Electric cooktop

[Walker]

Thank you all for your suggestions. Is there any way to safely use a 5 or 20 pound propane bottle inside the van? I don't have the propane door and I often just want to cook something quickly in the van.

[daveb]

I do know of at least one post where the member did what I am doing except instead of routing the inlet outside they rigged it where they could spin on a small bottle inside to fuel the propane cook top in the van. I doubt SMB would do this due to regulations but I really don't see the difference between that and using a portable propane or butane stove inside

[WVvan]

I'm not a thermal engineer but the Summit CR1115 uses a radiant element which I'm betting isn't as energy efficient as an electric burner that uses heat conduction like this Waring SB30 1300-Watt Portable Single Burner. Note: I just picked this model burner at random from Amazon.

When I'm running a high drain electrical device and don't want to tax the house batteries I just start the van. At current gas prices my 6 cylinder engine costs around $.05 a minute on idle. Since I don't spend a long time cooking this works for me.

[chromisdesigns]

Originally Posted by Walker

Thank you all for your suggestions. Is there any way to safely use a 5 or 20 pound propane bottle inside the van? I don't have the propane door and I often just want to cook something quickly in the van.

Not according to US standards, anyway. The Brits and some others do it all the time...! Local standards vary by country. Your insurance company would probably frown severely on it, in any case.

There IS a definite risk -- at least in the US, propane tanks have built-in pressure relief valves that vent to atmosphere if the internal tank pressure gets too high -- which could happen if somebody overfills your tank, or it gets really hot -- van in the sun during the summer, maybe? I have a home jewelry studio, and had my 5-pound tank vent on me once after some idiot at the gas company overfilled it. I have propane detector in the studio and it went off. For me, it's a calculated risk -- I can't really do without it, and the studio is pretty well ventilated anyway. I wouldn't do it in a van without a sealed vented compartment.

You can safely **use** a portable propane bottle inside, but you can't **store** it inside.

The only way around it is a sealed compartment like they use on boats, vented to the outside. You can buy them from marine suppliers.

[edroid]

Originally Posted by chromisdesigns

But, if I were getting one to cook on regularly, this is the one I would get:

http://www.amazon.com/Iwatani-000BTU-Po ... B00522F2R2

Costs over 3 times what I paid for mine, but with 15,000 BTU it equals the burners on my pro-style gas range. That's anywhere from half-again to twice what a normal house gas range burner puts out.

I second the Iwatani 15,000 BTU stove. It is WAY higher quality than the one I bought from Sportsmobile (but, yes, 3 times the cost). It gets scary hot but also can settles down to a nice simmer. Only disadvantage is that it is not good in wind. I've made a windscreen out of heavy duty aluminum foil.

I also take a Jet Boil stove along. It is unbeatable for boiling water REALLY quickly.

I use the Iwatani for cooking meals and the jet boil for all my caffeine needs. Great combo.

[Tapatio]

I use this for heating water in the morning when I don't feel like using our outdoor stove.

http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-200000...=coleman+stove

[Walker]

Thank you all for your comments, suggestions and ideas. Not really sure which direction I will go, if anyone else has any ideas for cooking inside the van I would like to continue hearing from you.

[geoffff]

Originally Posted by chromisdesigns

But, if I were getting one to cook on regularly, this is the one I would get:

http://www.amazon.com/Iwatani-000BTU-Po ... B00522F2R2

Costs over 3 times what I paid for mine, but with 15,000 BTU it equals the burners on my pro-style gas range. That's anywhere from half-again to twice what a normal house gas range burner puts out.

I just bought an Iwatani butane stove to try it out. Some notes (compared to my current butane stove, a "Home Power HP5000"):

• The flame does appear to be bigger and hotter.[/*:m:3fxtjwp1]
• The flame-control knob is very loose/wobbly.[/*:m:3fxtjwp1]
• The butane gas can shake loose! The magnetic gas canister holder is nifty, but it can easily shake loose. I managed to do it just putting the stove away in its case, and wouldn't have noticed except I heard the faint hissing noise of a gas leak.[/*:m:3fxtjwp1]
• The case is a tiny bit wider, so it doesn't fit handle-out into my side-door cabinet like my old stove. I have to stand it on end to get it in there.[/*:m:3fxtjwp1]
• The case is wimpy. It's thinner and the latches are poor.[/*:m:3fxtjwp1]

I think I will stick with my old Home Power HP5000 stove for now.

-- Geoff