Induction Hobs

[Theo]

I have been cogitating on the idea of an induction hob on the boat.  We have recently bought a new cooker for our house kitchen with an induction hob for the house and have fund it completely excellent.

 

I have looked up the literature on how they work and all the articles say that they work by the induction of eddy currents in the base of the pan.  If this is the case they should work perfectly well with any metal pan.  This is not the case.  They don't work with thick or thin ground based or otherwise aluminium pans.  AFAICT they only work with ferro-magnetic based pans.  We have one or two cast le Creuset pans and they work perfectly.  The new ones that we bought are, presumeably, a ferro-magnetic stainless steel.

This indicates to me that eddy currents pay little part in the heating.  It also indicates that a more likely heating effect is by the repeated magnetic cycling giving rise to hysteresis "losses". When we use our new pans on our induction hob they make sometimes make a low buzzing noise as the coils in the cooker are energised.

I would be really interested to hear other people's views on this.

 

Nick

[aread2]

We use Ikea stainless on our induction hob. It's a magnetic grade, probably 18/0.

[MtB]

3 hours ago, Theo said:

I would be really interested to hear other people's views on this.

 

My view is it will rip your batteries to shreds. Unless you have something unusual and special, along with the means to recharge them.

[rusty69]

4 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

My view is it will rip your batteries to shreds. Unless you have something unusual and special, along with the means to recharge them.

Yeah but he didn't want your view on that. He wanted your view on 'this'. 

 

We used an induction hob successfully in the sunny months on solar and lithium. 

[MtB]

1 minute ago, rusty69 said:

Yeah but he didn't want your view on that. He wanted your view on 'this'. 

 

We used an induction hob successfully in the sunny months on solar and lithium. 

 

Oh I see. 

 

It will be great in the summer months if you have big lithium batts and solar to recharge them.

 

(Was that ok?)

[rusty69]

1 minute ago, MtB said:

 

Oh I see. 

 

It will be great in the summer months if you have big lithium batts and solar to recharge them.

 

(Was that ok?)

No. I think you are getting your this and that mixed up. 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

1 minute ago, MtB said:

 

Oh I see. 

 

It will be great in the summer months if you have big lithium batts and solar to recharge them.

 

(Was that ok?)

And every one loves only eating cold food in winter.

[rusty69]

1 minute ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

And every one loves only eating cold food in winter.

Thats why god invented squirrels. 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

1 minute ago, rusty69 said:

Thats why god invented squirrels. 

toasted over your stove, on a stick. Yum.

[MtB]

2 minutes ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

toasted over your stove, on a stick. Yum.

 

I suspect Rusty meant Squirrel stoves....

 

 

Or maybe you did too!

 

 

 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

3 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

I suspect Rusty meant Squirrel stoves....

 

 

Or maybe you did too!

 

 

 

Why have they got a picture of a squirrel on the outside if you're not meant to toast them on the inside?

[Ronaldo47]

The day after a government minister had made an announcement encouraging the public to switch to induction hobs to save energy, letters from eminent cardio-thoracic specialists  appeared in the papers, pointing out that official NHS advice was that pace-maker wearers should not get closer than about two feet from an operating induction hob, as the strong fields could interfere with a pacemaker's operation.  

 

Of course, this is not  going to be a  problem unless you expect pace-maker wearers who might need to use a hob,  to visit your boat.

[blackrose]

Why do people think that just because something works well in a house it's going to be suitable for a boat?

 

I'm sure an induction hob will be fine if your boat is in a marina hooked up to shore power, or if you have spent a lot of money on batteries and charging systems it should work fine in summer. But if you want to cook on the boat in winter without shore power forget it.

[rusty69]

39 minutes ago, blackrose said:

Why do people think that just because something works well in a house it's going to be suitable for a boat?

 

I'm sure an induction hob will be fine if your boat is in a marina hooked up to shore power, or if you have spent a lot of money on batteries and charging systems it should work fine in summer. But if you want to cook on the boat in winter without shore power forget it.

I think you answered your own question there.

 

Because they can work very well on a boat under particular circumstances. 

Those people that think they can get away with only using an electric cooker without shore power in the winter are either deluded or they know their systems very well. That is not to say they cannot be used in conjunction with a gas cooker or Woodburner. It's just another tool in the box. Redundancy on boats, is afterall, generally a good thing. 

