Camping appliances

Need quick hot water for morning tea? Buy a couple of good thermoses (is that the plural of thermos?)

Fill em up at breakfast and you have instant hot water through the day for a cup of tea without the hassle of boiling a kettle.

I used to pull out the little gas stove at smoko but switched to a thermos a few years ago. Saves time and hassle.

Cheers

.
Kathy, those 12v kettles you refer to are no more than a laugh. They take forever to boil a cup of water and consume a great deal of battery capacity in doing it.
The simple truth is that whilst electricity is appropriate to drive motors and LED lights, it is very inefficient at heating tasks, be that by resistance elements, induction cooktops or microwave ovens. Sure, some use these appliances from batteries but they consume huge amount of electricity that then has to be replaced by powerful charging sources. Your 300W of solar is barely enough to run a fridge and LED lights.
You are equipped with a gas stove so what is it about that causing you dismay for heating water?

Use gas for anything you can. The only thing you may want the invertor for is a microwave. Rubbing your hands together in water will heat it quicker than a 12v kettle

Hello Kathy
I have a very old 12v kettle, has to be 60 years old as my Dad used it when travelling with his job. It had alligator clips direct to battery and heavy thick resistance for the heater. NO CIGGY PUG WOULD EVER run it! Even that took a long time and used plenty of battery. For the time and Battery used, it is pretty useless. 10Amp ciggy plug won't run 40amp heater coil. I use a bush kettle with the tapered inner sleeve and hole at the top. They capture heat well from any gas burner ring or even small sticks/twiggs burnt inside it's base, used where applicable. On one of the butane burners it heats quickly. 4 mins for a cuppa or 2. Forget 12v for water heating/boiling.
360 AH of AGM is a lot of weight to cart around if never using all of it or anywhere near half of it. Depending on what you NEED to run/operate, it might be better to have a lightweight butane portable burner and ditch an AGM, or two. Weight saving?
Depending on the CLAIMS made for the panels, 300watts of solar is "only/maybe" near 250watts in ideal conditions, if lucky. I would be surprised if it equated to 150W average, so you may have less capacity to charge batteries anyway. Has anyone actually tested the system so you know what it can provide for you?
I don't want to sound negative, but many items sold for 12 charging and storage are not as capable as claimed by the sellers. They sound good on paper. A bit of analysis of what you want to achieve and what the gear can actually do, will provide enough awareness and time to rectify any deficiencies. It will save heartache at the most inoportune times.

Go to anaconda and get urself a "jetboil" boils half a ltre of water in 2minutes . Its gas powered and abt the size of a large travel mug.

Bunnings sell gasmate power cell 230g for $4.50. These are bigger than jetboil but not an issue to carry them separate, still fits and works fine. I think there is a cheaper chinese knock off on ebay.

I have done reasonably well from those 12 volt kettles. Must have been paid to replace the thermal fuses in ciggy lighter sockets 3 or 4 times a year since I was an apprentice.

Just use your gas or we prefer to use a small butane canister cooker as they are quicker

Realistic you need 600 watt of solar to charge 3 120 amp batteries,and good weather conditions. Why not use gas ,it cheap and does the job.

Hi Kathy W2,

Firstly, let me state that I am not an Auto. Elec. or a 12 volt specialist, just someone who has been camping for more than 55 years.

After reading the responses so far, I am sure by now you get it that 12 volt kettles are not the way to go. As a couple of responders have mentioned, any 12 volt appliance used for a heat source is going to consume quite a lot of battery capacity, and will take a long time doing it. Electric Kettles and Jugs are for when you have a good 240 volt power supply, such as in a caravan park, gas is by far a quicker and cheaper alternative for heating water or cooking when “off grid”.

As for Battery capacity, if you have a compressor fridge, the minimum battery capacity I would suggest is 200 AmpHrs of preferably LiFePo4 batteries, and a minimum of 400 watts of solar capacity. The general rule of thumb is that for every battery amp you have, you need double the watts of solar capacity. Some people argue that you can get away with less, but the vast majority will agree with the 2 for 1 ratio. So for your current 360 AmpHrs of battery capacity, you really need 720 watts of solar capacity. You can supplement your current Solar capacity by using portable folding panels or folding blanket. Remember, depending on where you are located in the country, and the time of year, there is only around 4 to 5 hours of optimal solar charging conditions. Also, as someone else has mentioned, you will be lucky to get half of the rated capacity from your solar panels, particularly if they are flat roof mounted. They also need to be in full sun to be efficient.

Your 1,000 Watt inverter is not going to run much in the way of electrical appliances other than phone, tablet and camera battery chargers, the majority of which can be run from a 12 volt power supply anyway.

