Would an inverter run a small lever espresso machine?

[milowebailey]

Another thought for the boat.... bring my Sama Espresso machine....

Has anyone here used an inverter run the espresso machine?

I think this would work

[John F]

If it does I want to ride on that boat. 

[juker]

It will work, BUT it's not practical on a small (car size type) battery.
How long your battery will last? You'll have to keep your engine running...
Inverter will suck out of the battery ~12 times current your espresso machine will suck from inverter.

[milowebailey]

It will work, BUT it's not practical on a small (car size type) battery.
How long your battery will last? You'll have to keep your engine running...
Inverter will suck out of the battery ~12 times current your espresso machine will suck from inverter.

It has 2 deep cycle marine batteries.... and I could connect a 3rd one.  I could isolate the inverter from the engine starter battery....

[juker]

Let's do some math:
Say your espresso machine is 600W that translates into 5A and 60A out of the battery.
I'm no expert on batteries, but my gut feeling tells that you'll need 60Ah battery capacity to run your machine for half an hour before re-charging.
Now another side of the coin:
How long many hours you'll have to run your engine to fully charge the battery? (Not practical) Or will you haul your batteries to the garage to re-charge overnight?
Looks like a small portable generator is more practical, but I personally would pull my turkish coffee ibrick and use it over a camp fire

[milowebailey]

You need to get a Caravel or a La Peppina and just heat up the water on the stove for your straight espresso shots, no battery required.  The Caravel would be nice and small for the boat.

I suppose you could even get a Presso or MyPressi Twist too, but they're not as much fun.

Saturday

[Ascholten]

Most espresso machines are around 1000 to 1500 watts right?   That's about 150 amps from the battery.  A 150 Ah battery is NOT going to give you 150 amps for an hour.  You might realistically get about 15 minutes from it.  Most batteries are rated at the 20 hour rating, some at the 100 hour if the battery is a POS they are trying to make sound good.   Reserve capacity does not really come into play much in this instance either for those who don't know any better.

Modified sine wave could be a problem.  The heating element could care less, the motor not, might not want to run well on it.    Some inverters as the input voltage starts to go low, the output waveform can get goofy which further aggravates the motor running properly for the pump issue.

Give it a shot if it runs, great, if not then take the inverter back and get your money back.   Do yourself a favor though and use at least 3/0 wire for the main power cables to it.  Yes yes I know 1/0 should work but for those kinds of currents for a few minutes at a time, you will cook your 1/0 after a while and the voltage drop won't be pretty either.

Might do better with a propane heater for the water. 

Good luck.     

Aaron

[milowebailey]

I suppose I could just bring the mypressi twist.... 

But it would be very cool pulling lever shots on the boat.... I need small propane lever, that's all there is to it.

[Ascholten]

If you 'really' want to get fancy, you could build a small heat exchanger, kind of like the heaters on a car, but make it shell and tube, and use the engines heat to heat the water for your machine.  Or even the exhaust gasses to heat it for the steam since you'd need above 212.  Kind of like a radiator in reverse, the exhaust heats the water IN the radiator instead of air cooling it. 

I mean if you really want to go nerdy, why not do it full bore?  Hmm this is giving me an idea, too bad my little 70 outboard don't make that kind of heat... my propane cooker does.   Where would one look for a small gas espresso machine that isn't a steam toy?   still would need electric though.

Aaron

[milowebailey]

If you 'really' want to get fancy, you could build a small heat exchanger, kind of like the heaters on a car, but make it shell and tube, and use the engines heat to heat the water for your machine.  Or even the exhaust gasses to heat it for the steam since you'd need above 212.  Kind of like a radiator in reverse, the exhaust heats the water IN the radiator instead of air cooling it. 

I mean if you really want to go nerdy, why not do it full bore?  Hmm this is giving me an idea, too bad my little 70 outboard don't make that kind of heat... my propane cooker does.   Where would one look for a small gas espresso machine that isn't a steam toy?   still would need electric though.

Aaron

Not for a lever you don't!

[Ascholten]

Well that's true milo.   How much heat would the water lose though putting it into it?  You wold need to run a few shots through to warm it up right?

Aaron

[milowebailey]

Well that's true milo.   How much heat would the water lose though putting it into it?  You wold need to run a few shots through to warm it up right?

Aaron

yep, but I have lots of water.... Now to find a small lever.... and I just got rid of one....