Can I get help with battery math...batteries-inverter-coffee

[XR4rider]

I was wondering if someone can help me do the math for running a Keurig mini single cup coffee maker off batteries. The Keurig says its 1400W. The machine, when plugged in, takes about 3 minutes to make a cup of coffee. I have a 2000W inverter to 2 6-volt batteries (225Ah). I also have a 100W solar panel on the batteries as well. I've been reading some watt-amp-amp hour formulas but get a bit confused. I am wondering if making a cup of coffee in the morning will be harmful to the batteries. During the day we do not use any power so the panels help re-charge the batteries, plus I do have generators that I can run to help re-charge. I feel I have enough time in the day to put a good re-charge to the batteries...but my concern was using the Keurig will deplete the batteries to a point where they wont re-charge or hold a charge. Thanks for the input.

[joelabq]

I have a commercial B45 Keurig I picked up for free, and 4 GC2s w/ a Xantrex Prowatt 2Kw Inverter. Wiring is very short and 000. I also have a Victron Ammeter. I also just ran this a week ago to see the draw on the batteries. The b45 is a little slower to warm up then the other consumer grade versions, but this model draws 115amps for about five minutes, and then every minute or so will draw 115amps for about 3-5 seconds.

I wouldn't leave it running while you aren't actively making coffee due to the fact that it's power hungry just keeping the water ready. However, with my setup it will work fine for us, but I am not sure it's worth it. You can get a Presto MyJo (there are other brands too) which is like a coffee press but will take Kcups. I have one and may just use it instead of wasting my time/effort recharging batteries more often.

[rupprider]

Lore,, If a ten-penny nail will stand up straight in the cup, it's just right!

[MEXICOWANDERER]

"Cowboy Lore"

"Son, if you got enough teeth to play a mouth organ, you got enough teeth to sift the grounds".

[Almot]

"Cowboy coffee" here in colonies was (usually) made with coarse grind. Unlike Turkish method. I would imagine particularly picky cowboys perfecting the method and using very fine grind, along with a proper Jezva 🙂

[wa8yxm]

pianotuna wrote:
No!

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Does Keurig now have coffee cups that don't taste like re-used dishwater drainage?

Have never really had that complaint but my Keurig is a Mini-10 (does not store water)

I have read (recently) a scathing article on Keurig machines that DO store water. Seems they do not get it hot enough and you can not easily empty them so the water can become a bit...er... Stale.. Giveing both a bad taste to the coffee and possibly a bad visit to the doctor. As I said, Mine does not do that. But still I do not often use it, I use an auto-drip 5 cup job from Fred's. Discount. Before that I've used Sunbeam and Mr. Coffee 1 cup but since my "Cups" are 20 and 24 oz the Fred's 5 cup works better.

[westend]

CJW8 wrote:
In the Southwest, we call that cowboy coffee.

Yup, throw an ice cube or a shot of cold water in the pot and the grounds sink to the bottom.

[CJW8]

In the Southwest, we call that cowboy coffee.

[Almot]

pianotuna wrote:
No!

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Does Keurig now have coffee cups that don't taste like re-used dishwater drainage?

People who discovered coffee didn't have electricity - this wasn't a necessary part of the process, and didn't stop them from enjoying it thoroughly.

They used a slow heat. The method is still popular in Turkey, Greece and Middle East. Put fine ground coffee in a small pot, one or two cups size, add cold water, and remove immediately when it starts foaming - that would be before the boiling point. Then pour into cup. If it doesn't feel strong enough, next time make it foaming one more time - remove and put back again briefly. Fine grounds stay at the bottom - the finer, the better. Copper is nice, copper-clad aluminum will work, or just aluminum. Called Jezva (or Cezva, depends on where you go). I still have one from many years ago, found in a pawn shop, but have almost stopped drinking coffee now.

Turkish method results in a rich and very natural taste, compared to automated electrical brewing with paper filters.

A minor variation is a "mud coffee" - just put grounds in the cup and pour boiling water. No "jezva" required, and you have to be careful not to drink the bottom "mud" - this wouldn't be a disaster though. Grounds have to be very fine, to stay at the bottom.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

My Huehuetenango whole bean coffee arrived moments ago from the USA. A full kilo. Eatcherheartout...Guatemalan coffee.

[pianotuna]

My 4 cup drip coffee maker draws 462 watts, and takes 4 minutes to brew a pot. I can live with that. The battery bank of 556 amp-hours of surplus acid AGM's in four 12 volt jars doesn't mind that load at all

[pianotuna]

No!

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Does Keurig now have coffee cups that don't taste like re-used dishwater drainage?

[vermilye]

If you are willing to go to a 5 cup drip coffee maker, it can work. I have 2 6V, 232 amp hr Interstate batteries & a Xantrex 1000 watt pure sine wave inverter.

Starting in the morning with the batteries at 12.6V, I can use a 900 watt toaster to toast an English muffin, then brew 3 cups worth of coffee in the drip coffee maker that draws around 65 amps. The combination will draw me down 10.5 amp hours, around 6 amp hours for the coffee maker alone. If I do both toast & coffee, the inverter will sometimes alarm during the coffee making, but does not shut down.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Toaster substitution tends to get trickier. Lay a slice of bread on a stove burner on bitter minimum flame (spluttering) then be prepared, I mean f-a-s-t with a pair of tongs when toasty bread is smelled. Like pooched eggs. Drop eggs into a pot of boiling water then use a screen type scoop disc to retrieve them after exactly 45 seconds. Let the water drain through the screen for a dozen seconds then tah-dah! Look ma! No battery! Shoot I've used a Bernz-O-Matic propane torch to heat water for a French Press.

My 5-year old experiences with Keurig cups is probably obsolete. Does Keurig now have coffee cups that don't taste like re-used dishwater drainage?

[SoundGuy]

CJW8 wrote:
I just ran your test with my single cup Keurig brewer by Black and Decker. My batteries are 3 ea. group 24's and they were at 12.78 V.

However, at 5 am, I will not have 12.7X to start out with. It will be more like 12.5-12.2.

SoundGuy wrote:
And therein lies the rub. :R

3tons wrote:
Opinion without empirical metering, and there really is a purple Unicorn ...

And who says I haven't done this "empirical metering" of which you speak? :R. Fact is, when dry camping I do exactly what the OP is proposing - power both a coffee machine and toaster with an inverter - but voltage / power measurements made it obvious that imposing a huge current draw such as the OP is proposing results in significant voltage drop ... and if one starts with the battery bank resting at anything less than 100% SOC the depth of voltage drop is even more likely to trigger an inverter's low voltage alarm and shut it down. The solution is obvious - either significantly bolster battery bank capacity far beyond what the OP currently has OR reduce the load. Since I have absolutely no interest at all in maintaining a quad bank of batteries just so I can make coffee & toast I chose the latter, a choice I've repeatedly proven works just fine. That's not "opinion" but fact. 😛