Replace or eliminate the 2 burner electric stovetop?

[HeadedToTexas]

The glass on our original 2 burner stovetop is cracked and while it still works, it is destined for replacement. My plan has been to replace it with a similarly sized 2 burner 120 VAC induction cooktop as it would look very factory and save a significant amount of electricity.

The other possibility is to eliminate the in-counter cooktop altogether and go with a portable unit that could be stored in a drawer when not in use. This boat doesn’t exactly have a ton of galley counter space and I usually find myself using the cooktop as counter space.

And rather than cover the hole with a cutting board, this would be the opportunity to replace granite countertop with the Corian I prefer. Anyone been down that path? I’m guessing the countertop is not mounted to the cabinets beneath the way they are in dirt homes.

 

[bowball]

In housing an upscale trend is to use invisible induction burners that are mounted below selected counter top materials so it’s not visible, making it the best of both worlds. I imagine pricing and power usage might make them not practical for most boats but I don’t know.

 

[FWT]

Are there fiddles on the countertop, and do they lap over the edge of the granite? It would add a woodworking element to a replacement.

 

[mvweebles]

And rather than cover the hole with a cutting board, this would be the opportunity to replace granite countertop with the Corian I prefer. Anyone been down that path? I’m guessing the countertop is not mounted to the cabinets beneath the way they are in dirt homes.

If ever there was a post that cried out for pictures.....

Depends on what work was done just prior to installing the countertop that required a caulking gun. If spare 5200 was in the gun, that's what's holding the counter in place.

As a suggestion, may want to do the swap the cokktopd and live with it for a while before you commit to swapping countertops.

Good luck with whatever you decide

Peter

 

[HeadedToTexas]

As a suggestion, may want to do the swap the cokktopd and live with it for a while before you commit to swapping countertops.

Definitely prudent. Dealing with the fiddling would definitely be involved. This isn't a great picture, but it's the only one of the galley I have. Among the challenges is that there is no way to examine the underside of the countertop to see how it attaches to the cabinet(s) below. Every drawer is completely pocketed.

 

[draakken]

If ever there was a post that cried out for pictures.....

https://invisacook.com/

 

[mvweebles]

Definitely prudent. Dealing with the fiddling would definitely be involved. This isn't a great picture, but it's the only one of the galley I have. Among the challenges is that there is no way to examine the underside of the countertop to see how it attaches to the cabinet(s) below. Every drawer is completely pocketed.

Not a lot of height on your fiddles. Even 1/4" tile with thin set over existing granite would pretty much bury them.

Despite my comment that the granite may have been set with 5200, it's almost certainly set with big globs of silicone. If you went down path of replacement, suggest removing the fiddles carefully - they are very likely rabbeted so granite slides beneath them so they have to come off first if you want to remove granite. There's a decent chance fiddles will come off in goof shape, perhaps with repair of splintered wood edges. Granite would likely break on removal, especially narrow pieces around sink.

I've mentioned previously I'm not a fan of fiddles so this is personal preference: the Big Project option for me would be to replace the entire countertop (I'd chose Corian but quartz would work too) and extend the counter past the cabinets by 1.5 inches just as home counters are. I can't see what's next to the sink where the towel bar is, but if possible, I'd extend the counter a few inches that direction to give the sink some breathing room.

Just depends how ambitious you are. 15 years ago I would knock it out in a week. These days I don't have nearly the desire I used to so would swap the cooktop and be done with it.

Good luck and send more pics on whatever you do.

Peter

 

[mvweebles]

https://invisacook.com/

That is really cool. Must sell like hotcakes in places like NYC with tiny apartments.

 

[draakken]

That is really cool. Must sell like hotcakes in places like NYC with tiny apartments.

Perhaps, but with a drop in induction range, you're only 1/4" proud of the near by countertop, so there is certianly something to the 100% smooth look, but for the cost, and ease of later repair/replacement, I'd lean to the drop in solution in most cases. Now if I was a designer trying to get my kitchen into a photo spread... easy which way to go there.

 

[ranger58sb]

The glass on our original 2 burner stovetop is cracked and while it still works, it is destined for replacement. My plan has been to replace it with a similarly sized 2 burner 120 VAC induction cooktop as it would look very factory and save a significant amount of electricity.

Kenyon makes induction cooktops, in both 240V and 120V.

Our Kenyon cooktop (not induction) only stands about 1/4 proud of the countertop surface, so when not actually cooing we can use that as workspace too.

Way down my to-do list, I reckon I'll look into swapping out our resistance cooktop for induction.

-Chris

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. d. WOW!!! VERY interesting product BUT I can see the potential for severe burns. Consider a guest or an absent minded user inadvertently leaving a burner on and putting "something"other than a cooking vessel on top of said burner and having that "something" heat up. "Now where did I put that "something? Ah, there it is..."-sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!