 

I don't think the OP is deluded, but I'm not certain his question is based upon the practicality of using an electric cooker, but rather a question of how the technology works. 

I might be wrong though. I usually am. 

[blackrose]

1 hour ago, rusty69 said:

I think you answered your own question there...

 

That is not to say they cannot be used in conjunction with a gas cooker or Woodburner. It's just another tool in the box. Redundancy on boats, is afterall, generally a good thing. 

 

Yes my question was rhetorical.

 

I'm a great believer in multiple systems on boats and having backup so you're not relying on single systems that could fail. However there are practical limits to that and if one already has a gas hob then having an induction hob as backup is completely unnecessary and would be a big waste of space, although I suppose you could always use it as an (expensive) worktop.

Edited November 30, 2023 by blackrose

[rusty69]

6 hours ago, blackrose said:

 

Yes my question was rhetorical.

 

I'm a great believer in multiple systems on boats and having backup so you're not relying on single systems that could fail. However there are practical limits to that and if one already has a gas hob then having an induction hob as backup is completely unnecessary and would be a big waste of space, although I suppose you could always use it as an (expensive) worktop.

I suppose that depends on the size of the induction hob and whether it is built in. 

 

Thw one we have is one of those one pan portable jobs. It's an 800W thing, but I think the lowest setting is 200W.Easily stored in a cupboard when not in use. Great should the gas run out unexpectedly. 

[system 4-50]

from Wiki:

For nearly all models of induction cooktops, a cooking vessel must be made of, or contain, a ferrous metal such as cast iron or some stainless steels. The iron in the pot concentrates the current to produce heat in the metal. If the metal is too thin, or does not provide enough resistance to current flow, heating will not be effective. Induction tops typically will not heat copper or aluminum vessels because the magnetic field cannot produce a concentrated current, but cast iron, carbon steel and stainless steel pans usually work. Any vessel can be used if placed on a suitable metal disk which functions as a conventional hotplate.

 

[magnetman]

7 hours ago, blackrose said:

 

Yes my question was rhetorical.

 

I'm a great believer in multiple systems on boats and having backup so you're not relying on single systems that could fail. However there are practical limits to that and if one already has a gas hob then having an induction hob as backup is completely unnecessary and would be a big waste of space, although I suppose you could always use it as an (expensive) worktop.

There are very compact single ring induction hobs. Quite a good way to soak up excess solar power in the summer. Just put it away after use. 

 

I don't think the OP lives on the boat in winter so it probably doesn't matter. 

 

This one is alright and not expensive and will run on a 2kw inverter. When it starts jt is on 2kw but you just tap the down button several times as soon as it is on and it comes down to the 300w minimum setting which is ok for simmering. 

 

Not big 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/294221784548

[rusty69]

4 minutes ago, magnetman said:

There are very compact single ring induction hobs. Quite a good way to soak up excess solar power in the summer. Just put it away after use. 

 

I don't think the OP lives on the boat in winter so it probably doesn't matter. 

 

This one is alright and not expensive and will run on a 2kw inverter. When it starts jt is on 2kw but you just tap the down button several times as soon as it is on and it comes down to the 300w minimum setting which is ok for simmering. 

 

Not big 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/294221784548

I like the sterling ones. Very futuristic. 

 

 

Ours is by vango. They do a single and a double. 

 

Google it herself, I cba

Edited November 30, 2023 by rusty69

[magnetman]

Just now, rusty69 said:

 

 

Google it herself, I cba

I'll ask her to do that. 

[Sea Dog]

Is it a coincidence that the only folk espousing induction hobs in boats are @magnetman and @rusty69 ? Surely this is a "cast iron case" of promoting self interest!  

[rusty69]

Just now, Sea Dog said:

Is it a coincidence that the only folk espousing induction hobs in boats are @magnetman and @rusty69 ? Surely this is a "cast iron case" of promoting self interest!  

No comment. 

[magnetman]

No comment .

[Sea Dog]

I'd change my name to Tesla and join in with you guys, but then I'd get sucked into the neverending "why electric cars..." thread! 

[magnetman]

Much as I realise that Tesla and Sterling products are the porn of the devil I quite like the recessed design of the Sterling hob with a remote control.

 

That is actually rather a Good Idea.