Gas hob yes or no

[Greengrass]

Depreciate depreciate depreciate not location location location

The thought of spending money has got him stuttering

 

[Caz]

My twopennorth - am having a double burner gas hob built in to my little van during the conversion. Having spent nearly a year just using my camping gas cartridge stoves (and induction hob when on EHU), and notwithstanding the fact that, like Greengrass, I prefer to eat out whenever I can and am no cook, I prefer to have a proper gas hob to use when I want to boil a kettle for my coffee or heat up a can of beans.

 

[Exwindsurfer]

Have thought about it but not sure how much capacity I have Geoff. My alternator is probably the original and likely 90A so not sure the extra strain I worth it for the bit extra charge. Don't they work on around 30% extra capacity when they size alternator?

What years your van Neil ?

 

[nabsim]

What years your van Neil ?

January 2007 Jeff first registered, its a one of the last T1n chassis cabs though June 2005 that left the factory

 

[wildebus]

January 2007 Jeff first registered, its a one of the last T1n chassis cabs though June 2005 that left the factory

There is a very fair chance that not only is the alternator lower then say the newer Sprinters, at that age it is lower on capacity than when first fitted. (without banging on again, this is why charging Lithium unchecked especially on older vehicles can end up problematical).

FWIW, my Ducato - built in 2007 - was fitted with a 140A Alternator. I thought it would have been lower and when I bought a Bosch 140A Alternator to replace it, I expected that was an upgrade - but the alternator taken out was also a Bosch 140A jobby in fact.

 

[nabsim]

There is a very fair chance that not only is the alternator lower then say the newer Sprinters, at that age it is lower on capacity than when first fitted. (without banging on again, this is why charging Lithium unchecked especially on older vehicles can end up problematical).

FWIW, my Ducato - built in 2007 - was fitted with a 140A Alternator. I thought it would have been lower and when I bought a Bosch 140A Alternator to replace it, I expected that was an upgrade - but the alternator taken out was also a Bosch 140A jobby in fact.

It would have been fitted with either a 90a or 80a alternator as far as I can see from specs. I haven't checked to see if its still the original but it is one reason I use a B2B @ 30A

 

[Reiverlad]

I have now gone fully electric in my van.

The gas hob, gas oven, 3 way fridge, gas truma heater & refillable gas bottles have all now been utilised in converting fergie1061's van into a motorhome.
After removal of the hob, I fitted a 60cm x 40cm stainless steel chopping board which has lips front & back.
This completely covers the hole and provides a totally useful worktop for my induction hob, air fryer, or whatever.

I have been pleasantly surprised at the amount of power being provided from the solar so far this winter.
I was not expecting the number of days with anything from 100w to over 200w.
This has meant my lithium battery is generally around the 90%+ mark.
Roll on next month when finally a chance to get out & enjoy some time away !

 

[nabsim]

I have now gone fully electric in my van.

The gas hob, gas oven, 3 way fridge, gas truma heater & refillable gas bottles have all now been utilised in converting fergie1061's van into a motorhome.
After removal of the hob, I fitted a 60cm x 40cm stainless steel chopping board which has lips front & back.
This completely covers the hole and provides a totally useful worktop for my induction hob, air fryer, or whatever.

I have been pleasantly surprised at the amount of power being provided from the solar so far this winter.
I was not expecting the number of days with anything from 100w to over 200w.
This has meant my lithium battery is generally around the 90%+ mark.
Roll on next month when finally a chance to get out & enjoy some time away !

What are you using power wise if that solar is doing you? Without using anything electric for cooking or heating I need to harvest around 800W per day

 

[Trotter]

I’ll second that Neil

Thirded ????
A camper/ motorhome as an investment? Never occurred to me.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Thirded ????
A camper/ motorhome as an investment? Never occurred to me.

That is how we have managed to have one at all since I retired.

 

[Trotter]

Thinking way out of the box.
Removing lpg from the van. That leaves an empty gas locker .

Would it then be possible to put a small generator in there, vented out through the gas drop out hole.

I’m only thinking of this because Nic said I couldn’t buy a generator.
What the eye doesn’t see………

That could keep my ( not going to happen) 2 x 560 Fogstar’s happy

 

[wildebus]

Thinking way out of the box.
Removing lpg from the van. That leaves an empty gas locker .

Would it then be possible to put a small generator in there, vented out through the gas drop out hole.

I’m only thinking of this because Nic said I couldn’t buy a generator.
What the eye doesn’t see………

That could keep my ( not going to happen) 2 x 560 Fogstar’s happy

Where are your 1 x 560 Fogstars gonna go though ??

