Induction hob in a van — possible on batteries?

Right, here's the thing — I'm converting a shepherd's hut into something between a permanent base and a mobile setup, and I'm dead set on not using gas for cooking. Electric induction's the dream, but I'm wondering if I'm chasing fairy dust here.

Currently running a 48V Victron system with 10kWh of usable capacity (mix of LiFePO4 and lead-acid still, phasing the lead out). My 6kW solar array keeps things ticking over most days, but winter's a different beast entirely. The real sticking point is my multiplus charger — it struggles to keep pace with demand as it is.

Here's what's got me stumped: a decent portable induction hob pulls around 2-3kW, sometimes more if you've got two burners going. That's manageable in theory during peak sun hours, but realistically, I'd be relying on the grid charger to backfill during cooking, and that's when things get messy with voltage sag and inverter throttling.

I'm eyeing up the Fogstar controller setup some folks on here have mentioned, but I'm not convinced it'll solve the fundamental problem — the batteries simply can't sustain that kind of draw for extended periods without hammering the SOC.

Has anyone actually cracked this? Is it genuinely feasible, or should I be accepting that the van life means surrendering induction cooking? Keen to hear from people running proper power systems, not just YouTube vanlifers with naive setups.

Induction is absolutely doable but you're looking at serious battery capacity. I run a single 3.6kW hob in my motorhome conversion and it pulls roughly 15kW at full bore — that's where most people hit the wall.

Your realistic options:

LiFePO4 route: You'd need minimum 10-15kWh usable capacity (so ~20kWh nominal) to cook a meal without flattening batteries. I've got 12kWh Victron LiFePO4 and it works, but only if you're not expecting to run anything else simultaneously.

Hybrid approach: Use a 3kW inverter charger paired with mains when parked up. Fogstar or Victron gear handles this brilliantly. Between that and solar, you're golden for most situations.

Single burner compromise: A 2kW portable induction plate draws much more reasonable loads. Totally viable on modest battery banks.

What's your current setup looking like? Solar capacity, battery size? That'll determine whether you're looking at a feasible system or needing to r

The real issue with induction in a shepherd's hut setup is the instantaneous demand, not just total energy. A typical induction hob draws 3-7kW when you hit full power, which means you need either a massive battery bank or a generator running simultaneously.

I've got a Victron Multiplus II in my setup handling a 2kW portable induction cooker, and it works, but only because I'm disciplined about it. I run the genny for 30 mins beforehand to top the batteries, then use the hob while the inverter's outputting from both batteries and the charger running off the genny.

For a permanent shepherd's hut base, you're better off with a hybrid approach: battery-inverter system sized for your normal loads, but either keep a small gas backup for cooking or run a decent petrol genny when you're actually cooking. The capital cost of batteries large enough to handle sustained induction without auxiliary power is brutal.

What's your current battery capacity and inverter spec?

The instantaneous demand is the killer here — induction hobs pull 3-5kW the moment you switch them on, which means you need either a beefy inverter (minimum 6kW pure sine wave, ideally 8kW+) or you're risking voltage sag that'll trip everything.

If you're semi-permanent in a shepherd's hut, honestly consider running a separate circuit back to the grid or a dedicated genset for cooking. It's not glamorous but it's cheaper than oversizing your battery bank just for peak demand spikes.

That said, if you're set on batteries: LiFePO₄ with a solid BMS handles the surge better than lead-acid, and you'll want at least 10-15kWh usable to cook a meal without tanking your charge level. Victron's Multiplus range works well for this.

What's your current power setup? That'll determine if induction's realistic or a headache waiting to happen.

Been wrestling with this exact problem in my narrow boat conversion, so genuinely curious about your setup @ExFirefighter11.

The instantaneous draw is brutal, yeah, but has anyone factored in what happens when you're actually cooking? Induction rarely pulls full 3.5kW continuously — it modulates based on what's in the pan. I've found my usage sitting around 1.5-2kW sustained once it's up to temperature.

Real question though: are you grid-tied or fully off-grid? Makes a massive difference. If you can export to the grid or have shore power, suddenly a 5kW demand isn't terminal. But if you're relying purely on battery, you're looking at needing serious inverter capacity (probably 6kW minimum pure sine wave) plus a battery bank that can handle the surge without voltage sagging.

