Toasting a Slice with Solar Power

[marsman]

I have read through several threads that I searched on regarding the various appliances that can be run off of batteries inverters and such but none have the answer to this specific question.

We are currently packing up all of out items to bring with us in preparation to pick up our new trailer on April 24th. I would like to bring a 2 slice toaster and a standard coffeemaker. We have the solar option on our 2019 5.0ta with the 2 6V batteries and the standard rooftop solar panel that Escape installs. Lucie and I really like having our 2 cups of coffee and toast every morning; its like a ritual that gets the day going for us. We plan on doing mostly boondocking on the way home; can we run a toaster enough to make 4 slices and a coffee maker in the morning and still have enough juice to run our laptops at night?

Thanks for any help on this.

[Jim Bennett]

I assume you have the inverter. On our recent trip we regular made 8 slices of toast for the 4 of us. Only one morning, after a dreary rainy day and a cold night with the furnace fan running some, did the inverter trip out partway through the 4th go. Almost had it, but nice to know it will kick out at a reasonable voltage to protect the batteries. We were all charged up great the next day as the sun came out some.

We don't use it for coffee, though some do. I much prefer various non-electric methods of coffee making, from the AeroPress (my favourite), a percolator, French press, or pour over, as any of these can extract the coffee from the beans better than a smaller electric coffee maker. It is all good though if you enjoy it.

Other things seeing semi-regular use are the hair trimmer, hair dryer, laptop, TV and blender.

When we have poor solar gain, we adjust how we use the inverter accordingly, this is where not relying on 120V for coffee is not a bad idea.

[EdColorado]

https://www.amazon.com/Coghlans-504D...%2C171&sr=8-10

No electricity required.
Takes up minimal space.
Weighs next to nothing.

Enjoy your trip home.

Ed

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by EdColorado

https://www.amazon.com/Coghlans-504D...%2C171&sr=8-10

No electricity required.
Takes up minimal space.
Weighs next to nothing.

Enjoy your trip home.

Ed

'tis what I used for my previous 30 years of trailering. While it sorta did the job, if you did not mind your toast dried out. On a high output stove it worked not bad, but on one like the stock ones in an Escape, it dried the bread out a heck of a lot. It also wasted a lot of fuel. Oh, and pay attention.

Now we have nice moist toast with a crispy outside, cooked right every time.

This is the one we use. Very light, works great, has a bagel and frozen setting, and at $20 CAD shipped they are practically giving it away.

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Upfisk]

We sold a Yamaha 2.2 kw generator about 18 months ago. The buyer tested it by bring a 4 slice toaster. Yes, a 4 slice toaster draws about 2000 watts. The toaster kept bringing the Yamaha down to near stall, but it would recover and keep running. After 10 minutes of this abuse, he decided the generator was good enough to buy.

You only get a 1500 watt inverter, NO, it will not power a 4 slice toaster. I think even a 2 slice toaster at 1000 watts is pushing it a bit. In the morning our solar system generally is down to 84% and 12.6V. 12.6V is the resting state of the batteries and this is a normal morning reading. Apply a 1000 watt load and your batteries will decline rapidly, as soon as the load is removed the batteries recover quickly. We have a hot kettle, it also draws 1000 watts. We have used it only 1 time in the morning, before sunrise, and while we did get boiling water faster than stove top heating the plunge in battery state was alarming. Think your toaster will give you the same performance. What is the draw on your coffee maker?

[Vermilye]

I use a 5 cup coffee maker to make 4 cups of coffee most mornings - uses around 6 amp hours. A cheap 2 slice toaster uses around 9 amp hours to make a double toasted (I like them crisp) english muffin. I currently have 2 panels on the roof for 320 watts, but I did the same morning routine when I only had one 100 watt panel with my 17; it just took longer to put it back.

The bottom line is a summer day with sun will put that back, along with what you use for other things unless you are a power hungry user like me - I use 40 - 50 amp hours per day. The low angle sun and short winter days will take longer, and a string of cloudy days will have you going back to the stove for the coffee. During the winter I use an additional portable to help.

[MyronL]

I just butter my bread and flip it into the frying pan. Propane to the rescue.

[Dave Walter]

Jim also has a bit more solar wattage on his 5.0 than comes with a standard Escape solar option, so his experience could be different than others.

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

I assume you have the inverter. On our recent trip we regular made 8 slices of toast for the 4 of us. Only one morning, after a dreary rainy day and a cold night with the furnace fan running some, did the inverter trip out partway through the 4th go. Almost had it, but nice to know it will kick out at a reasonable voltage to protect the batteries. We were all charged up great the next day as the sun came out some.

We don't use it for coffee, though some do. I much prefer various non-electric methods of coffee making, from the AeroPress (my favourite), a percolator, French press, or pour over, as any of these can extract the coffee from the beans better than a smaller electric coffee maker. It is all good though if you enjoy it.

Other things seeing semi-regular use are the hair trimmer, hair dryer, laptop, TV and blender.

When we have poor solar gain, we adjust how we use the inverter accordingly, this is where not relying on 120V for coffee is not a bad idea.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by EdColorado

No electricity required.
Takes up minimal space.
Weighs next to nothing.
Ed

Yup, that and instant coffee work for me.

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

Now we have nice moist toast with a crispy outside, cooked right every time.

Oh man, I knew you're a coffee connoisseur but being able to distinguish the center moistness in toast. I view the toast as a carrier for my jam. I put so much jam on that I probably wouldn't notice if it was on toast or cardboard.

Actually I discovered the same thing about shrimp cocktails. I loved them but one day noticed that I was still loving it even though the shrimp was finished. The sauce on the lettuce still tasted as good.

