Cooking inside in a power outage.

This came up in a discussion with my son - who lives outside of Austin.

One of the items we discussed is use of a microwave or Instapot for cooking a hot meal when it it otherwise cold and no power.

He doesn't want a genset. Why/ Noise from genset + neighbors = something he would rather avoid.

So, how about an inverter system? In checking I was surprised to see some very reasonable prices for <2KW systems (12 or 24VDC)

How much power will an instapot draw while cooking?
Ah, the power of the Internet -

You could save juice by adding boiling or nearly boiling water to the pot to reduce startup draw time.

Yes, he now has a Coleman propane 2 burner stove on order.

He thought it 'funny' when he went to the local 'corner store' to get something - and saw the parking lot full of folks desperate to buy propane or even water. The store had a full cage of the Blue Rhino 4.5 gall propane bottles.

What the store didn't have was electricity to run the cash registers, the gas pumps - and the credit card/debit cards were out all over the. US.

Thought I'd share the video - using an instapot isn't a bad idea for urban dwellers. A hot meal is a big thing when it is cold and will be getting colder.

 

I've considered just what it would take to run cooking devices from battery. The problem is the heat generating devices are a truly lousy use of limited electrical power. Do they work? Yes. But conversion efficiencies for 12/24 VDC to 120VAC stink when talking about smaller inverters.
I have some very large inverters/UPS devices: >5KW. But I'd prefer to use them on electronics. I'm rural so running a genset for a week or two isn't a problem. Until it won't run for whatever reason. So as the ice approached, again, out comes the old camping gear. Two burner colmans one propane bottles, the other white gas. Same for the laterns. Just as backup, but when a ice event comes in I always verify they work and I have fuel stocks. Wood stove is a cooking device as well. I actually have a 3 gallon pot of spaghetti sauce simmering on it as I type.

 

Do you have a daughter in law in Tx ?
Those things are great at motivating the young'n to get into the game.

 

I have a dual purpose, instant pot/air fryer. Love that thing. No clue how much juice it sucks to run though. We have one of those fish fry cooker stands with the propane tank for emergency cooking. Use it for canning too, when I don't care to heat the house up.

My stepson brought his big bbq grill in the house. He did that last year. Because, reasons. Probably same reasons that convinced him to set up two 40# propane tanks in the house 1 ft away from a blue flame heater. Or the same reason that convinced him to get rid of his dining room table in favor of using custom built kegerator table in the dining room. Priorities, man.

I wonder what the odds are on my stepgrandkids surviving to adulthood...

 

You may want to check out the various 12v items available at bigger truck stops there are some neat things the truckers use

 

Got one of them too, but use it mostly just for heat, however when my electric stove died last year, I replaced it with a propane one. No electricity just means I have to light it with a match then it is cooking as normal (at least for the stove top, but that circuit is on the generator if I NEED the oven)
I loose power a few times a year (usually for less than a day) so its nice to have backups.
I collect Coleman stoves and lanterns so I got that covered too... the propane ones are nice, but I really like the dual fuel ones for "prepping" I find I can store more white gas than propane cans easier and in a life or death, the dual fuels will run on unleaded gas.

-JW

 

More BTUs in white gas as well.

 

Looks as if I will be putting in a Back Up Generator.
Problem is will it be a ABT or a MBT?
Anyway you cut it I will need to make a compatible structure to make it all work with what I have and what will work in appearance.
I'd rather put it in the ground than in TAXES.
As is I was lucky to still have water and with a back up generator I will be covered with heat and water for stock.

Most likely this will work out with a single entry and a few other mods to match what I hand cut and built 30 years ago.
https://www.aidomes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/dark-pic-Utility-Dome-finished.jpg
The following info covers 12′ Pod Utility Domes from American Ingenuity



A no rust, insulated, low maintenance, 12′ diameter 110 sq.ft. dome kit.

 

Did all that , just do not have a dedicated backup connected to the house via Automatic Bus Transfer..
Propane 40 pounders are out side waiting if needed.
Left everything else in ready storage after checking the first snow fall.

 

Rolling blackouts were pretty decent.

Then about an hour ago BLINK.

But a phone call proved a car hit a pole and we were back on in minutes.

 

I have a dutch oven, wood, and charcoal. Maybe I'm just old,

 

Nah, got that too in the shop should the house burn down, and two zip together down mummy bags and a load of TP in a storage box that is mouse proof. Even bought a new aluminum long handle shovel.

 

Non electric options; sun oven, sterno folding stove(cheap and easy to store), webber grill(charcoal), coleman stove.

 

Top Lit Up-Draft (TLUD) stoves are what I use in camp, and would probably use if cooking needs arose. Keeps lots of heat in the char all night if it's a little chilly. I have old school house ventilation with dormer windows that open, so ventilation isn't an issue. This stove is about as close to smoke free as anything I've seen fired with wood.



Paired with a large Kelly Kettle I've never had a need for more stove. Can cook my meal, heat my water, pop my popcorn and have that nice camp fire smell all on one fill of horse bedding. ($5 for 40 pound bag at TSC) Stirs up the rangers in National Forest campgrounds with open fire bans and bug wood restrictions, but they get over it when they visit me.

They're not limited to wood pellets. I've burned peanut and pistachio shells, piles of twigs, and even dried cat dung. (I built a dedicated test stove from a Foster's Ale can for this, but it worked just fine.) Just think of all the resources we're wasting.

 

We've got 2 fire place inserts that have enough room on top for a water bath canning pot and a 3 quart sauce pan at the same time. So cast iron skillet, and sauce pan on top to cook the pork chops and make a veg. wrap a couple of taters in foil and toss into the fire box and shazam, heat and hot food.

We've also had bacon and eggs, pancakes, soups, burgers etc done up this way for years.

 

We keep our hibachi in the box it came in outside under a shed along with two large sealed China Ammo Cans full of charcoal briquettes.
The charcoal briquettes are Kingford and purchased at the end of the season for pennies on the dollar at Walmart.
The only way I care to keep that fuel as it has combust levels when wet.
When some carbon-based materials, such as activated carbon or charcoal briquettes, are in contact with water, an oxidation reaction occurs between the carbon material, the water, and pockets of trapped air.

Safety first.

 

This is right up my alley, as it's something I have had to practice most of my life!
1) recommendation is to get ether the MSR Whisper lite international cook stove, and have all the fuel conversion accessories that go with it! Second choice ( and more fuel efficient) is the Colman Summit cook stove, also with the multi fuel conversion kit! These stoves normally run on white gas, put out YUGE BTUs and are pretty dang efficient for cooking and if you get creative heating!
2) Storm Lamps, usually the Jet burner Aladdin types, they make a cook top for these that works very well, and these also put out tons of light and heat, only downside is they go through the fuel fast! The more traditional Storm Lamps are more efficient, but don't preform near as well!
3) The old school white gas Colman 2 burner camp stoves are very good, and with the multi fuel conversions, very easy to keep fueled!
4) some form of steal or cast iron "Rocket Stove" that can fuel with found things like storm blow down, paper scraps, and other things that burn! These need plenty of ventilation, but put out heat like no other for their size, and they can make cooking simple!
5) Dutch Ovens, cast iron awesomeness, nuff said!

These all provide multiple options for a power/grid down situation, and if you prepped more then a little, should be easy to get you through any need!
Case in point, my Colman Summit can make a gallon of white gas last more then 6 months burning that stove 3 times per day, and if you are smart in prepping your set up, the heat that this puts out can last several hours, which if your careful, will save you from needing any of the other options!