[Homestead] Stocking up on food
Don Bowen
don.bowen at earthlink.net
Mon Oct 4 10:09:42 EDT 2004
At 10/3/2004, you wrote:
>I don't know if it is possible, Don, but something like a rice cooker or a
>crockpot could be working on your food while you travel, if it can be
>secured. Doesn't take much power. They might even run off the cigarette
>lighter.
That sounds like a good idea. Heating elements take a lot of power but our
large crockpot only requires 250 watts. Our rice cooker is in storage so
I could not check it but will do that the next time I am in town.
Power consumed is important. I do not have an inverter installed yet, 1KW
modified sine wave units with a battery charger is around $750. Cheap
square wave units can be had for under $150 but the square wave units do
not let heating elements reach full temperature. 250 Watts at 120 VAC is a
little over 2 amps or 20 amps at 12VDC. That can easily be supplied by the
tow vehicle (I have an 8 ga wire from the 150 amp alternator to the
trailer). If I remember correctly the rice cooker is only on for maybe a
half hour so that is only 10 AH from the battery. Good idea, thanks.
Don Bowen
Awl Knotted Up Woodworking
Valley Center, CA http://www.braingarage.com
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