Anyone who goes camping knows how fun cooking on a campfire can be. But if you’re spending long periods of time on the road, travelling during fire ban season or need a bit more control over your temperatures, the conveniences of a modern kitchen can’t be overlooked.
Induction cooking is taking over camping setups so let’s run through exactly how to power an induction cooktop no matter where you are.
WHY CHOOSE INDUCTION?
Flame free, super-fast, safer and more energy efficient, induction cooktops are great for canopies, vans or tent setups. Plus, there’s no gas bottles to lug around or refill.
Like all appliances, induction cooktops need to be powered and a properly designed dual battery system will provide you with all the power you need to cook up a delicious meal.
HOW TO POWER INDUCTION COOKTOPS
To run an induction cooktop you’ll need to have a source of 240V AC power. This is the kind of power found in your outlets at home. The best way to do this on the road is through a pure sine wave inverter. An inverter converts the 12V DC power from your battery to 240V AC power.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT INVERTER
When choosing an inverter to add to your dual battery system, you’ll need to find one that matches the power demands of your cooktop.
Most induction cooktops are rated at around 2000W, but it’s best to check the label or device itself to make sure. For a 2000W cooktop, you’ll need at least an equivalent sized inverter. Generally it’s recommended to use a slightly larger inverter than what your appliance draws, as many appliances produce a high initial load on startup.
REDARC’s range of RS3 inverters are a great option as they have a 200% surge capacity built in. The 2000W inverter can also handle a microwave, toaster, kettle or coffee machine.
CHOOSING A THE RIGHT BATTERY
Once you’ve decided on the right inverter, you’ll need a battery that can handle it.
While AGM and lead acid are common, lithium batteries offer nearly 100% usable power compared to AGM and are almost three times lighter, making them a good choice for powering an inverter.
For 12V inverters, a good rule of thumb is to have at least 100Ah of battery capacity per 1000W. So, for running a 2000W inverter you would need either a 200Ah battery or two 100Ah batteries wired in parallel.
It’s important to remember that not all batteries are the same quality, so it’s important to check the battery’s maximum continuous current capacity. REDARC’s 200Ah REDLAB Icon battery, for example, has a max continuous draw of 200A, perfect for a 2000W inverter.
Finally, to tie the whole system together, you’ll need a DC to DC charger to keep your battery charged from the vehicle and solar. If you’re not sure which DC charger option is the best, we’ve put together a handy comparison guide to help.
Still not sure how your vehicle makes off-grid power? Check out our blog as well as our quick guide to powering your off-grid adventures in 5 steps.
