Van. I've already made coffee, and some breakfast burritos inside my Van this morning.

It's all about ventilation. I got two variable speed computer muffin fans counter rotating inline, exhausting hot air from my roof, and several others I use as intake fans, when needed.

Since ventilation is needed for comfort anyway, I have no problem using propane. The biggest negative about propane in my experience was being deep in Baja, and running out of the little green bottles.

I get about 3 weeks per bottle cooking at least 2 meals a day and coffee once each morning.

I have thought about getting a sideways mounted 5 gallon propane bottle and putting it under the Van, but pretty much quit going to Baja due to the proliferation of Crystal Meth down there n the out of the way placed I used to frequent.

Effin' tweekers.

 

Give your situation and ingenuity, I'm a little surprised you haven't tried to build a solar furnace.

Really not much to it and it should work 200 days out of the year easy in the southwest states and Mexico.

 

I agree with most of what you said, which is also the reason for me to experiment with the induction. I have found some theoretical anecdotes on the subject online, but hardly any practical information. Some real-life experience may do the trick.

Sorry to hear about the deteriorating circumstances of life in the Baja. I spent the winter there (and on the mainland) several times, so many years ago. Great out-of-the-way locations!