Replacing Propane stovetop and Oven in 21NE

[miataone]

My wife has never been happy with the oven in our 21NE and wanted me to replace it with a microwave, which she finds more useful when camping. This is our original unit.







Below is the way it looks after completion of the project. I will attempt to show the steps, if the site will stop kicking me out at inconvenient times!

[miataone]

It takes removing just six screws to remove the entire unit. We also detached and capped the flexible propane hose going to the unit.







We installed an electrical box with a receptacle and a switch that would ensure that only one plug on the receptacle would be energized at a time.












We used a piece of plywood for the bottom of the cabinet.

[John in Santa Cruz]

heh, different strokes for different folks, I guess. We use the gas oven FAR more than we've ever used the microwave. but we're often dry camping without hookups.

[miataone]

We used a CNC machine to cut and shape a piece of HDPE to make the new top piece for the cabinet, and a second piece of HDPE for the front piece.










The top and front pieces were installed using pocket screws from the bottom or backside of the material.





We then tested our install using an available microwave, as well as an drop-in Induction cook top that we had on hand.

[miataone]

We later changed out the microwave to a convection microwave to provide more cooking options for the wife. We mainly camp at state and National parks with hookups. I also carry a Honda generator for those times when electricity is not otherwise available. Of course we also have a portable propane grill as well as a portable 2-burner propane stove for when we want to cook outside. The electric cooking options as well as the portable units all reduce the heat load on the camper during the warmer seasons of the year, which is generally when we use our camper.

[Civilguy]

That’s an impressive installation. Is the CNC machine something you have around the house?

Personally, I’d be more comfortable capping the metal gas line with an appropriate metal cap and eliminating the flexible line. Chances are there will be no issues as is, but the potential consequences would lead me to removing the flexible hose.

[miataone]

My son-in-law has the CNC at his house and did the work for me.

The flexible gas line is no more of a risk now than it was previous to this installation. In fact, we now have easier access if we want to inspect it then we did previously. It's all a personal preference, of course.

[Civilguy]

Originally Posted by miataone

My son-in-law has the CNC at his house and did the work for me.

The flexible gas line is no more of a risk now than it was previous to this installation. In fact, we now have easier access if we want to inspect it then we did previously. It's all a personal preference, of course.

Clearly your daughter married well.

[SteveSgt]

That looks like an elegant outcome. I would probably have done the whole thing in brushed aluminum or else black anodized aluminum.

We went for the 3-burner Eno gas cooktop and the convection microwave underneath in our 21C. I covered the cooktop with an old cutting board as a pedestal for a single-burner induction hotplate. We do almost 80% of our cooking on that hot plate and in the microwave, even while boondocking when there is adequate sunlight.

If I were to greatly increase our lithium batteries by >2X and replace the factory inverter with a larger one (like 2kW or so), I could be inclined to replace that gas cooktop with a couple of induction burners.

[mfschu]

Very nice installation! Cook away! Thanks for sharing!

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by SteveSgt

That looks like an elegant outcome. I would probably have done the whole thing in brushed aluminum or else black anodized aluminum.

We went for the 3-burner Eno gas cooktop and the convection microwave underneath in our 21C. I covered the cooktop with an old cutting board as a pedestal for a single-burner induction hotplate. We do almost 80% of our cooking on that hot plate and in the microwave, even while boondocking when there is adequate sunlight.

If I were to greatly increase our lithium batteries by >2X and replace the factory inverter with a larger one (like 2kW or so), I could be inclined to replace that gas cooktop with a couple of induction burners.

induction burners can be 1200 watts each, but I guess that Fogatti shown above limits the power to 1800 watts total, which is 15 amps at 120VAC..

[SteveSgt]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

induction burners can be 1200 watts each, but I guess that Fogatti shown above limits the power to 1800 watts total, which is 15 amps at 120VAC..

A couple of the two-burner induction tops I've considered use logic to limit total load to 15A. That would be adequate--I cannot imagine needing to run both burners at full power simultaneously.

[Rossue]

Originally Posted by SteveSgt

A couple of the two-burner induction tops I've considered use logic to limit total load to 15A. That would be adequate--I cannot imagine needing to run both burners at full power simultaneously.

Escactly- our two burner induction in our van will only run at level 5 each when both are used and that is plenty for most needs.

[miataone]

"That looks like an elegant outcome. I would probably have done the whole thing in brushed aluminum or else black anodized aluminum."


Since programming for the CNC is retained, we can easily produce an identical top and front panel any time that we decide we want to change to a different material. My SIL has used HDPE for a variety of applications and felt that it would work well here. Time will tell!

[miataone]

I have subsequently added an input for an independent 15 amp extension cord, that along with the already available 15 amp circuit can provide the needed current to be able to run both appliances simultaneously, for all those times that we are camped at a spot that has 50 amp service available.








The outlet powered by this 15 amp cord can also be used at times when I do not want the trailer's entire power center energized for whatever reason, during times the trailer is in storage.


The trailer has the solar package with two rooftop panels, a lithium battery and the 1500 watt inverter, so the microwave can be used for brief periods of time when we have no hookups and I don't want to fire up the generator, such as stopping at a rest stop or whatever.

[Fletch Dobbs]

Very nice upgrade!

[Centex]

Removal of the propane cooktop is not for me, but kudos on a very clean and handsome installation. Well done!

Originally Posted by miataone

....The outlet powered by this 15 amp cord can also be used at times when I do not want the trailer's entire power center energized for whatever reason, during times the trailer is in storage.

Just curious, did you install a 15A breaker in the trailer between the exterior plug and the dedicated outlet?

[miataone]

I considered putting a breaker in the line, but decided that since any receptacle that the cord would be plugged into would already be protected by a dedicated 15 amp breaker the extra protection of a second breaker is probably not needed. That seems to me to be a belt and suspenders situation.

[Centex]

Originally Posted by miataone

I considered putting a breaker in the line, but decided that since any receptacle that the cord would be plugged into would already be protected by a dedicated 15 amp breaker the extra protection of a second breaker is probably not needed. That seems to me to be a belt and suspenders situation.

Gotchya. I'll note that many if not most residential / commercial branch circuits with multiple 15A outlets are compliant with code having a 20A branch breaker (in recognition of acceptable total branch loading). YMMV.

Granted, the likely short run of cable between your exterior port and in-trailer outlet, which would be protected by an in-trailer breaker near the port, may have 20A ampacity (e.g. 12AWG or larger).

Also acknowledging I'm very conservative when it comes electrical overload / overheat /
fire risk within my trailer; perhaps irrationally a wee-bit less concerned about overloading extension cords and attendant risks outside of the trailer.

[miataone]

I hear your concerns. Most of the pedestals where I would be plugging in have a 15 amp breaker that controls the 110V outlet. For any that use a 20 amp breaker, a 15 amp surge protector (which I often use anyway) can be used for protection.