# Appliances for Off-Grid



## armadillo (Mar 27, 2008)

Newbie here.
I'm going to purchase some appliances for my off grid home/cabin in the next two weeks and have some questions.

I want a 30" propane stove and I'm concerned that pilots will heat the kitchen in the summer. The gas stoves I've seen don't seem to have the means to deactivate the pilots. I don't mind lighting the burners every time I use them. What should I look for in a gas stove? Although I won't have the choice, I prefer cooking with electricity, probably because all the gas stoves I've used were the el-cheapo models with small diameter burners that burn the middle of a skillet without heating the perimeter and because simmering is nearly impossible.

I will be using the generator to do laundry, efficiency is not really of paramount importance since it will only be used about once a week. I'm concerned that the modified wave electricity of my generator won't be compatible with the washer or gas dryer. Also I'm concerned about starting amp draw.

I plan to buy a Servel/Dometic type propane fridge. Do they put out a lot of heat? If I install a vent kit will that take the heat outside?


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

Our propane range has no pilot lights...it uses pezio ignition. Make sure you get a range with no "glow bar" They are not compatible with being off-grid.


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

I have free gas, so I go with pilot lights. I've never noticed any 'heating' up of the house, by the pilots... and I live in 100 degree plus Texas... with no a/c. The cooking of one meal would put more heat in the house than the low flame of the pilots.

Of course, if I were buying gas, and worried about heat, I'd go with a piezo electric pilot.


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## WisJim (Jan 14, 2004)

Years ago, we replaced our Servel gas refrig with a Sunfrost 12 volt refrigerator because we decided we didn't like the idea of the gas fumes and extra heat in our super-insulated house. We shut off the pilots (there was a little screw to close them down) to our gas stove and lit the burners each time with a match or a spark lighter. Back then we had 4 PV panels rated at about 30 watts each (total 120+ watts rated output) that just barely kept up withthe 12 cu ft Sunfrost. Nowadays, a single 130 watt panel would put out more power, and 2 of them would give you surplus electricity compared to what a Sunfrost uses.


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## armadillo (Mar 27, 2008)

Thanks for the replies. I think Piezo ignition would be perfect for the stove, but I wonder how difficult it would be to find an oven equipped that way.

I had a Dometic propane fridge once and it put a lot of heat in the cabin.


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## tamsam (May 12, 2006)

All rvs with the gas fridge that I have seen does vent the fridge outside. In our mh you never fell the heat or smell the fumes from the fridge. Sam


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

Go to www.backwoodssolar.com

They carry the 'Premier' stoves.
They are hi quality stoves. . . .not kmart priced tho.

I've wanted to replace my stove with a Premier for a long time . . . . .but the old one is still atickin . . .so . . . . . . .


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## wendle (Feb 22, 2006)

Do you need a clothes dryer?


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

Our stove is a "Premier" we ordered it from Lowes. It has sealed burners and no pilot lights. You can light the burners by hand, and you can light the oven by hand too. It was the only brand we could find that would work off grid. With most modern gas stoves the oven will not operate without electricty. They have a glow bar that uses a huge amount of electricity. Only the Premier oven can be lit with a match.


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

vicker said:


> Our stove is a "Premier" we ordered it from Lowes. It has sealed burners and no pilot lights. You can light the burners by hand, and you can light the oven by hand too. It was the only brand we could find that would work off grid. With most modern gas stoves the oven will not operate without electricty. They have a glow bar that uses a huge amount of electricity. Only the Premier oven can be lit with a match.


No...my Kenmore oven (and range) has a spark ignition and can be lit with a match too.
It was the ONLY one we could find however without a glow bar that was also self-cleaning.

Our Danby propane fridge didn't put much heat at all out in the cabin. It was however too small. We have an efficient electric fridge now and I like it a lot better.


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

We also have a super efficient Kenmore front loader washer and propane dryer (beats even the Staber in power and water usage) and we have no problems running them off the batteries.


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

This is really good to know. I think that the glow bar was a really bad idea. Maybe us off grid folks are making a difference after all.


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## WayneR (Mar 26, 2007)

Wendle, would the dryer be of the linear, air-solar powered variety:cute:


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