Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.
Other than coffee bags, French press, perk, anyone have luck with a particular brand/model 12 volt coffee maker used while on the hook? I hear they are slow or not hot enough...any positive reports? Thanks.
Suzie, My big concern would be the time it takes to brew a pot...up to 45 min. for some models. By the time you have coffee it would almost be time to start drinking beer (kidding!!). I use a French press and love the simplicity.
Heating things (other than light bulb filaments) is a very "extravagant" use of 12 volt power. That is, it requires a large percentage of your battery reserve (on a typical 25' sailboat) to produce a useful amount of temperature change. (The same applies to cooling with battery power.)
To make coffee onboard, I use a propane stove to boil water for a small french press using drip grind coffee. The results are quick and tasty. I dip a small bucket of seawater to clean the parts of the french press, and then give it a final wash and rinse in potable water.
I was finally able to toss my "curtain burner" in the trash this year. Eventually I'll break down for a new Origo . For now I'm using a propane camp stove that just fits on top the cutting board. It works great for heating water - I use instant coffee .
I also use porpane to fuel a small Coleman heater which takes the chill off in the morning and evening. To further concerve battery power, I usually use a propane Coleman lantern at night. It not only lights the cabin nicely, but also heats as well.
As I think about it, the only thing I use my batteries for are to start the outboard, power my instruments and autopilot, and power a Davis cockpit light. I charge with a Siemans solar charger and the 4 amp alternator on the outboard. I've never had a dead battery.
But, if you have to have yours out of the machine, here's the scientific method, and the way I would do it, is with a properly sized inverter, using a 110v coffee maker.
Look on the coffeemaker for the watts......the Mr. Coffee in this here hotel room weighs in at 750W.....so, go to the evil empire and get yourself a 750 watt plus inverter. Get a proper switch to supply your outlets from either shorepower or the inverter. I use my 110 all the time, and while away from the dock through the inverter....(If you must know: Dremmel tool, small shop vac, charger for phones, MP-3 player, toaster etc....)
Now, lets talk battery. W=V*A(Watts=volts times amps)
750W divided by 110 is about 7 amps (at 110) 750W divided by 12 is about 62Amps, now that's per hour, so if the contraption makes coffee in ten minutes, you're using about 7 amps. (There is some loss in the converter in the form of heat.) With a 100 amp battery, no problem. And with a 10 amp charger about a small hour to put it back in.
Other than the cost of the inverter, which is handy anyways, go for it. The only downside is that you might slowly become the owner of an over equipped 250..... But, as long as you don't try to sell it after doing all that, and enjoy it...no problem..
Its not electric, but I found a Coleman 10 cup drip coffee maker in the Mr. Coffee style that works on a propane stove. It is still a little slower than electric, but simple and makes good coffee.
Butane, propane, or alcohol... You can get something cheap at Walmart (or in the case of the Origo, expensive at WM) that will do a better job and preserve your battery. (If Oscar checks his arithmetic and factors some "fuzz" into it, he'll probably agree that an average Group 24 battery will be stressed by a coffee maker, AC or DC. But these "42" guys tend to forget... )
Hi Suzie, I hope you and your boat made it OK through the latest hurricane.
I do like the taste of a good cup of coffee in the morning. Just like camping, everything tastes better in the outdoors.
I don't like instant coffee, and need my java fix quickly.
I have an origo 3000 stove, which works quite well. I bought a stainless steel teapot from K mart in Marathon Florida. I have a Merilatt one cup coffee cone which uses a Merilatt (or generic)#2 filter. I bought this in the coffee department of my local Kroger supermarket. you put the filter on top of your cup, in my case I use those tapered insulated cups with the wide bottom that you get at the truck stop, or quickie mart. With those cups you can start sailing away and have another cup of coffee too, they have a small piece of rubber on the bottom so they don't slide either. You get a great tasting cup of fresh brewed drip coffee quickly. You toss out the grinds and filter so clean up is quick. Now I'm looking for a hand operated plastic coffee grinder. A friend of mine in my sailing club imports coffee directly from Costa Rica and I would like to have fresh ground. Yum Yum. I'm drinking a cup right now.
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Doesn't Oscar use his microwave for all his cooking?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Everything has been covered here. I had a 12v coffee maker but it took forever and made warm coffee. I think it wasted a lot of power in the cord. 18ga when 10 would have been better.
Wal Mart is the place to go. I found a nice stainless 8 cup perc coffee maker in the camping department. it makes great coffee. I especially like the last cup. Reminds me of camping with my dad. (don't toss it down too fast, there's a surprise in the bottom of the cup.) I would really like to get one of those stove top espresso makers. Just a small one cup version. I do love that cup of jo comming up from the galley when the dew is on everything and you are trying to find a dry spot to sit.
Thanks fellas for the great feedback. Love a good "cup of Joe" in the AM! Will head out to Walmart later to check out the toys....
Oscar did the new owner of hull 618 take ownership/delivery yet?
Frank, thanks for the concern, Sarasota again was lucky. Feeling optimistic I spent most of the weekend putting the boat back together. Been rough summer for most of the state. I feel blessed to still have a boat to play with. I almost felt guilty when I posted this question in light of what others have been going through. Thanks !!!
Hey Frank, You aren't involved in this scandal are you?
"Pitcairn, roughly halfway between New Zealand and Peru, has been reeling from unprecedented attention since the trials opened last week with more than half the island's adult males on trial..."
I used a 12 V coffee maker. drained my house power faster than anything else I've ever used. Now I use a noce French press from REI. It's Lexan, makes about 4 cups, and has a neoprene insulator that wraps around it keep sthe coffee hot most of the morning.
I ran a college outdoor program for 17 years and have spent many morings out. the French press is my coffee maker of choice. made of Lexan plastic, bullet prof. another Item on my (very long) list is the hand crank blender. "Boat drinks" can liven up an evening ho the hook!
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by clayC</i> <br />another Item on my (very long) list is the hand crank blender. "Boat drinks" can liven up an evening ho the hook!
Clay C <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by John V.</i> <br />I would really like to get one of those stove top espresso makers. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by clayC</i> <br />check out www.gsioutdoors.com they are the ones that distribute the hand crank blender. and some other great cooking stuff.
Clay C <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Thanks, Clay! That blender is on my wish list now, too ... cool!
Suzie, I use a stainless steel insulated travel mug/coffee press I bought at Starbucks.
OK, Frank found the "manly" 2-stroke blender. Here's the next best thing for us power tool guys: a cordless drill blender attachment: http://www.boatblender.com/.
Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ. The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.