Ron

[Bea]

Originally Posted by marsman

I have read through several threads that I searched on regarding the various appliances that can be run off of batteries inverters and such but none have the answer to this specific question.

We are currently packing up all of out items to bring with us in preparation to pick up our new trailer on April 24th. I would like to bring a 2 slice toaster and a standard coffeemaker. We have the solar option on our 2019 5.0ta with the 2 6V batteries and the standard rooftop solar panel that Escape installs. Lucie and I really like having our 2 cups of coffee and toast every morning; its like a ritual that gets the day going for us. We plan on doing mostly boondocking on the way home; can we run a toaster enough to make 4 slices and a coffee maker in the morning and still have enough juice to run our laptops at night?

Thanks for any help on this.

I hope you are successful in finding your perfect morning coffee/toast set up. I'd be interested in hearing what appliances worked for you while boondocking on your journey home.

When we boondock, we use this to make our toast: https://www.amazon.com/Camp-A-Toaste...gateway&sr=8-6
Easy to keep flipping the bread with some tongs for that perfect slice of toast.

We are tea drinkers ourselves but my sister is a coffee drinker and she loves using this in her trailer, regardless if she has shore power or not. Afterwards, she pours into a thermos to keep warm.
https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-20000...s%2C194&sr=8-3
Congrats on your new 5.0!

[marsman]

That stove top coffee maker is really cool !!

[marsman]

Thanks to everyone out there for all the great advice. I'm going to bring both a standard coffeemaker and a stove top perker just in case. Also have to get a small toaster. Will let all know how it went upon my return.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Dave Walter

Jim also has a bit more solar wattage on his 5.0 than comes with a standard Escape solar option, so his experience could be different than others.

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

Actually I discovered the same thing about shrimp cocktails. I loved them but one day noticed that I was still loving it even though the shrimp was finished. The sauce on the lettuce still tasted as good.

Ron

I find that with most sea bugs the flavour is a lot in how you dress them up. Unless slathered in butter, lobster and crab are not as good.

Originally Posted by marsman

Thanks to everyone out there for all the great advice. I'm going to bring both a standard coffeemaker and a stove top perker just in case. Also have to get a small toaster. Will let all know how it went upon my return.

Your percolator used right will beat out most electric coffee makers for a good tasty cup of Joe.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

Your percolator used right will beat out most electric coffee makers for a good tasty cup of Joe.

I don't get this statement. Isn't an electric coffee maker just a device that automatically heats the water to proper temp and then pours it over coffee grounds ( once ) in a filter? Doesn't a percolator run the same water through the grounds over and over until it's thick enough?

[EdColorado]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Doesn't a percolator run the same water through the grounds over and over until it's thick enough?

And that is exactly why I use a percolator. During my Navy days, I was taught that if your spoon couldn't stand up straight in your coffee, the coffee was too weak.

Ed

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by EdColorado

And that is exactly why I use a percolator. During my Navy days, I was taught that if your spoon couldn't stand up straight in your coffee, the coffee was too weak.

Ed

Well, that's a thought to chew on.

[cpaharley2008]

I have been known to carry 4 different coffee machines, 6 cup percolator,4 cup electric, stovetop 8 cup, and campfire 14 cups, all depending on who is drinking.....

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by MyronL

I just butter my bread and flip it into the frying pan. Propane to the rescue.

That system makes great toast!

As long as I can remember we've made coffee using a Melita pour-over coffee maker. We use the same at home. It makes great coffee!

Enjoy,

Perry

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

Your percolator used right will beat out most electric coffee makers for a good tasty cup of Joe.

Originally Posted by gbaglo

I don't get this statement. Isn't an electric coffee maker just a device that automatically heats the water to proper temp and then pours it over coffee grounds ( once ) in a filter? Doesn't a percolator run the same water through the grounds over and over until it's thick enough?

While there are some great electric coffee makers, the vast majority do not perform all that well, all to varying degrees. Issues with many include not heating the water enough, very poor distribution of the water over the grounds, and inadequate length of brew time, amongst other varying issues. Here are the certified home brewers from the Speciality Coffee Association, who puts them under an array of tests before giving their backing.
https://sca.coffee/certified-home-brewer

Percolator coffee can be bad too. So often in the past it was terribly over perc'd. One advantage of a percolator over many cheaper electric brewers is that the water gets evenly distributed over the grounds. Done properly it is a great way to brew coffee on a stovetop. About a tablespoon of coarse ground (usually unavailable in the store) coffee grounds per cup, brought to a low perc and the temp then turned down so that it is a slow perc, which should be stopped in roughly 4-5 minutes.

I just like to educate myself on subjects that holds great interest to me and brings me lots of joy, like coffee. I like learning this kinda stuff.

Originally Posted by EdColorado

And that is exactly why I use a percolator. During my Navy days, I was taught that if your spoon couldn't stand up straight in your coffee, the coffee was too weak.

Ed

Originally Posted by Perryb67

As long as I can remember we've made coffee using a Melita pour-over coffee maker. We use the same at home. It makes great coffee!

This is another great way to make coffee, something I used to do may years ago. I like the compactness and results from an AeroPress, but I would likely do pour over otherwise. You may do this too, but one thing I like to do with pour over extraction, is to first pour just enough water on the freshly ground coffee to saturate them, then allow them at least 30 seconds to fully bloom and soften a bit. I then slowly pour the water over the grounds.

[gbaglo]

I really like my Krupps programmable electric coffee maker. Keeps coffee at the right temperature. I don't program it. In fact the clock isn't even set.
Worst electric coffee maker was Cuisinart Grind and Brew. You set the time and grinding the beans wakes you up, but the coffee isn't ready. Steam from the brew process gets into the grinder and grounds stick to everything. Real pain to clean. Luckily London Drugs had a generous return policy at the time.