Hi,I hate burning propane--so I tried this today.I put two eggs (in the shell) inside the four cup drip coffee pot.I filled it with water, then poured the water into the reservoir.Then I made coffee and waited 25 minutes.End result was two nicely hard cooked eggs.The coffee pot initially uses about 530 watts for seven minutes. Then it cycles once every three minutes for 13 seconds.I know that 15 minutes was not enough time. I suspect I'll try 20 minutes next time to try to get a nicely soft boiled egg.

I'm a little lost in your math, you probably calculated total minutes during this cycling. Normally, 10 minutes of continuous boiling is enough, from my experience. Yes, propane is bad. Running your car engine is bad too. Nobody cares until it;s too late (which it probably is, already). CO2 emissions from China increased 30 times in the last 10 years, making it #1 polluter in the world. In the US, the only time when emissions temporarily dropped, was during the recent recession, and not because people got smarter but because economy slowed down and people stopped driving and buying like crazy, for a short while.

I LOVE these home-brew experiments. The "problem" with gas cooking is that sometimes it's warm inside the rig and cooking with gas only makes it worse. A lot of heat bypasses the job at hand. Boiling eggs seems to be one of the worst energy offenders.I love soft boiled eggs. Three-minute variety. But too frequently, things go wrong. Is there a better way to handle a hot egg while preparing it to rest on my wonderful buttered toast?I have to be careful with non purified water down here. Domestic water is so hard I swear I could pour it out and it would stand in a lump. It would coat my coffeemaker's tubes to look like Carlsbad Caverns in no time.Scmoozing your thread Don, is there a really good brand of ELECTRIC GRIDDLE with a lid that is appropriate for use in an RV?

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:I have to be careful with non purified water down here. Domestic water is so hard I swear I could pour it out and it would stand in a lump.You need a good submicron or RO filter cartridge. They are not that expensive. Scmoozing your thread Don, is there a really good brand of ELECTRIC GRIDDLE with a lid that is appropriate for use in an RV?Any electric kettle is good, as long as it is small enough. Unfortunately they are all big, 1 liter or more. None of them is really good in RV, IMO, because they all need +1,000W inverter. 12V kettles are so slow that are nearly useless.

Where is the electric hot plate? I have an old one from the '50s if you want it.

pianotuna wrote:Hi,I hate burning propane--so I tried this today.I put two eggs (in the shell) inside the four cup drip coffee pot.I filled it with water, then poured the water into the reservoir.Then I made coffee and waiting 25 minutes.End result was two nicely hard cooked eggs.The coffee pot initially uses about 530 watts for seven minutes. Then it cycles once every three minutes for 13 seconds.I know that 15 minutes was not enough time. I suspect I'll try 20 minutes next time to try to get a nicely soft boiled egg.Very clever! I am guessing it didnt make the coffee taste odd?We bought one of these gadget charging campstoves on an impulse when we were wandering around the mall a few months ago. No propane needed. Kind of a gimmick but my grandkids think its the coolest thing in the world.

energy saving cooking | Good Sam Community

bananadanna
Explorer
May 24, 2013
2oldman wrote:
What's the problem with burning propane?

Not much really.

Propane burner typically transfers ~35% of the heat into the pot. Almost twice that for a mag unit.

IIRC, every propane molecule yields two water molecules when burned. Mostly a winter problem.

But propane (or extension cord mag unit) outdoors makes those moot questions.
bananadanna
Explorer
May 24, 2013
pianotuna wrote:
Hi bannanadanna,

Can they be used with MSW or will that let out the magic blue smoke?

Sorry to tell you I have a psw inverter.

Anyone else out there with msw experience on a mag unit?

Piano,

Tell us the results if you risk the $65 or reach Sunpentown support!

Dan
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
May 24, 2013
bananadanna wrote:
Immersion heating elements are pretty efficient for heating liquids.

We use a Sunpentown 1200w (ten levels) magnetic induction burner. It flips a mag field in any ferrous material ---the pan is hotter than the cooktop.

Approximately twice the energy is transferred to the utensil vs propane.

Great for hot weather, no propane water vapor, much safer in confined quarters.

WM has 1300w models for $65.

How do the induction cooktops work (or don't) with a modified sine wave inverter?

I guess folks from say Port Alberni Victoria find it hard to believe that using a live flame in an RV is not the smartest thing to do when it is hot and sweaty. Using A/C, one stupid stove burner seems to kill off most of the benefits of a roof air going full speed.

Similar to a small microwave in power requirements.
mena661
Explorer
May 24, 2013
2oldman wrote:
What's the problem with burning propane?
I don't see a problem with it. I burn that stuff all the time. If I didn't, I wouldn't be able to cook or heat my house.
2oldman
Explorer II
May 24, 2013
What's the problem with burning propane?
Almot
Explorer III
May 24, 2013
Deleted - double post
Almot
Explorer III
May 24, 2013
ctpres wrote:
Try this for getting your water boiled. No electric needed
Solar water heater

It probably has its niche, though I don't know where. Boiling 2 cups in it takes 2 hours. I don't think I would want to carry this "solar boiler" even on wilderness hiking and kayaking trips, not to mention Rv-ing.

It would take very little propane - and very little time - to do this on LP stove. One green Coleman cartridge of propane contains 1 lb (!), and it always lasted me more than 5 days in a tent, sometimes 8-9 days, with hot meals twice a day and countless cups of tea and coffee. 20 lb tank will last you several months, if used for stove only. It's fridge and furnace that are eating up most of your propane, - not the stove.
ctpres
Explorer
May 24, 2013
Try this for getting your water boiled. No electric needed
Solar water heater
Canadian_Rainbi
Explorer
May 24, 2013
pianotuna wrote:
Hi Jim,

. . . . . .. BTW don't EVER try to do an egg in the shell in a microwave. They explode in a serious fashion.

Poke a pin through the shell, make sure it pierces the yolk sack too. Prevents explosions.
Almot
Explorer III
May 24, 2013
doxiemom11 wrote:
Sometimes it's cold and I want some heat to transfer into the room to help warm us up!

Yes, I enjoy making morning tea and reheating breakfast on propane stove (don't usually cook anything in the morning) and warming up the room at the same time. Because I don't boondock when (and where) nights are too hot. Then I suddenly find myself keeping the flame on, when it's no longer needed, and then I want to open the door or window because it became too humid and no fresh air.

Diverting heat from compressor fridge into room is much better for heating than running a propane stove. But LP fridges are not too suitable for this.

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