Can LPG Cookers be converted from 240v to 12v?

[NatLE]

It's finally time to replace our cooker. I've looked at various options, several places have suggested buying an lpg cooker from Curry's or appliances online, but I haven't found information for converting them to 12v, presumably cookers are wired for 240v (?) for the ignition system and the silly clock, and maybe some safety features?

 

Thanks, Nat

[Tracy D'arth]

There are ignition conversions but not clocks and fans. If its a domestic cooker it MUST have flame failure protection on all the burners to be on a boat.

[Tony Brooks]

3 minutes ago, NatLE said:

It's finally time to replace our cooker. I've looked at various options, several places have suggested buying an lpg cooker from Curry's or appliances online, but I haven't found information for converting them to 12v, presumably cookers are wired for 240v (?) for the ignition system and the silly clock, and maybe some safety features?

 

Thanks, Nat

 

The answer is yes, but probably not worth the cost on some models. As far as I know there are no manufacturer options to do it so you would be sourcing third part parts.

 

The igniter is easy, someone posted a link to one on the Midland Chandlers site, but once you get to fan ovens, cooling fans, clocks and times things become more difficult and would probably invalidate any warrantee.

 

The simpler and thus cheaper the cooker, the more likely just an igniter will do the job.  Make sure LPG jets are available and easy to fit or that you can get them fitted.

[David Mack]

Or run the cooker via an inverter.

 

The important thing to check is that your cooker has flame supervision devices (FSD) on all burners - this is a BSS requirement. Some domestic cookers do, some don't.

Edited August 16, 2021 by David Mack

[GUMPY]

My domestic LPG cooker manual states that it's fine to run the grill and hob without 230v but if using the Oven 230v must be present to run the fan.

I was going to change the fans so it would run from 12v rather than from the inverter but in seven years of ownership I haven't got round to it as it's easier to run it from the inverter😱

[MtB]

Something to beware of is domestic LPG cookers are still house-sized and don't fit in many boats. 

 

Domestic cookers are nearly always 600mm deep front to back, while boat cookers are 500mm deep. So look at dimensions of any candidate cooker before worrying about the electricity supply.

 

And virtually all gas cookers on the market nowadays have flame supervision suitable for boats too, since the regs were changed to make flame supervision mandatory for rentals and multi-story buildings. 

[Tony Brooks]

Also watch out for hinged lifting burner covers/glass tops. The tumble home on the cabin side may well require you to move the cooker out into the room AND fit a catch to hold the lid in the up/cook position because you can't open it enough for it to stay open on its own.

[David Mack]

3 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

Also watch out for hinged lifting burner covers/glass tops. The tumble home on the cabin side may well require you to move the cooker out into the room AND fit a catch to hold the lid in the up/cook position because you can't open it enough for it to stay open on its own.

Unless it is located against a bulkhead, rather than the cabin side.

[Tony Brooks]

Just now, David Mack said:

Unless it is located against a bulkhead, rather than the cabin side.

True, but even then it may need pulling forward a little.

[frangar]

2 hours ago, MtB said:

Something to beware of is domestic LPG cookers are still house-sized and don't fit in many boats. 

 

Domestic cookers are nearly always 600mm deep front to back, while boat cookers are 500mm deep. So look at dimensions of any candidate cooker before worrying about the electricity supply.

 

And virtually all gas cookers on the market nowadays have flame supervision suitable for boats too, since the regs were changed to make flame supervision mandatory for rentals and multi-story buildings. 

It’s nigh on impossible to find a free standing 500mm deep cooker. I only know of one single cavity one…if you know different I’d love to know! My 5000wl is getting on for 20 years old but I haven’t found anything that’s got a separate grill/oven etc. 

[Drayke]

Try looking this one up, Thetford K1520, not free standing though, 

Thetford/Spinflo K1520D MK1 Duel Fuel Cooker

Caravan/Motorhome/Campervan cooker

4 Burner hob complete with flush fitting glass lid

3 x gas burners & 1 mains 230v hotplate

Separate grill

Separate oven

Electronic ignition (12v)

Please note this is a “Build in” unit not a free standing item

Comes complete with oven shelf & multi function pan

They also do a gas only one with 3 burner hob.

• Grill pan kit
• 2 Oven shelves
• Fuel gas or dual fuel version (gas and electric)
• Gas burners 1 x 1kW & 3 x 1.6kW (dual fuel version has 1 x 1kW, 2 x 1.6kW & 1 x Electric hotplate 1kw)
• Grill burner1.8 kW
• Grill capacity 19 L
• Ignition 12V dc
• Knobs Brushed nickel
• Net weight gas version 27.7Kg & dual fuel version 29.2Kg
• Oven burner 2kW
• Oven capacity37 L
• Overall dimensions (hxwxd)645 x 515 x 501 mm
• Build-in dimensions (hxwxd)645 x 496 x 493 mm

 

Edited August 16, 2021 by F DRAYKE
To add three burner hob version.