I admit I have no idea what that "something" may be. Fish filleting knife? Crescent wrench? Fishing tackle? Eyeglasses with metal frame?

What about a guest with a pacemaker?

 

[mvweebles]

Greetings,
Mr. d. WOW!!! VERY interesting product BUT I can see the potential for severe burns. Consider a guest or an absent minded user inadvertently leaving a burner on and putting "something"other than a cooking vessel on top of said burner and having that "something" heat up. "Now where did I put that "something? Ah, there it is..."-sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!

I admit I have no idea what that "something" may be. Fish filleting knife? Crescent wrench? Fishing tackle? Eyeglasses with metal frame?

What about a guest with a pacemaker?

Apparently, there is some sort of mat that has to be laid down before pot is placed. So you'd have to leave the mat in place too. Also, most (all?) induction cookers I've seen have timers.

Idea of tearing-up counter to service the cooker is definitely a bummer. But I can easily see a use-case where the downside is worth it.

Peter

 

[draakken]

put the metal object into just the right place, then turn the right burner on, yep a very easy to see occurring accident. =)

 

[Porgy]

I am really liking this. Extra usable counter space when not cooking. The instructions say it has a foreign object detector that will shut it off. An algorithm, possibly detects a minimum amount of metal?

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. P. Ah, didn't read the instructions. Someone @ invisacook had their "smart pants" on when they designed the safety features. Good to hear. Thanks.


Showed the video to the Admiral. Now she wants a one burner for our new boat BUT she forgot, new boat doesn't have a generator. Whew!

 

[Porgy]

I did a little math doodling- to bring a pot of water to a boil, cook pasta, sauté some stuff and heat sauce then heat water for coffee in the morning, a 10% inverter loss and came up with roughly 120 amps at 12v. If the induction is more efficient as they say, likely fewer amps. That assumes these burners use 15 amps on high.

I have a 1,000 Ah AGM bank now and think I could deal with that at present, depending how many amps the freezer likes to suck up overnight or if the diesel heater is running. With an LFP bank, it wouldn’t break a sweat.

 

[bowball]

That is really cool. Must sell like hotcakes in places like NYC with tiny apartments.

That’s one of the brands.
Most use seems to be on large island countertops actually.

They are pretty cool. When I mentioned them above I didn’t know the power or price requirements. Or how to mark where to actually set the pot.

The other negative is while the surface stays cool from the induction there is reflected heat from the pot being heated.

And no mat is necessary. Only certain counter top materials and thicknesses work.

 

[Osprey69]

Removed my galley countertop to replace it with a new granite counter. Holy crap. 1" thick marine ply that was secured like nothing I have ever seen, dirt or water. Would I open up that can of worms to replace a stove? Probably not.

 

[rslifkin]

I did a little math doodling- to bring a pot of water to a boil, cook pasta, sauté some stuff and heat sauce then heat water for coffee in the morning, a 10% inverter loss and came up with roughly 120 amps at 12v. If the induction is more efficient as they say, likely fewer amps. That assumes these burners use 15 amps on high.

I have a 1,000 Ah AGM bank now and think I could deal with that at present, depending how many amps the freezer likes to suck up overnight or if the diesel heater is running. With an LFP bank, it wouldn’t break a sweat.

Coffee can be surprisingly low-power. I've measured the single cup coffee maker we keep on board to consistently use just about 50 watt-hours to make a ~14 ounce mug of coffee.

 

[mvweebles]

Removed my galley countertop to replace it with a new granite counter. Holy crap. 1" thick marine ply that was secured like nothing I have ever seen, dirt or water. Would I open up that can of worms to replace a stove? Probably not.

How come the substrate plywood had to be removed?

Peter

 

[Osprey69]

How come the substrate plywood had to be removed?

Peter

New sink with new shape and stacking the counters would have looked and functioned a bit weird.

And the Admiral likes it better...

 

[Marco Flamingo]

Somebody above said that there might be a problem 1) running the microwave at the same time as the induction burner, 2) running the toaster at the same time, 3) running the air conditioner at the same time. The generator might not keep up. I replaced my propane with induction at the same time as taking out my generator.

I also took out my microwave at the same time as the generator. The new induction burner is just faster, quieter, and doesn't take up any room like a microwave. I can pour my cold cup of coffee into the appropriate pan on the stove (i.e., induction ready), turn on the timed burner, and it's hot in 1 minute. Reheating coffee is 94% of what a microwave does but it isn't required if you have an induction burner. Pop corn is the other 6%. I have an induction popcorn popper, so I've absolutely no need for a microwave.

