Mobile Induction cooking for 12 hours possible?

[Jrnozid]

Hi! I'm new here and know nothing much about solar power but can learn very quick. I just wanted to know is it possible to power only a 1800w induction cooker to run 600-800w for 12hours not continuously but maybe with an interval of 40min-60min with a solar panel, inverter and a battery which can be mobile and space and size wise like around 5-10 feet? Would only be doing deep frying for around 5-10 minutes then just maintain heat or totally just turn the thing off until I need to deep fry again. I've searched the forums and net and I kinda think it would be hard to do so since you need a large panel to do this? I might be wrong but thats why I'm here.

[Logan005]

Do you have access to grid power or natural gas? If you are off grid "propane" would be better for heating fry oil. Solar PV is not good for heating loads.

[Jrnozid]

Well the thing is I'm trying to change from propane to solar power. Ohh so you are sayong it wouldn't be efficient to power up an induction cooker at 600-800 watts?

[Logan005]

Yes, If you have a spare $10K, it can be done. Again, solar PV is not good for heating loads.

[Logan005]

Save big bucks and stay with propane for the deep fat fryer , you could consider solar for lights, small electronics and or a fan. You can not run the induction cook top directly from the solar panels and batteries will cost big bucks, weight down your trailer and have to be maintained and replaced regularly

[Engineer]

Do you have access to grid power or natural gas? If you are off grid "propane" would be better for heating fry oil. Solar PV is not good for heating loads.

Not true but a commonly stated myth. My solar system easily powers my 9700W induction cooktop and electric oven to boot. Fossil fuels just have the property that they are easily stored and transported; we still don't have decent battery technology. On a heating basis induction is far more efficient than any flame source.

[Engineer]

Uh, yeah obviously, I was talking in general about induction.

[Jrnozid]

So basically it's impossible to build this kind of setup without spending 10k$?

[ButchDeal]

Probably not even then, well maybe some kind of folding array could be constructed

[J.P.M.]

Not true but a commonly stated myth. My solar system easily powers my 9700W induction cooktop and electric oven to boot. Fossil fuels just have the property that they are easily stored and transported; we still don't have decent battery technology. On a heating basis induction is far more efficient than any flame source.

Using electricity to heat things is generally less cost effective than other means.This is mostly because it involves a mismatch between the entropy of the energy source (electricity - lower entropy) and task (heating something - higher entropy).

Using a low(er) entropy and thus more versatile energy source (electricity) when a less versatile energy source (fossil fuel) can do the same thing is a less efficient means of getting something done. That's one reason why electricity costs more than nat. gas for most heating applications. Electricity is better used for doing things fossil fuel can't do - like running the device your reading this from, or providing information via instrumentation.

You can heat stuff with electricity and it'll work. You can also cut butter with a chain saw. There are usually better, more appropriate and less expensive ways to do both.

[DanKegel]

For frying at an off-grid stall in a farmer's market or whatever, propane is definitely the way to go.

You can run a phone charger with a little solar panel if it makes you feel better, though

[Mike90250]

8 hours @ 800W would be 6,400Wh
That would need a 48V battery at 300ah to power it, Farmers market would be over before you got the batteries out of the heavy truck that hauls them,

[J.P.M.]

8 hours @ 800W would be 6,400KWh
That would need a 48V battery at 300ah to power it, Farmers market would be over before you got the batteries out of the heavy truck that hauls them,

Looks more like 6,400 Watt-hrs.maybe ?

[Mike90250]

busted, I fixed the original

[Jrnozid]

So basically this idea is not really possible for the idea that I'm hoping for within a 1k-2k$ budget? I've asked around here in my area and the salesman told me it was possible to have a mobile cooking device following my specifications but now I think he was just salestalking me or he doesnt know what hes saying.

[DanKegel]

So basically this idea is not really possible for the idea that I'm hoping for within a 1k-2k$ budget?

Correct. Go fossil fuel for your mobile off-grid application, and don't look back. Use solar where it's a better fit.

[inetdog]

Using electricity to heat things is generally less cost effective than other means.This is mostly because it involves a mismatch between the entropy of the energy source (electricity - lower entropy) and task (heating something - higher entropy).
...

You can heat stuff with electricity and it'll work. You can also cut butter with a chain saw. There are usually better, more appropriate and less expensive ways to do both.

In most of the US using resistance heating from utility power will be closely comparable to the cost of propane.
Using electric power to drive a heat pump will cost far less than propane and piped natural gas will be least expensive.
But when you look at the energy cost of an off grid solar system with batteries, the electric cost shoots way up.

[Jrnozid]

ok I forgot to mention that I'll be recharging the batteries beforehand the day I'm gonna use the mobile cooker

So the "expert" I've talked to mentioned that if I run 3x 280 w solar panels, with a 1000w inverter and sufficient controller, with 7x 100 ah batteries, and I charge the batteries beforehand at full charge say for example the whole day before the farmers market, it would be able to run the induction cooker at 600w for the time needed, and the diminishing energy used during the cooking time from the already charged batteries will be replenished through the recharging process of the solar panel if placed in direct sunlight, would you guys think this would be possible?

Oh and I saw this on youtube as well I just don't know how large the panel is so I dont know if it can be mobile and I don't understand indian soo have a look guys http://youtu.be/RrVW8-Dw32o

[Logan005]

an 1800 watt load can not be run from a 1000 watt inverter.

[Jrnozid]

@logann005 the cooker has a capacity of 1800w but we would only be running 600w. Do correct me if I'm wrong

[Logan005]

@logann005 the cooker has a capacity of 1800w but we would only be running 600w. Do correct me if I'm wrong

so with a small adjustment of the cooking dial, it could overload the inverter. keep in mind a 12 volt system with an inverter is only good for about 600-700 watts, unless you use very expensive AWG-0 cable. so your 600 watt cook top would be operating near the Max capacity of your battery/inverter system. If you went with a 24volt system. you could use smaller more affordable cable and use the proper 2000 watt inverter for your 1800 watt cook top. You will also need terminal fuses and a LVD=Low voltage disconnect as most inverters only give audible warning. Allowing your battery voltage to fall to 11 volts or even lower, Damaging your batteries and leaving you in the dark. If you have an endless supply of money, just build yourself 48 volt system. Don't forget to put extra gas in your truck to cover the expense of hauling around a ton of lead batteries. Propane makes 1000X more sense.

[Jrnozid]

Yeah a 24v would do, have you seen the youtube video I posted? They are using 24v. Yeah I guess propane would be much better. I just wanted to build a gas free alternative way for people here in my country. Thank you logan005

[Mike90250]

The "gas free" alternative requires very expensive batteries, a charging source and inverters.

[Jrnozid]

Yeah let's say its expensive at first because You have to buy stuff, but would you say it would be a cheaper alternative in the long run?

[Logan005]

Yeah let's say its expensive at first because You have to buy stuff, but would you say it would be a cheaper alternative in the long run?

Are you kidding?