Coffee and Microwave service while on the hook

[River Bank]

I've just installed a 250 watt solar panel on my 2010 R25.
I'm now trying to find a 12 volt coffee maker and 12 volt microwave on the "net."
I've Googled "12 volt appliances" and I get a selection, not a good selection, but a few to choose from.

My objective is to have most of the conveniences of home while on the hook, like hot coffee and a heated up pre-prepared lunch/dinner. Frozen dinners kept in my fridge/freezer (also just installed) and working great.

In researching Tugnuts on "microwave" I begin to feel like I have to be something of an electrical engineer to cope.

So, I would like to know without too much detail, what is my next move?

Do I now buy a "generator," an "inverter," and a technician ($75/Hr) to wire it all together, just to be able to serve a hot coffee and maybe a hot meal at lunch time while on the "hook?" Of course, I could simply bring along a thermos and a sandwich, but that would be too easy, right? 🙂

I also really don't want to incorporate those three new elements above (if I don't have too), which is why I installed that over-the-top 250 watt solar panel array.

Bottom-line: Will my solar panel supply enough power for a 12 volt coffee maker (on for five minutes perhaps) and hopefully a microwave lunch (5 minutes to cook a frozen dinner - I have a fridge/freezer on board)?
Will this operation, after lunch and coffee, deplete my batteries to the point where there is no power for other boat operations?

 

[HRowland]

12V coffee makers are very slow, you cannot draw many watts from the typical 12V power jack. I have never seen a 12V microwave oven, if one does exist it would require very heavy gauge wire and it would not be able to run from a 12V power jack.

You need to have an inverter installed (1500W would be good) or use a small generator such as a Honda 2000. I run a drip coffee maker and a microwave with the 1500W inverter on my R27. It also does a good job running the Admirals hair dryer!

Howard

 

[pleeson]

You imply that you have not installed an investor, only solar panels. Our C28 with 4 batteries, invertor, and solar panel from the factory is good for three days on the hook in the winter with furnace running, lights, and occasional microwave use, water pump etc. No generator. I imagine that if I swap the furnace for a freezer unit in the summer, I can do the same thing. No need for 12 volt appliances on our boat and we use the propane stove and a French press for coffee. Any solar energy site will help with simple calculations to tell you have far your solar panel and battery bank can be pushed with reserve capacity. Just need the draw of each appliance and how long you think you will use them for. Good luck.

 

[Gin]

You have the ability to boil water, right? If so, for coffee, use a french press as pleeson suggests. Or if you don't want to mess with coffee grounds and cleaning the french press, try Starbucks' Via ready brew. Great fresh brewed taste. Super easy to make, no real clean up to speak of. (Thanks to Mark and Beth of Claire for the tip on the Via!).

On the frozen lunch/dinners, seems like a micro is the only way to go. Have you considered dehydrated food of the kind available for backpacking? Haven't seen what's on the market since I gave up backpacking 15 to 20 years ago. But some of it was pretty decent then. Now -- with the current generation of foodies all taking to the mountains -- there may be some really tasty options. Just a thought . . .

Gini

 

[gerlots]

I installed two extra batteries, 1800 watt inverter and a 155 watt solar panel last April and have not plug in to any AC since.
We use hair dryers, coffee pots, computers and vacuum chargers.
We were hoping that a generator was not needed, and it's not! The lowest I've seen the batteries after much use was 78%.