What we did with Reiverlads Adria Twin (same as yours?) was to put the Fogstar 560Ah Battery where the two gas bottles used to live. And it was a perfect fit (Pat chose the battery very wisely there - it was as big as it could be while still being able to slide through the locker door width wide and drop into place with just a few inches to spare on the length).

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Thinking way out of the box.
Removing lpg from the van. That leaves an empty gas locker .

Would it then be possible to put a small generator in there, vented out through the gas drop out hole.

I’m only thinking of this because Nic said I couldn’t buy a generator.
What the eye doesn’t see………

That could keep my ( not going to happen) 2 x 560 Fogstar’s happy

Is she DEAF as well Del?

 

[wildebus]

Maybe..
Remove the existing gas hob to get a clear kitchen surface but keep the gas supply for a single burner portable/detachable gas ring !

I said about making a cover for the hob so you have it still there if wanted and how some American RVs have these removable plates? This video illustrates perfectly what I was trying to describe ....
It starts where he is about to demonstrate for me

If installing a hob, it could be a novel idea to have a dropped section of worktop to fit the hob into and then have a removable section on top like shown in the video giving a flush worktop and then you have all that nice space of not needing the hob, or just using a single ring induction, but then removing the lid if you needed more cooking rings (or your leccy is low).


Oh, and similar thing with the sink ...

 

[Trotter]

Where are your 1 x 560 Fogstars gonna go though ??

What we did with Reiverlads Adria Twin (same as yours?) was to put the Fogstar 560Ah Battery where the two gas bottles used to live. And it was a perfect fit (Pat chose the battery very wisely there - it was as big as it could be while still being able to slide through the locker door width wide and drop into place with just a few inches to spare on the length).

Where there’s a wheel there’s a bicycle, or summat like that.

I suppose they could go , one on top of the other, where the 460 lives atm.

Another idea floating about atm, is to reduce ether bed width, from almost 6 ft to 3, Creating extra storage space in the garage.
‘Spose everything is doable, if thought out sensibly. But l’ve never been guilty of that.

One thing I have to remember is I can’t have an induction whatsit because of the pacemaker. Spose I could get someone else to do the cooking. But then I’d have to go to the expense of doing the same to their van.

 

[Trotter]

I said about making a cover for the hob so you have it still there if wanted and how some American RVs have these removable plates? This video illustrates perfectly what I was trying to describe ....
It starts where he is about to demonstrate for me

If installing a hob, it could be a novel idea to have a dropped section of worktop to fit the hob into and then have a removable section on top like shown in the video giving a flush worktop and then you have all that nice space of not needing the hob, or just using a single ring induction, but then removing the lid if you needed more cooking rings (or your leccy is low).


Oh, and similar thing with the sink ...

Lost me when he mentioned the Third slide out

 

[Reiverlad]

I have just been out to the van to get the latest info on solar charging and current battery state.
I have 1 x 560 fogstar lithium & 350w of Victron solar.

After 1 night in Inveraray I left there last Friday and drove the 50 miles home.
I had a fully charged batter when I left.
The van has been parked on the road outside my home since then.
At this time of year the road does not get much sun at all. Only in summer do we get the afternoon and evening sun.
Since last Friday i have been getting around 100w power daily

The current battery level is 78% and I reckon that is simply due to the fact I left the fridge on since last week

When out there I also took a photo of my altered worktop - as attached

All in all very happy with everything - so far !

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I'd happily consider going lithium on some level but the cost of getting it done would kill it and I am not put to DIY.

 

[Trotter]

I had a couple of weeks in Somerset, Minehead mainly. The weather was okay, until the storm anyway. Little sun, so no solar. It was this trip that convinced me that I had to keep the LPG.
Believe me, I detest the stuff. Heating the van on diesel, doable. In winter, heating water for a shower? Cooking? Forget it. Even with my Victron Orion 50, I’d have to run the engine for a couple of hours every day, just to try and keep up.
Now if it wasn’t for the Schengen nonsense , I’d be fine in winter.
So really, it’s because of Brexit, I have to keep LPG
Edit. I only have a tiny Fogstar battery. Well under 560ah. I could find room for a second.

 

[saxonborg]

I had a couple of weeks in Somerset, Minehead mainly. The weather was okay, until the storm anyway. Little sun, so no solar. It was this trip that convinced me that I had to keep the LPG.
Believe me, I detest the stuff. Heating the van on diesel, doable. In winter, heating water for a shower? Cooking? Forget it. Even with my Victron Orion 50, I’d have to run the engine for a couple of hours every day, just to try and keep up.
Now if it wasn’t for the Schengen nonsense , I’d be fine in winter.
So really, it’s because of Brexit, I have to keep LPG
Edit. I only have a tiny Fogstar battery. Well under 560ah. I could find room for a second.

Why don’t you fit a calorifier to heat your water.?