LPG StoveTops

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Tony B

Guru
Joined
Jul 18, 2011
Messages
1,251
Location
Cruising/Live-Aboard USA
Vessel Name
Serenity
Vessel Make
Mainship 36 Dual Cabin -1986
I am definitely going to change out the electric stovetop on my Mainship 36 to a propane stovetop
I know all about gas sniffers, gas proof lockers, remote shut-offs, etc.etc, etc. This is not new to me. What is new to me is a stove top without an oven or gimballing. The ones I saw at West Marine do not have rails around them like the stove/oven combo has. No biggie, just one more thing to fabricate.
What I do want to know is which propane stove tops are you guys using and why did you pick that model.
Thanks in advance
 
Look in the RV world and even the big box store arena and look for a propane one. Then just install it with safety in mind...use ABYC if the whim strikes you and install a sniffer system to boot.

Not all that complicated...just do the homework.

I may do the same shorty as I shi* canned the princess stove/oven...bought 2 great electric hot plates and a great convection oven for $200 total....currently using a campingpropane stove which is tiny and works great...I may never even switch over to a built in as I now have easy mix and match at the dock or at anchor.
 
I've gone the Coleman camping stove route before for almost a year.
After a while I was a master of two burner cooking. Timing is everything.
 
We bought a 3 burner propane cook top online from RV Parts Superstore in Texas. About $200 and we love it. Found it by googling "Propane Cook Top". Free shipping, also.
 
I am definitely going to change out the electric stovetop on my Mainship 36 to a propane stovetop
I know all about gas sniffers, gas proof lockers, remote shut-offs, etc.etc, etc. This is not new to me. What is new to me is a stove top without an oven or gimballing. The ones I saw at West Marine do not have rails around them like the stove/oven combo has. No biggie, just one more thing to fabricate.
What I do want to know is which propane stove tops are you guys using and why did you pick that model.
Thanks in advance
I didn't "pick" it, but my boat was built with a Force 10 propane range. A quick check of their website reveals that they also make propane cooktops.

My wife and I make good use of the oven as well as the burners so unless you have a seperate oven already, I suggest at least considering a complete range.
 
Our 2003 Monk, new to us in 2008, came with a Princess stove top and oven the stove top works very well, we have never used the oven, except as a storage locker.
steve W
 
...... I suggest at least considering a complete range.

The Mainship 36 Aft Cabin comes with an electric Cook Stove Top only. There is no place set aside for a complete stove/oven unless I do some major cabinet surgery. I have only about 7 more months to get a lot of projects finished and at the same time, my workload has almost doubled.
I rarely get to spend time home this year.
 
Our 2003 Monk, new to us in 2008, came with a Princess stove top and oven the stove top works very well, we have never used the oven, except as a storage locker.
steve W
My first ex wife used to store the dirty dishes in the (home) oven until they were needed again. :banghead:

For the boat, my wife will often make things ahead of time at home (lasagne, meat loaf, etc.) and freeze them. We can then bake them in the boat's oven as needed.
 
I recently replaced a Propane "Princess" stove and oven that was not repairable....with a "Suburban" model stove that is propane with 3 burners, and an oven... It cost me 1/3 of what a Seaward Princess would cost.

It went right in the same opening with nary a problem.

You can replace yours with one of theirs...here is a site where you can find them:
RV Propane Cooktop from Suburban on Sale - PPL Motor Homes

They are actually made for RV's...but so far as I am concerned...if its UL listed and has CE compliance....I'm good with it. Oh, I mentioned "Suburban" brand because the quality level is higher in their product than some of the others.
 
We use the original 37 year old Magic Chef, here is a not so flattering photo of me cooking for a pot luck we hosted on board.
 

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A Home or RV stove may or may not be suitable for a boat.

1, The knob must be push in to turn on the gas .

To keep accidental gas flow from happening.

2, The flame should be highest when just turned on and go lower as you turn the valve .

This will allow the LOW flame to be preset , hopefully to a high enough level that a puff wont blow out the flame.

"Flame spreaders" work well at lowering the temperature more for very low heat requirements.

A marine range is a marine range , usually not an RV takeout.

Not all Mfg of "marine ranges" want to know the difference, as house stuff parts are cheaper.
 