What's your current setup — solar, wind, or both? That'll determine whether induction's actually feasible or whether you're better off with a hybrid approach.

The induction dream dies the moment you realise your battery bank needs to be roughly the size of your shepherd's hut to handle the peak draw — which defeats the entire purpose of living in a shepherd's hut.

You'd need an absolutely massive battery setup plus a beefy inverter (we're talking 6-8kW minimum), and honestly, that's where most people quietly dust off their camping stove and pretend gas was fine all along.

If you're genuinely committed to electric cooking, a combination setup works better — induction for occasional use on sunny days when your solar's pumping, plus a backup electric kettle or portable hob for reality. Victron's MPPT controllers are brilliant for maximising what you've got, but they can't magic power out of thin air.

What's your current solar capacity looking like?

Right, I've been down this rabbit hole on the narrowboat. The maths are brutal but not impossible if you're realistic about when you cook.

What actually works: a 3.5kW induction hob paired with a chunky lithium bank (I'm running 10kWh) and a decent inverter—Victron MultiPlus in my case. The trick is you can't boil a kettle whilst the fridge is running and someone's got the heater on. It's sequential, not simultaneous.

Gas-free is achievable though. I use induction for proper cooking (evenings mainly) but keep a camping stove as backup. The battery bank does the heavy lifting because it can dump power fast, unlike solar or a small alternator trying to keep up.

@ExFirefighter11—what's your actual power budget? Shore power hookup available, or truly off-grid? That changes everything about whether induction's worth the headache.

Induction hobs are basically just fancy ways to turn your battery bank into a puddle of regret and melted terminals, mate. The peak draw is mental — you're looking at 3-5kW for a decent two-ring setup, which means unless you've got a Victron system the size of a garden shed and a diesel genny running 24/7, you're better off with a portable camping stove and calling it "rustic charm."

That said, if you're genuinely committed to the electric cooking dream, look at single-ring portable induction plates (about 2kW) paired with a proper hybrid inverter and genuinely substantial lithium banks. Far more sensible than trying to retrofit a full cooktop.

The shepherd's hut angle actually works in your favour though — if you're not truly mobile, you could run mains when stationary and have a backup gas option. Best of both worlds without bankrupting yourself on batteries.

Right, I've got a shepherd's hut setup and genuinely understand the appeal here—gas does feel antiquated once you've committed to electric. But @MoorKev's being a bit hyperbolic, whilst @Renogy_Nerd's touching on the real constraint.

The issue isn't that induction hobs are inherently impossible, it's the peak draw. A 3.6kW induction hob will demand 150A+ from your battery bank. You'd need either:

Lithium route: 12-15kWh bank with a quality charger (Victron Multiplus or similar) to actually recover that energy between cooking sessions. Realistic cost: £8-12k fitted.

Lead-acid route: Honestly, don't bother. You'll cycle the batteries to death inside two years.

What I've done instead in my hut: kept a modest 5kWh LiFePO₄ bank for lighting/controls, and use an induction cooktop only when grid-connected or with my generator running. Runs beautifully paired with a Victron

I'm actually wrestling with this exact problem for my garden office setup, so genuinely interested in what you go with.

The issue isn't whether it's possible—it's whether you can afford the battery bank to make it bearable. A standard induction hob pulls 3-3.5kW. That's roughly 30kWh per day if you're cooking normally, which is mental for most off-grid systems.

What might work: a smaller portable induction cooktop (1.8kW) paired with a proper-sized LiFePO₄ bank (say 15-20kWh minimum) and decent solar. You'd need to cook strategically—midday when panels are pumping, not evenings. @Jonno's right that the maths work, but it's about being realistic on usage patterns.

Have you looked at what your actual cooking needs are? If you're mostly doing quick heating and the occasional full cook, a single ring induction hob is far more achievable than a full cooktop. I've heard good things about the Fogstar portable units for hybrid setups.

What's your battery capacity sitting

Mate, it's doable but @MoorKev's not wrong about the draw. Single-ring induction pulls about 2-3kW, which is brutal on batteries.

