How Much Power Does An RV Induction Cooktop Use?

Why Are Induction Cooktops Being Installed in RVs?

RVs have traditionally used gas stoves fueled by propane for cooking.

Propane is an excellent tool for dry camping or boondocking because there are several necessary appliances you can run with propane and not electricity.

For example the fridge, stove, and water heater.

Related Product: We use the reliable VMAX 100Ah AGM battery (click to view on Amazon) in our RV.

Back in the day if you were going to camp without electricity that meant relying solely on the RV batteries to keep you powered for however long you were camping, or you would need a generator for power.

Solar panels and advancements in battery technology have changed all of that.

Because of these alternative ways to get power RV induction cooktops are becoming popular because of their low-ish power usage, efficiency, and quick cooking power.

They’re also fantastic for those who mostly camp in RV parks and campgrounds with electrical hookups.

See Also: RV Induction Cooktop Troubleshooting & Pan Recommendations

RV Induction Cooktops When Dry Camping

You can now set up your camper with solar panels that will charge batteries that are connected to an inverter so you can power 110 and 120 volt appliances.

Some people have setups like these that are so powerful it’s almost like being plugged into shore power in an RV park. They just need a lot of solar panels and sunlight.

Generators have also gotten a lot better over the years. There are now 2000 watt generators out there that don’t make a ton of noise and come in a portable compact size.

Many motorhomes and some camper trailers also have onboard generators that can be quickly turned on and off.

That means you can turn on the generator when you want to use the stove without any hassle.

Then there are portable power stations which are batteries and inverters built into a single unit.

These can be charged with solar panels or by plugging them into a wall outlet at home.

Many are powerful enough to run an RV induction cooktop, especially if you stick to the low power levels.

What all of this means is that propane is no longer the king of RVing. There are lots of ways to get power, even when you’re camping out in the wilderness.

For that reason buying a camper with an RV induction cooktop or installing one yourself isn’t as far fetched as it sounds.

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Power Usage of Common RV Induction Cooktops

High Pointe M-ID175

Watts Per Power Level (as stated in manual)

High Pointe M-ID185

Watts Per Power Level (approximation)

Furrion FIH2ZEA-BG (click to view on Amazon)

Watts Per Power Level (approximation)

Empava IDC12 (click to view on Amazon)

Watts Per Power Level (as stated in manual)

Empava IDC12B2 (click to view on Amazon)

Watts Per Power Level (as stated in manual)

Left Burner

Right Burner

Fogatti Double Burner ‎FOIH2B (click to view on Amazon)

Watts Per Power Level (approximation)

Fogatti Single Burner ‎FOIH1B (click to view on Amazon)

Watts Per Power Level (approximation)

RV Induction Cooktop Heat Balancing

When I first started looking into the watts used by RV induction cooktops I kept seeing that the max wattage was lower than what the max wattage of each burner combined should be.

For example, on the Furrion FIH2ZEA-BG (click to view on Amazon) it says the max watts of each burner is 1,500.

According to that, the max watts of the entire unit should be 3,000 watts, but it’s actually 1,800 watts.

Then I learned about heat balancing, also called power sharing.

It’s a common function in all RV induction cooktops and it’s really smart for campers since power usage is such a big deal.

See Also: 50 Must-Have RV Kitchen Accessories For Full Time RV Living

Heat balancing is a function that will even out the power levels when you are using both burners so you don’t go over the max watts of the unit.

For example: if you’re using one burner at the max setting and you turn on the second burner the cooktop will automatically turn down the power on the first burner.

So if it’s at 10 and you turn the second to 1 the first burner will go down to 9.

The maximum heat levels you can have both burners on at the same time is 5.

This function is incredibly useful to dry campers who are using an inverter connected to a battery bank or a generator because you won’t have to get something that’s over 2000 watts to power any of these RV induction cooktops.

I recommend possibly getting something that’s at least 3000 watts anyways since other things are often using power in an RV at the same time.

But if you only have a 2000 watt generator or inverter you should still be able to use an RV induction cooktop in your camper.

Ways to Power an RV Induction Cooktop While Dry Camping/Boondocking

If you always camp with electrical hookups having an RV induction cooktop is going to be no problem.

But you may want to venture out into the wild sometimes and having a way to cook is going to be important.

Here are a few simple products you can get to help you power not only an induction cooktop but other electrical RV appliances as well.

Portable Power Station

Portable power stations are an amazing way to get electricity for RVers who don’t want to deal with making their own battery bank and inverter set up.