I've never had a toaster onboard and never had a good way to toast until I put in the induction burner. I use a piece of perf steel. Toasts bread or sandwiches.

I don't worry about air conditioning. I have always been lucky enough to live where it isn't needed.

As to fiddles on an induction stove top, I've found that those aren't needed. Silicon rubber pads will stick a pan to the stove top up to about a 30 degree tilt, at which point the pan's contents will likely slop out no matter what is holding the pot. If I'm rocking beyond what a silicon pad can hold, then what's on the stove is the least of my problems.

I did suffer some amperage anxiety even before a full test-drive cruise with the induction top. So I added a 120Ah LFP battery that feeds only the pure sine wave inverter that runs the stove top. That battery is blue-toothed to my phone, but I've yet to get a notice that it ever reached the low set point (13V or 70% discharge). I should probably disconnect the battery from all charging and see how much I can cook. And it seems the PSW inverter appreciates a strong +13V.

My induction stove is my biggest electrical gobbler. But it is now "contained" by having its own LFP battery. Right now, I can charge the stove battery from the house LA batteries through an invertor or from shore power. I might add a solar panel just for it. Belt, suspenders, thumb tacks.

 

[ranger58sb]

Somebody above said that there might be a problem 1) running the microwave at the same time as the induction burner, 2) running the toaster at the same time, 3) running the air conditioner at the same time. The generator might not keep up. I replaced my propane with induction at the same time as taking out my generator.

I also took out my microwave at the same time as the generator. ... Reheating coffee is 94% of what a microwave does ...

I don't worry about air conditioning. I have always been lucky enough to live where it isn't needed.

I didn't recognize where somebody above said anything about simultaneous use...

But I'd guess that's entirely boat specific. We can run all that stuff at the same time, maybe others can't.

Ditto microwave (and convection oven) use. We did a Thanksgiving turkey in ours one year, using the convection oven feature.

Ditto aircon. July and August around here can be oppressive, and air flow in the boat ain't great. AC to the rescue.

Just noting everyone's situation can be different... and also influenced a lot by personal preferences and so forth.

Nifty tip on toasting with an induction burner.

-Chris

 

[Barrie]

Hi Heading to Texas: We have the same boat and I dumped the two burner electric and replaced with a 3 burner propane. Yes propane! but to add counter space when not in use, I made a matching wood cover that neatly fits over the stove. Also installed a sheet of stainless steel under the cover, and between the stove for safety. Now have lots of counter space.
Just a heads up, I had to enlarge the hole in the counter for the stove to fit and that granite is mighty thick and mighty tough. Your in for a dirty job.
Barrie
The six stages of life: Toyboat, Sailboat, Motorboat, Motor Home, Nursing Home, Funeral Home

 

[HeadedToTexas]

Just a heads up, I had to enlarge the hole in the counter for the stove to fit and that granite is mighty thick and mighty tough. Your in for a dirty job.

Barrie

The six stages of life: Toyboat, Sailboat, Motorboat, Motor Home, Nursing Home, Funeral Home

Like most things on that boat, I suppose. Good to know, Barrie, and that insight only reinforces my plan to first replace the old stove with a similar form factor induction cooktop.

When you enlarged the stove hole, did you happen to see how the granite countertop mounts to the cabinet?

 

[Barrie]

I used a power stone cutter. the dust was terrible. It seemed to me that the counter went under the window sill on the starboard side. Where the counter met the top of the wood cabinets it was glued. The counter is about 1" -1 1/4" thick.

 

[HeadedToTexas]

Yikes. Nasty job.

Have you ever ventured into the space between the aft wall of the forward head and the forward wall of the pilot house below the chart locker? There’s got to be space in there as it sounds hollow, but I can’t get the mirror off to see if there is an access “hole” behind it.

 

[Datenight]

I used a power stone cutter. the dust was terrible. It seemed to me that the counter went under the window sill on the starboard side. Where the counter met the top of the wood cabinets it was glued. The counter is about 1" -1 1/4" thick.

Dry cutting stone is a two man job. One cuts the other holds the hose from a shop vac in the best spot to pick up the dust.

Rob

 

[Barrie]

Have you ever ventured into the space between the aft wall of the forward head and the forward wall of the pilot house below the chart locker? There’s got to be space in there as it sounds hollow, but I can’t get the mirror off to see if there is an access “hole” behind it.
__________________
Escape

No. why are you looking to do this?

 

[Barrie]

Dry cutting stone is a two man job. One cuts the other holds the hose from a shop vac in the best spot to pick up the dust.

Rob

Hey Rob: I had better than a 2nd man, I had my wife assist. We had water and the vac going, but still a dirty mess. I kept saying to myself "should I be doing this"!!! But it all worked out to the good and we are happy with the result.