I have a question my friends

[timlsalem]

I don't know, but maybe I'm missing something here. Cost efficiant? Everytime you turn a gas bottle on whether it's a big one or a small cannister you're burning money. I plug in a coffee pot to an inverter that is connected to batteries which are rated at 190 AH and are constentlly being charged by my tow Vehical my coffee is costing me nothing. You may say, well what about the gas in your TV. I'm going someplace, I have to buy gas anyway and all the electricity I use is free. You ever try to heat something up with a wind factor of 20 MPH or more? Most your heat is being blown away. How about standing outside trying to cook something when the temp. is 35 degrees or less, or it's raining cats and dogs. Been there, done that. No, for me electricity is the only way to go especially if you have your TT set up right to be cost efficiant.

[madjack]

...ahhhhh yes, the great thing about TD's is doing it your way...doit like ya want it(as long as done safely)......
madjack

[eamarquardt]

Maybe I’m missing something here

Yes you are! We agree!

I plug in a coffee pot to an inverter that is connected to batteries which are rated at 190 AH and are constentlly being charged by my tow Vehical my coffee is costing me nothing.

Quite simply put the above statement is BS! The laws of thermodynamics state you don't get anything for nothing! In addition, they state that you don't even get what you pay for. No exceptions.

Turning your alternator takes energy. Making more electrictiy with it to charge your batteries takes more energy (as in gasoline)than if you weren't charging your batteries. The laws of physics dictate that! Contrary to popular belief, Congress is unable to repeal "the laws of physics".

You can heat your coffee anyway you like either with gasoline (chemical energy, to mechanical energy, to electrical energy, to chemical energy, to electrical energy (12 volt), to electrical energy (120 volt), to heat energy). Very ineffecient. Or you can heat it with propane, white gas, wood, or cow dung (machts nichts to me) and do it more efficiently and for less.

(yep I edited the paragraph Gus...MJ)

Now, you can heat your water any way you choose as I won't be drinking it, even if offered some, as I don't like coffee.

Have a nice day.

Cheers,

Gus

[Corwin C]

That's the thing ... I would never consider doing this electrically. But I'm happy to help others consider the possibility. You never know ... I might learn something.

And, BTW, there is no such thing as power for free. If you're charging your batteries with the TV, you WILL have a corresponding decrease in gas mileage. It all comes down to which would you rather pay for or what is most convenient to you ... gasoline?, solar panel?, propane?, firewood?, etc. They're all just different sources of energy.

[eamarquardt]

That's the thing ... I would never consider doing this electrically. But I'm happy to help others consider the possibility. You never know ... I might learn something.

And, BTW, there is no such thing as power for free. If you're charging your batteries with the TV, you WILL have a corresponding decrease in gas mileage. It all comes down to which would you rather pay for or what is most convenient to you ... gasoline?, solar panel?, propane?, firewood?, etc. They're all just different sources of energy.

Correct!

[timlsalem]

Well this isn't nothing to argue over. My money is free. It doesn't cost me anything anymore to get. Therefore what I spend it on is free for me also. Stick that in your thermodynamics equation. And if you'ld read my post more closely you would have noticed I said "for me".

[eamarquardt]

Well this isn't nothing to argue over.

Couldn’t agree more.

My money is free.

Where do I sign up? Did you buy that fellow that advertises on late night TVs book?

It doesn't cost me anything anymore to get.

I still believe “there is no such thing as a free lunchâ€

[bdosborn]

I have a 1000W inverter that I can brew coffee with, but I usually don't because its a big hit to the batteries. I'll start the generator for the 10 minutes or so it takes to brew coffee. But if we're camped next to a lot of people I'll use the batteries or boil water on the stove. I don't want to be "that guy" that starts the generator at the crack of dawn.

Our coffee maker is a kuerig single cup and it draws 60 amps from the inverter for the 3-4 minutes it takes to brew a cup of coffee. So that's ~ 4 amp-hours per cup. Or 8 amp-hours for a cup for me and the wife. I timed a small drip brewer at work that made 4 cups at a time and it used around the same amount of juice as the keurig did for two cups. I would expect your 12 cup brewer to use about 20-amp-hours, assuming you turn it off when its done brewing. That's almost a full days use of battery power since we use 20-25 amp-hours a night for the DVD player, lights and running the furnace.

So its very possible to brew coffee with an inverter, it's just a big hit to your batteries and you'll need to charge them every day.

Bruce
P.S. I used #4 battery cables for my 1000/2000W inverter, Xantrex recommends 1/0 for a 1500/3000W inverter.

[timlsalem]

BDosborn...thanks for the info it was helpful to me for deciding on what size of inverter to get. I've settled on a 2300w with a remote control. My TT is set up with everything ran off of my batteries except TV/DVD. I believe I've held the battery drain down by using LED's for lights (1)in cabin and 1 in galley), computer fans for exhause, I have a R-13 insulation value in the cabin which I believe will keep me warm enough. I will be adding 3-15amp solor panels to help with battery charging. I use a stainless steel Coleman for my fridge. Actually, the only big drain on the battery is the coffee maker and it has a thermo pot and keeps the coffee very hot for up to 2 hours.

Gus...Semper Fi Bro. Welcome home. I've learned years ago to be a survivor and as you know, we Marines don't reason and think like normal people would. My whole idea for my TT,the bunker, is not only RV but for survival too. I promised myself in 01 I would never be in that situation again. If 9/11 wasn't what it was and instead a full invation I wasn't prepared to defend my own life let alone America. Now I'm ready for anything man made or natural. My reasoning is, survive today so I can kill the commie bastard tomorrow. OOHRAH
Tim