slow cookers

dhill
dhill Solar Expert Posts: 47 ✭
in Energy Use & Conservation #1
Anybody know how much energy an electric crock pot uses on low heat? I'm just wondering if it's possible to use one of these cookers in an off-grid application. My stove top on low still cooks too fast. I may have to resort to cooking with candle power.
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: slow cookers

    I'm guessing at 300 - 500W depending on settings. If you have sunlight, get a solar cooker, they will easily hit 250F for several hours.

    {edit} Sources:
    www.sunoven.com
    www.ecozen.com/scook9.htm

    I misspoke, they are solar ovens
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
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  • dhill
    dhill Solar Expert Posts: 47 ✭
    #3
    Re: slow cookers

    I've never heard of a solar cooker. I'll have to look them up. Thanks Mike.
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  • Brock
    Brock Solar Expert Posts: 639 ✭✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: slow cookers

    I metered all of ours of course ;) Our largest one uses 350w on high, 250w on medium and 100w on low. The middle sized one was 200w on high and 80w on low and the smallest one was 150w on high and 40w on low. I checked them because one time my wife had made something in the medium sized one and we had to drive like an hour to where we were going. I threw it in the back of the wagon on a 250w mod sine wave inverter and off we went. It worked fine on both high and low, but left it on lo for the trip .

    I am bad at sizes, but know the small one holds 32 oz of chili full, that is a quart right? The middle one I believe is 3 quarts and the largest one is about 5 quarts? I am really guessing except the small one.

    They take amazingly little power, oh and they do cycle on and off once up to temperature.
    3kw solar PV, 4 LiFePO4 100a, xw 6048, Honda eu2000i, iota DLS-54-13, Tesla 3, Leaf, Volt, 4 ton horizontal geothermal, grid tied - Green Bay, WI
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    #5
    Re: slow cookers

    You can check "Trucker Supply" type places... they have 12 VDC crock pots and other appliances.

    Also, especially at Asian/Chinese markets, you can find thermos type slow cookers... Basically a stainless 2-4 quart pot that you bring to a boil, then transfer to a thermos pot (insulated sides and lid).... Leave it set for two to four hours and your meal is cooked (sometimes I will pull it out of the thermos and give it another few minutes on the stove to got it hot again--then let it cook longer in the thermos)...

    http://www.sanso.co.jp/e/corporate/life.html "shuttle chief thermal cooking pot"...

    -Bill

    PS: I had to leave earlier before I could find a real link... Search for Thermal Cooking Pot and you will find things like:

    http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-SNAE-B45-Stainless-Thermal-Cooking/dp/B00004S57K

    They don't quite cook like a crock pot (if you quickly boil a large piece of frozen meat, the cool center will quickly chill the pot because there is no external source of heat), but they do work fine on beans, chicken, stews were the meat is already sliced into smaller chunks, etc.

    -BB
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #6
    Re: slow cookers

    My big one is 300 watts and 150 on low. Just picked up a small one, it's listed at 120 watts MAX.
    I just stuck that one on my KILL A WATT and it read 118 watts High, 68 watts Low. 121 Volts AC.
    That's why I got it. One of these days, I'll get to use it!
    Wayne
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  • dhill
    dhill Solar Expert Posts: 47 ✭
    #7
    Re: slow cookers

    Thanks for the info on the crock pots, guys. Brock, thanks for metering this for me. Sounds like I could easily run a mid-sized crock pot on low for a couple of hours without stressing my system. Not much different from running the tv, I think.
    Those solar cookers were cool, too. I'm planning on building one in my back yard along with my brick grill someday. BB, I'll check on the 12 vdc pots. That's something else I hadn't thought of.
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