Stove Top

I just removed a Magic Chef Stove/Oven from our Albin. Intend to install an electric cook top and convection oven. Would be interested in any electric stove tops you all might be removing.
 
LPG beats firing up the genset for coffee or tea.
A marine one, like our new 3 burner plus oven Italian made "SMEV",will have gas cutoffs if the flame goes out. It replaced an original "Magic Chef" designed for RVs (see Instruction Book) which had leaks at the flame control valves. Insurers here demand a safety inspection certificate from a licensed LPG fitter;if a cooker doesn`t have gas cutoffs you need a multi point sensor alarm system costing about $500 plus fitting, the replacement decision was easy.
Our cooking mostly happens at anchor, if were making long passages gimbals and rails would be necessary. BruceK
 
A Home or RV stove may or may not be suitable for a boat.

1, The knob must be push in to turn on the gas .

To keep accidental gas flow from happening.

2, The flame should be highest when just turned on and go lower as you turn the valve .

This will allow the LOW flame to be preset , hopefully to a high enough level that a puff wont blow out the flame.

"Flame spreaders" work well at lowering the temperature more for very low heat requirements.

A marine range is a marine range , usually not an RV takeout.

Not all Mfg of "marine ranges" want to know the difference, as house stuff parts are cheaper.

The LPG RV stove does 1 and 2, and the low flame is preset. It functions exactly the same way as the Seaward Princess. And the particular unit we purchased is one of the best on the market. Trust me on this... I'm not about to put our boat and home in jeopardy over a few dollars...
 
a Pair of Single induction cooktops of just under 15A on 120V , with a setable temperature are on TV for $100 for the pair , with piles of other junk thrown in.

15A might run from an inverter/big batt bank (150A drawdown on 12v) long enough to produce that silent cup of AM coffee.
 
Followed your suggestion...new induction top on order. Thanks
 
Might grab one in case I ever run out of gas.
 
LPG beats firing up the genset for coffee or tea.
A marine one, like our new 3 burner plus oven Italian made "SMEV",will have gas cutoffs if the flame goes out.

Snap Bruce, I have also have a SMEV, mine is a combination 3 burner and sink in one , absolutely love it, very neat and works well.
 

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I replaced my old Princess range with a Fagor induction cook top and microwave/conduction oven. I run them through a 20A SPDT switch. Pics = 1) old unit, 2) new unit, butcher block top covering cooktop, 3) butcher block top up.
 

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Looks good. What convection did you select?
 
When I bought it several months ago I checked out all of the reviews online & found that the 1 cubic foot Sanyo had excellent reviews. I just looked it up and it says it is now discontinued, but they may have just replaced it with a different model.

dvd
 
Induction tops are smooth.


Make up a set of sea rails , and perhaps a set of pot holders so a passing wake wont slide the boiling dinner onto the cook!

Used shops frequently have bins of parts that may contain stove top hardware, worth a look.

For folks redoing a galley remember an athwartships (side to side against an internal bulkhead) range does not toss its contents on the cook too often..On most boats the roll is far more pronounced than the pitch moment.

The against the hull configuration is far more dangerous and perhaps the bucks for a gimboled sail boat with fiddles model might save some cook scalding?
 
Installed and working

Got the induction stove top installed in Ment Tu Be and made a cover out of a plastic cutting board (SAMS CLUB) to lay over it when not in use. Gives it protection and us more space to land stuff. You have all been a great source of information and inspiration.
 
Interesting thread. We have an RV Magic Chef, works great. Unless you're planning on going offshore, or spend a lot of time in bouncy anchorages a marine stove is a mighty pricey item.

Cooking underway on anything smaller than 40' and up is generally foolish unless you have no choice. Many years ago I talked some folks with a 32' Grand Banks who were making burgers while underway, the grease splattered and caught fire. They estimate it took the boat less than two minutes to sink once the flaming grease hit the teak & holly sole. No kidding, this was off Catalina Island. Needless to say we have lots of fire extinguishers aboard.
 
Careful .... many older "marine stoves" and camping stoves do not have the thermocouples required by ABYC. In case of flame failure a thermocouple shuts off the propane at the burner. No thermocouple and your entire propane tank can dump into your galley.
 

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