[NatLE]

Hi all, thank you for your quick and knowledgeable replies. It sounds like this is a non-starter (for me at least) I'd looked at cooker widths but hadn't checked depths, and having to run 240v cabling round to the other side of the boat, so that the oven and grill are usable sounds like more work than I have time for.

 

I had hoped that there might be some sort of 12v adaptor kit that I hadn't yet stumbled across, I guess that would be too easy.

 

I really appreciate your considered advise, I think the next step will be scouring chandler's websites and caravanning suppliers.

 

Thanks all,

Nat

Edited August 18, 2021 by NatLE

[Tracy D'arth]

I have had 2 people tell me that the current Thetford ovens are poor on performance, seemingly lacking on insulation. Their travelling engineer told them to just turn it up 2 or 3 numbers to compensate!

[Tony Brooks]

FWIW. Although the Spinflo Caprice 2400 (I think that is the number) is sold as a built-in cooker, when I had to replace my old stand-alone cooker on the boat I found that it was simple to constrict a three sides box from white faced chipboard to fit the caprice into. It ended up maybe 6mm wider than the cooker flange. I laid a piece of aluminium angle along the top of each side to protect the chipboard from excess heat.

 

I agree with Tracy, the oven thermostat is very odd, it needs turning up far higher than a domestic cooker, but the instructions give the dimensions for the size of hole required in the back of the unit and suspect this may be often ignored, so there is too much  air allowed into the oven and out of the oven vents.

[MtB]

19 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

I have had 2 people tell me that the current Thetford ovens are poor on performance, seemingly lacking on insulation. Their travelling engineer told them to just turn it up 2 or 3 numbers to compensate!

 

And that can't be done if you need Gas Mark 8 in the first place, which is the highest setting on most gas ovens.

 

It's not just the Thetfords. I have three ovens in boats of various brands and none ever heats up to Gas Mark 8 (even though it is marked on the dial), as is necessary for baking bread. 

 

Baking bread on board just doesn't work out that well as Gas Mark 8 or higher is necessary for really good crusty crust, IME. 

[Alan de Enfield]

13 minutes ago, MtB said:

It's not just the Thetfords. I have three ovens in boats of various brands and none ever heats up to Gas Mark 8 (even though it is marked on the dial), as is necessary for baking bread. 

 

On the cruiser we have a Vanette GG7000 (that goes to 8 ) and everything needs to be done on max, and you need to take things out and rotate them to get and even cooking.

 

The oven on the 'Cat' is just the opposite - it gets so hot you have to cook things a lot lower than you'd expect, cannot remember the brand but it is an expensive (£900+) oven fitted from new.

 

Edit to add : Its a small ENO cooker with 2-burner hob and fiddle rail and clamps.

Heat performance: 1.75 - 2.5kw @ 30mbar

 

 

 

 

Edited August 18, 2021 by Alan de Enfield

[Tony Brooks]

One comment Alan, If the cat needed a BSS I suspect the position of the curtains would result in a fail. I can see the blind behind them, so presumably they are usually parked at the other end of the rail.

 

I would have a novice inland boater to copy that photo.

[Alan de Enfield]

1 minute ago, Tony Brooks said:

One comment Alan, If the cat needed a BSS I suspect the position of the curtains would result in a fail. I can see the blind behind them, so presumably they are usually parked at the other end of the rail.

 

I would have a novice inland boater to copy that photo.

 

Very good point - yes they normally live on the LHS of the rail with the 'bottom' of the curtains lifted up onto the cupboard top.

 

It is not actually a blind behind them, the alfresco dining table is the otherside of that bulkhead / window and the sliding window makes it easy to pass food out.

The shadow in the window is the curvarture of the outside edge of the cabin.

 

 

 

[QuaintJames]

In case anyone is coming to this looking for current advice on freestanding LPG gas cookers that don't operate on 240V, there is an option I've found.

https://www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/products/statesman-legacy-50lpg-cooker-silver-n55-s#

Statesman Legacy 50 LPG

Please note that the documentation on the product page is at least partially inaccurate. It appears to be written for a 240V appliance, however the ignition is actually done by a single AA battery (which is included). There's no electric hook-up at all with this cooker - the only connection you have to make is a 1/2" gas connection. It is also fitted with flame failure devices.

There is of course no fan or clock or timer with this model, but it's met our needs very well and is much much better than the rusted 20-year-old built-in cooker that it replaced.

Hope that maybe this helps someone.

[Higgs]

On 16/08/2021 at 13:58, David Mack said:

Or run the cooker via an inverter.

 

The important thing to check is that your cooker has flame supervision devices (FSD) on all burners - this is a BSS requirement. Some domestic cookers do, some don't.

 

I also use an inverter. Either the main inverter or a smaller inverter that sits near the cooker. The smaller one is only 150w and it uses a cigarette lighter socket. I tend to use the main 2000w inverter, if the oven is used.