Electric camping stove

[Kim]

Okay, it's a Kickstarter, so it may never happen, but: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1103525718/morphcooker-the-all-in-one-electric-camp-stove

Cute versatile design, but the real question is the power source.  I'm guessing a power tool size battery, maybe 100Watt-hours or so?

Ah:

The Morphcooker is using high-end Lithium Ion batteries. It has 16 cells, where each is 2600 mAH at 3.7 volts, with 2 parallel groups of 8 in series, for a total of 29.6 volts at 5200 mAH.

Assuming 45g per 18650 cell, that's consistent with their quoted battery unit weight of 750g.  I suppose that's no worse than carrying a bottle of liquid hydrocarbons around, except one works for a meal and the other lasts a week or two.  Boils water at a speed that makes a Trangia look quick.

But ...if you can get access to it, electricity's a fairly universal fuel.  You're unlikely to start any fires with it.  You could safely use it indoors.  You can bake with it.  With sufficiently reliable solar charging (I'm picturing boats and velomobiles in warmer climates) you could be completely off-grid.


It's a bit niche, but I'm sure someone will find it useful.  Interesting that it's become practical, and an idea worth revisiting as the cost and energy density of batteries improves.

[cycleman]

Charge it of barakatas trice battery 

[mrcharly-YHT]

So it could bring roughly 1.5 l of water from 10C to a boil (although that would utterly flatten the batteries).

Very, very niche use. I see safety issues - amongst them the wet conditions+voltages. They'll have to be doing some serious testing and very high quality to have something that is definitely ok to cope with lithium batteries+liquids+damp conditions.

[PhilO]

I haven't looked at all the details yet, but I could see it being useful to out-of-the-boot-of-the-car campers, I suppose. Charge via the 'cigarette lighter' socket during the day while driving around the local sights, sort of thing. 

Come to think of it, it's a thought for a campervan. I wonder how much you'd have to expand the leisure battery bank in order to sensibly be able to avoid carrying gas?

[mrcharly-YHT]

I think we have people here who are knowledgeable about camper vans. I know a bit about living aboard boats.

Boats (apart from a few niche wierdos who go diesel-electric) don't use electric cookers.

It's really hard to beat the energy density of gas (volume and weight), despite it being *REALLY* dangerous on a boat. People even use alcohol, or diesel. People do use microwaves, just not electric hotplates. They are terribly inefficient ways to cook.

Something like a Remoska might work, but it is a very single-use device. You wouldn't use it to make a cup of tea.

[JennyB]

I haven't looked at all the details yet, but I could see it being useful to out-of-the-boot-of-the-car campers, I suppose. Charge via the 'cigarette lighter' socket during the day while driving around the local sights, sort of thing. 

Come to think of it, it's a thought for a campervan. I wonder how much you'd have to expand the leisure battery bank in order to sensibly be able to avoid carrying gas?

Given that a single hotplate pulls 600 watts, I think the only solution for 'cook all you want electric off-grid' would be an EV camper with a massive solar panel on top. Else someone linked to a VW conversion with a claimed daily no-charge range of 50 miles.

[Polar Bear]

It will have appeal to a certain segment of society.  Electric lookup at camp sites being used by folk with basic facilities in their eNV200 or other campervan would perhaps like the idea.  If you want to cook paella for 20 hungry cyclists it might be less practical as it stands.

[Torslanda]

Beat me to it . . . 

Might be slightly better in a high wind?

[Gattopardo]

Haven't read the article, so I know everything about the thing 

Is there a major issue with people burning themselves on camping stoves?

[Kim]

Is there a major issue with people burning themselves on camping stoves?

Much like soldering, I consider the occasional burnt finger to be part of their charm.

But the device in the article was inspired by someone who managed to set their tent on fire.  Which, presumably, does happen from time to time (to the point where I consider it prudent to have a sharp knife to hand when cooking in a tent porch).  Also, there have been a couple of high-profile carbon monoxide poisoning incidents.

Presumably these sort of accidents are more likely to happen to inexperienced campers, and inexperienced campers are less likely to be affected by the disadvantages of a limited fuel supply (indeed, they may well have electricity available from a hook-up or vehicle).  So there's logic there.

[Butterfly]

I should think it would apeal to the Surf van type campervanners which sometimes use a briefcase stove. It's a very nice looking piece of kit. An awful lot of people have electric hook or a big solar panel so they coulld use it without the charging concerns with the ability to make a cup of tea on the beach if they want. There are also a lot of people who are nervous of gas stoves. For many campers it will be an ideal piece of kit, but I'm not sure it would be of use to us.  I think having no flame blowing in the wind is a good idea though.

[Kim]

The other thought that occurs is that if you want to use a limited supply of electricity to boil water, this isn't the way to do it.  An insulated container with an immersed heating element is the way to go for that.  Potentially a follow-up product designed to use the same battery pack?  It would still be in the league of trangias and leftpondian electric kettles for speed, but when you're camping that sort of thing rarely matters.

[sojournermike]

I have a strong suspicion that you'll never burn your sausages again;)

Nice idea, but the energy density of Lithium Ion is far inferior to liquid hydrocarbons (or wood) and it is to some extent solving a problem that oesn't afflict many.*

I'm not really convinced yet - are we cooking on gas

Mike


* I was amused to be told yesterday of the experience of one of my graduate colleagues who had a friend on a D of E expedition, who replicated one of my old mates single attempt to refill a burning Trangia from the meths bottle! Youth is at least consistent in its folly.

[Kim]

Actually, let's spin this another way:

How about if Bosch/Makita/DeWalt/etc offered this as one of their more obscure applications for their established battery system?  I think Makita already offer an underwhelming LXT-battery-powered coffee machine...

[SA_SA_SA_SA]

I don't really get it:

if on a camp site with charging ability (because of 240V 16A hookup) why not just use a
waterproof 240V electric hotplate at your tent(obviously that would need invented by someother kickstarter   person/ company etc)
otherwise if
in the wild why not use meths/gas without worry of recharging and high energy density (plus I like the smell of meths in the morning)
otherwise
I suppose there might be a limited market for Duke of Edinburgh style things wishing to avoid flames but I suspect muppets will simply find a new electrical stove way to injure themselves.

[cycleman]

Just needs a handle to turn and charge the battery ,simples 

[sojournermike]

Just needs a handle to turn and charge the battery ,simples 

Keeps you warm 3 times.

[sojournermike]

I don't really get it:

if on a camp site with charging ability (because of 240V 16A hookup) why not just use a
waterproof 240V electric hotplate at your tent(obviously that would need invented by someother kickstarter   person/ company etc)
otherwise if
in the wild why not use meths/gas without worry of recharging and high energy density (plus I like the smell of meths in the morning)
otherwise
I suppose there might be a limited market for Duke of Edinburgh style things wishing to avoid flames but I suspect muppets will simply find a new electrical stove way to injure themselves.

With a 16 amp electric hookup you could just about run 2 ikea portable induction bobs and do some proper hi end cookery. Has anyone tried one yet?

[canny colin]

We bought an electric induction hot plate from Ikea last year . Was great on holiday , it heats up a kettle of water as fast as gas  . We used it in the  awning to save us getting eaten alive by midges in Glencoe  & blown away  on the isle of mull

[sojournermike]

Interesting. Wonder if it would be useful on the summer camp trip.