What do you run from your 1,000 Watt Inverter? Given that appliances such as Electric kettles, toasters, induction cooktops etc. pull over 1,000 watts, it would seem to be a bit small. Depending on what 240 volt appliances you are running, it might be better to upgrade to a larger inverter. You need to match the inverter to the current draw of the appliances that you want to run, with a slightly higher margin to avoid tripping the inverter on overload. Your batteries also need to be able to deliver the continuous discharge amperage the appliance requires.

As a bare minimum, even if you do nothing else, increasing your current solar capacity to the 720 watts as suggested, will help your current set up cope with being off grid for a couple of nights.

Macca.

I agree what others have said, use the gas to "heat" water for your morning cuppa...but do a bit of planning..sort of get "two for the price of one"...especially if you are free off grid camping.
So..have your cuppa in the morning when you are making breakfast..so you heat up your water for both the cuppa and for water to clean the breakfast dishes..same at night when you have finished dinner.
When you are off grid and if you have thecamp fire going..again use the fire to boil some water
Then if you are travelling for the day..heat up some extra water in the morning to put in the thermos..a good quality thermos can keep hot water for over 6 hours.
If you are camping in caravan parks..use their camp kitchen..take your dishes over and clean them plus boil the water using their electricity....your camp fee are paying for it!

Hi Kathy
Use gas , quick to heat , and we use two good quality thermoses.
Wash up with whatever is left over.
Has worked well for many a year.
Cheers
Jim

Kathy, your battery capacity is reasonable (Lithium would be better) but, as mentioned, your solar is not really going to keep up with heavy use, particularly if it is on a van roof (not ideal direction-though workable, but you often want the van in the shade!).

If you want to use an inverter (and, disagreeing with many here I find them useful) you may want to up your solar (preferably with portable that can be in the sun more directly) and your inverter to a 2000w. Your batteries should cope so long as you aren't overusing the inverter. Again, you'd be better off with lithium .

Cheers,
Mark

Over many years we have used a Coleman dual fuel sportster single burner for roadside hot water. Its coming to the end of its long life and sadly no longer available so probably replace it with a jetboil zip.

Spent many years trying to find a simply way to boil water for a cup of tea. Gave up and decided to just drink
coffee instead.
Dave.

We have Nespresso pod machine too and a JetBoil used for Davids “noodles” lunch every now and then. I often make a tea or miso soup using hot water from either the coffee machine or jetboil. Would not go anywhere without the Jetboil. 2000w invertor and Lithium in back of Landcruiser with 38L Waeco and 40l water tank so we dont need to use the Ultimate during midday stops. Camper has its own separate invertor, fridge, water and coffee machine too.
MM

Camping appliances can greatly enhance your outdoor experience by adding convenience and comfort. Here are some popular options:

Portable Stove/Grill: Essential for cooking meals, look for models that are easy to set up and use. Options include compact camping stoves or small portable grills.

Cooler: A good cooler will keep your food and drinks fresh. Consider a high-quality, durable cooler with good insulation.

Camping Lantern: A reliable lantern provides essential lighting. LED lanterns are popular for their long battery life and bright illumination.

Portable Coffee Maker: If you love your coffee, a portable coffee maker or French press can be a great addition.

Camping Shower: For a refreshing wash, consider a portable camping shower that can be hung from a tree or mounted on a stand.

Inflatable Sleeping Pad: For added comfort while sleeping, an inflatable sleeping pad provides cushioning and insulation from the ground.

Portable Power Bank: To keep your devices charged, a high-capacity portable power bank or solar charger can be very handy.

Campfire Cookware: Lightweight pots, pans, and utensils designed for camping make cooking and cleaning easier.

Portable Fridge: For extended trips, a portable fridge can keep your perishables fresh and beverages cold.

Kmart Jet Boil. I use this for hiking but would be ideal for your morning Cuppa. About $70 and replacement gas can about 20 from BCF. There is a few different brands but gas is the same. You would get Hot water in a couple of minutes for 2 cups of coffee.Kmart Camp Stove

FWIW
Daughter and family just completed 6 months trip around Oz Many offgrids up to 7 days. Upgraded to 3 lithium batteries plus 700w on van roof before leaving. Ran everything (coffee plus washing machine, showers , huge fridge freezer etc.) whenever wanted. No issues.
Just saying, as it is a big trip with lots to experience without any hassles over gear.
Happy travels.

Hi Macca
Could never be offended about battery talk.

My point was trying to suggest to KathyW2 that a big expensive trip like the one they are planning is really about the experiences- they last a lifetime.

Setting-up to be free of concerns about cooking, heating, running-out etc just made the daughter's family trip so enjoyable. It's not hard with the gear available now.

Cheers.