These easy to use power boxes can be charged at home using a regular wall outlet, via a 12 volt outlet while you’re driving, or using solar panels.

You can read more about portable power stations for camping here.

If you don’t need to have anything else running at the same time as your stove, or if you plug the stove directly into the power station, one with 1800 to 2000 running watts should be enough.

(the plug to the RV induction cooktop is usually located behind it and underneath the countertop)

EF Ecoflow Delta

Check Price at Amazon

I recommend the Ecoflow Delta because it’s compact but still has a lot of power.

The inverter’s running watts are 1800, which is perfect for RV induction cooktops.

There are 6 AC outlets on the unit. One outlet can output the full 1800 watts, but if you plug in something else it will reduce the power output of the other outlet.

Basically, all 6 outlets can output 1800 watts together.

So if you plan on turning your RV induction cooktop to the max you should try and not plug anything else in while it’s on full power.

The Ecoflow Delta has a digital screen on the front that tells you everything that’s going on.

You can check the screen to see how many watts the power station is outputting.

If you plug your entire RV into the power station you will be able to see how many watts are being used and adjust your induction cooktop usage accordingly.

Remember that portable power stations are still just batteries with an inverter built in.

They will run out of electricity eventually so make sure you plan your cooking and power usage around the battery’s capacity.

If you are planning on being out for a long time the Ecoflow also has a powerful solar charge controller built in.

It can take up to 400 watts of solar power, which means you can use 4 to 5 100 watt solar panels to charge it quickly during the day.

You can read a full review and get more information about a slightly larger version called the Ecoflow delta max here.

Inverter Generator

Generators have long been associated with rude campers who have them running 24/7 in a campground.

Loud generator noise can be very annoying when you’re out trying to enjoy the peaceful outdoors, especially if it’s at night.

But a little bit of generator noise for a few hours during the day is something most campers are fine with, especially since a lot of them use generators themselves.

Standard open generators are very loud but inverter generators are much quieter.

The noise isn’t the only reason to get an inverter generator.

When compared to a standard generator an inverter generator with the same power output capacity is smaller, lighter, and more portable.

I recommend getting a generator that can output at least 1800 running watts for running an RV induction cooktop.

Honda EU2200i Inverter Generator

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Honda is still the king of the generator world and the updated Honda EU2200i is an excellent choice for RV use.

It’s the quietest 2200 watt capacity generator on the market and it weighs only 46.5 lbs.

In comparison, a standard 2000 watt generator generally weighs around 55 lbs.

The numbers in the name of a generator usually refer to the surge watts. The surge watts are the number of watts a generator can handle for a short amount of time.

The running watts is the information you need to know for powering electrical appliances because that’s how much electricity a generator can output for a long amount of time.

The Honda EU2200i is rated to output 1800 watts, which is perfect for RV induction cooktops.

It is the smallest generator you should probably use for induction cooking but when Honda says 1800 watts the company means it.

I say that because some brands boast a high running wattage but in real life, it sometimes isn’t true.

Another benefit to inverter generators is that the running watts are usually higher than standard generators.

A 2000 watt generator that has 2000 surge watts usually will only have 1400 running watts.

To read more about inverter generators and to see more recommendations check out this article.

Conclusion On RV Induction Cooktop Power Usage

It seemed like a crazy idea when I first saw an induction cooktop in a motorhome but the more I look into the power usage the more it makes sense.

At first, I thought there was no way anyone would find an electric stove in an RV useful but they don’t use much more power than a microwave.

And we use our microwave all the time when boondocking.

In our motorhome, we have a 4000 watt onboard generator and a large Ecoflow Delta Max that’s connected to 200 watts of solar panels on the roof.

Between those two resources, we usually have plenty of power for the microwave and much more.

Cooking with an RV induction cooktop while boondocking would probably be pretty easy for us.

See Also: Where Can I Fill An Onboard RV Propane Tank?

In fact, electricity is easier for us to get than propane.

We’ve struggled to find a place to refill our propane tanks while traveling and being able to use an electric stove instead of a gas one would help us lengthen the time between propane refills.

RV induction cooktops are even more beneficial when staying in RV parks as well, which we sometimes do during the colder winter months.

If you are considering getting an RV with an RV induction cooktop or installing one in your RV I think it could be a pretty good idea.

So long as you have a plan to get power when dry camping.

Have any questions about RV induction cooktop power usage? Leave a comment below.