I've got a similar setup in my hut and ran the numbers before ditching the idea. You'd need a seriously oversized bank (8-10kWh minimum) plus a beefy inverter (at least 3500W pure sine) to avoid voltage sag. Add the solar to recharge it... costs spiral fast.

What I went with instead: portable dual-zone induction hob (cheaper, ~£150) that I only run when the batteries are topped up and sun's decent. Takes planning but zero regrets. Also keeps my main bank healthier long-term.

If you're genuinely committed, look at a hybrid setup—Victron or Epever with a decent diesel backup gen for cooking days. But honestly? A proper LPG hob is still the sensible play for reliability in a permanent-ish base.

Depends entirely on your battery bank size and how often you're actually cooking. I've got a 48V Victron system on my boat and tried a portable induction hob once — absolute power hog, yeah, but the real issue is the duration.

Quick question for you: are we talking occasional cooking or daily use? Because if it's just heating water for tea and the odd fry-up, a modest 10-15kWh LiFePO₄ setup could handle it, especially if you've got decent solar to top up during the day. The shepherd's hut sounds more permanent than a van, so that changes the calculus.

What's your current power generation looking like? Solar array, wind, mains hookup options? And are you willing to run it only when the sun's out?

The other factor nobody mentions much — induction efficiency is actually brilliant (90%+), so you're not wasting energy like you would with resistance heating. It's just the peak draw that'll stress smaller battery banks.

Worth looking at a hybrid approach: induction for occasional use, keep a small gas burner as backup. Worst

Induction works fine if you're genuinely prepared to throw money at it — 10kWh+ battery bank, proper inverter (Victron Multiplus or Victron Phoenix if you're serious), and accept you'll be solar-dependent or running the engine/gennie while cooking.

The real question: are you actually cooking three meals a day in the shepherd's hut, or occasional brew-ups? Because if it's the latter, a compact 3kW portable induction plate off a modest 5kWh bank is totally viable. If it's daily family dinners, you're looking at either gas as backup or accepting you'll need serious battery capacity.

@BigAl27's spot on with 2-3kW per ring. Your inverter needs to handle the surge comfortably — undersizing that is where people come unstuck. Budget for losses too; you're never getting 100% efficiency out of DC-to-AC, especially at that power level.

Shepherd's huts are brilliant for this sort of thing though — plenty of roof space for solar if you're sorted for orientation. What's your current battery setup looking

I've got a 5kWh LiFePO₄ bank in my motorhome and briefly tried a single-ring portable induction unit — honestly, it's the inverter that becomes the headache more than the battery itself. You're looking at a 3-5kW pure sine inverter minimum, and they're not cheap or lightweight.

The real issue is sustained use. A quick 10-minute boil? Fine. But if you're actually cooking dinner regularly, you're either draining the battery fast or constantly running the engine/solar to recharge. In a shepherd's hut setup you might have the space for a larger system, so that changes things.

If you're semi-permanent, could you not run mains hook-up when stationary? That's what I do — induction cooker plugged straight into the van's EHU. Gives you the best of both worlds without the battery stress.

Otherwise, look at hybrid options. I know people who've gone 2kWh battery + a small diesel heater + gas backup. Less idealistic but actually liveable. What's your solar capacity looking like?

Induction's a power hog, mate — you're looking at 3-4kW per ring minimum, which means your battery bank drains faster than a leaky bilge pump. @MarineGeoffs right about the 10kWh+ threshold, though honestly I'd push for 15kWh if you want to cook actual meals without watching your SOC plummet.

The real issue nobody mentions: it's not just about having the juice, it's about sustained draw. Your inverter needs to handle the inrush spike (usually 5-6kW) without nuking itself, and you'll need proper DC cabling throughout — cheap 2.5mm² will get toasty.

In my motorhome I ditched gas years back, but I went with a ceramic hob instead — uses half the power, way more stable on batteries. If you're genuinely wedded to induction, make sure your shepherd's hut install includes proper solar (6-8kW minimum) and consider hybrid living — use induction when stationary and plugged into mains or solar's actually producing.

What's your