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Post by kentronix on Feb 17, 2009 14:36:54 GMT
Hi folks, Just a quick post to introduce myself, I am sure I will be bugging you for info sooner or later so here is mine ;D I am in the process of adapting my old mercedes 300td (estate ) to be a nice place to sleep. I figure a good place to find out whats important and whats not is you guys. I have converted it to run off used veggie oil and since then have done several trips across europe. Mainly to croatia and back (via france,belgium, luxembourg,germany,austria,slovenia) and so far camping with tents at campsites. Although I highly recommended it I would like the freedom to not have to find a campsite each night. So although its never going to be incredibly comfortable I am converting the back to be a place I can sleep for the odd night. I have the mattress and a 12v heated blanket (just in case), I am also rigging up some aux batteries for my little beer/milk fridge. I have added a second fuel tank so it has a range of 900 miles or so and plan to add more at some point. I am currently looking out for some safe legal places to do some free camping in the UK so I can test it out. I would feel a bit sad testing it out in my own drive, in london  Anyway, thats enough about me, I am off to browse this fine establishment you have here. |
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Post by Graham on Feb 17, 2009 17:16:09 GMT
Hi Kentronix
Welcome to the forum, you certainly sound like an intrepid sort of camper, best of luck with your venture.
Graham
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Post by kentronix on Feb 17, 2009 22:05:43 GMT
Thanks for the welcome, thought you may appreciate a pic or two. This is my baby, at this point we were in tents, this is speyer in germany. Note the veg oil containers with filtered used oil brought from the UK.  And below is my exhaust manifold mounted pressure cooker, I can tell you we felt quite nervous qoing through customs not speaking the language with strange smells coming from the engine bay  Obviously, there was a lid too |
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Post by Graham on Feb 18, 2009 8:08:54 GMT
So, let me get this right, you actually cook your food under the bonnet while driving?
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Post by kentronix on Feb 18, 2009 10:38:20 GMT
Yep, thats correct. Its in a sealed pressure cooker attached to the side of the cylinder head, directly above the hot exhaust manifold. The vent on the top of the cooker is connected up to tubing which takes it out the front by the rad, so there is no way any nasty fumes can get in the food. I dont use it that often its just a proof of concept really. As you can see though we cooked a lovely meal through germany I know it seems a tad crazy but if I wasnt a tad crazy I would never have had the experience of driving to croatia and back on free fuel. Nothing ventured nothing gained |
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Post by Graham on Feb 18, 2009 11:23:18 GMT
Well I certainly take my hat off to you I don't think its crazy at all and the meal looks scrummy too. What with free fuel as well you've certainly got it all covered.
Perhaps you could work out a way to have a pipe running from the radiator so that you could have hot water to do the dishes en route too. ;D
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Post by kentronix on Feb 18, 2009 11:32:36 GMT
I have a heat exchanger that I was intending to use to make tea using heat from the coolant but its not really hot enough. I could make instant coffee but its just not the same As the fuel is free I wanted to use it for as many things as possible There is so much wasted heat from the engine, shame not to use it. |
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Post by Pauline on Feb 21, 2009 9:58:51 GMT
I had to check the date wasn't 1st of April when I first read this!!  It's a brilliant idea, although I hope you never get stopped at customs security while cooking your dinner - where they hold a mirror under the vehicle to check for suspicious packages!! You would certainly have some explaining to do ;D Looking forward to hearing of more of your exploits. |
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Post by pendel on Feb 21, 2009 22:41:11 GMT
What a brilliant idea. I would like someone to invent a slow cooker that can be used while driving , so not a thousand miles from this idea. I dont think I would be happy with this system but any ideas for a slow cooker powered by batteries would be a good seller for campers unless anyone knows of one already in the shops? Penny
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Post by kentronix on Feb 22, 2009 0:03:06 GMT
If its while your actually driving then I guess using the alternator to run one isnt a bad idea. Its far far less efficient so you probably wouldnt want to run it from batteries when not moving though. I can see why having to open the bonnet to get to your food isnt really ideal and working out your recipes per mile rather than minutes is a tad strange Depending on your vehicle your coolant should be hot enough. You could easily route it through thin copper/nickel pipe and use that to heat a pot. It would involve doing the work yourself though its not exactly plug and play You can cook off the exhaust heat as well, there is a burger cooker developed for the army, I will see if I can dig out a pic, it looks very funny. |
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karenw
50+ posts.... 3 wheels on my wagon!
Posts: 92
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Post by karenw on Feb 22, 2009 12:23:54 GMT
Welcome to the forum.
I love a bit of ingenuity and improvisation and this idea looks brilliant. I'm a wild-camper - initially starting off with a Renault Kangoo van with a few modifications (bed, sink, tap, loo) to enable comfortable camping by rearranging cupboards but I'd never have thought of your cooking innovation. I feel like I'm cheating by using my 12v microwave!
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caz
50+ posts.... 3 wheels on my wagon!
Posts: 58
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Post by caz on Feb 22, 2009 13:55:40 GMT
Here you are - 12v slow cooker from Towsure: www.towsure.com/product/10703-12_Volt_Slow_CookerI once cooked a curry in a mains slow cooker via an inverter, but by the time it was ready the leisure battery was flat - good job it was a sunday and we were 100 miles from home so it got a good charge on the way back. I've heard of folk cooking in the slow cooker en route, they just put it in the sink in case of spillages. Not tried it myself. |
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Post by kentronix on Feb 22, 2009 14:21:33 GMT
Thats a nice little unit, 7 amps isnt going to put too much strain on the alternator. 1 Litre is a bit small though, I guess if there arent many of you and your doing something to go with it. Mines about 5litre and we polished it all off between the three of us. Although we are all pigs |
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Post by viv on Feb 24, 2009 22:41:14 GMT
Wow, what wonderful ideas. I thought my back of driver's seat wine bottle holder was good but your cooker takes the biscuit!
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