Microwave for truck camper

[Scoutman]

So I've been thinking about putting a microwave in my truck camper but am having a hard time giving up the space for it. I've looked at all the box stores and they all have cheap microwaves and some are pretty small but I imagine they won't last.

One that I just looked at at Target was about $50, was only 700w, weighed only 26# and was 17"x12"x10". Most are much bigger and heavier. I'm sure you get what you pay for but I don't want a 40# space hog. Reviews on these 'cheap' microwaves aren't all that favorable (for what it's worth). Is it worth it for a bigger one with 1000w?

So for those who've added microwaves to your rigs, where did you put it, did you mount it or does it float around, and what type did you get? I should be able to power it from the inverter in my truck if I'm not hooked to shore power. What do you do with the turntable when you travel?

We have a 2 month old and a 3 year old so this would be really handy for those quick heat up tasks or the evening bag of popcorn.

 

[SuperCal]

I'm thinking of a mini microwave for my camper too. Just saw a sunbeam 700watt at walmart for $29 but didnt pick it up just yet. For that price I'm not really expecting amazing performance or longevity but should get the job done.

The big decision to size would probably be what you plan on cooking in it. In my case the microwave will be the quick cup of soup or hot chocolate in the middle of the night or when I'm stuck inside due to rain. My camper isn't going to have a stove in it because i feel if I'm camping then I should be cooking outdoors.

As far as being a space hog, for the most part it will be but i figure i can store some light items inside it. Although not a perfect solution its better than nothing...

 

[Scoutman]

We already have a stove but the microwave would be for quick warm ups, popcorn, etc. It's hard to warm up leftovers without getting too involved.

 

[mhiscox]

It's not without its drawbacks--which you can read about in about a million reviews on the Internet--but the smallest, most portable and ligtest AC current draw unit is likely the WaveCube:

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/iWavecube-IW600SIL-600-Watt-Personal-Microwave/dp/B002Q4V62E"]http://www.amazon.com/iWavecube-IW600SIL-600-Watt-Personal-Microwave/dp/B002Q4V62E[/ame],

which actually gets pretty good reviews.

The Sharp Half-Pint is marginally bigger (it can take a dinner plate) and also seems to work.

The iWave Wavebox is a small portable unit that runs off both AC and DC, even straight off a power port. This would be pretty exciting except it doesn't seem to work all that well:

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/WaveBox-Original-Portable-Microwave-Cobalt/dp/B002P6NG0S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1291414478&sr=8-1"]http://www.amazon.com/WaveBox-Original-Portable-Microwave-Cobalt/dp/B002P6NG0S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1291414478&sr=8-1[/ame].

I know about his stuff from trying to find the smallest microwave to fit into the EarthRoamer Jeep. In my situation, it was better to have a conventionally-shaped unit, and this was the best I could find; I got the black version:

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Sanyo-EM-S2588W-3-Cubic-Foot-Microwave-White/dp/B001DOJV3E"]http://www.amazon.com/Sanyo-EM-S2588W-3-Cubic-Foot-Microwave-White/dp/B001DOJV3E[/ame].

 

[turbohaulic]

^^Looks very nice, and would be pretty handy to have. reheating on a stovetop works pretty well and only takes a little more time. Which is why I'd have a hard time justifying a microwave. But once again, would be very handy to have

 

[dwh]

It's worth noting, especially if the thing is going to ever run from battery/inverter that the specs have to be carefully checked.

Microwaves' power ratings are usually the output power rating of the magnetron (the cooking power) -not- the current draw of the entire unit.

For instance, here is a little Panasonic "800w" unit:

http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-...SD377S.S_11002_7000000000000005702#tabsection

But when you get to the bottom of the page, you see this:

"Power Requirements 120V 60Hz, 10.5A 1230W, AC Only"

So that 800w micro actually draws 1230w.

You also can not trust the specs in Amazon product descriptions. I don't know how many times I've seen those things be completely wrong. For instance that iWavecube. The Amazon page says it's a 600w unit, and it also says:

"Power output: 600 watts"

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/iWavecube-IW600SIL-600-Watt-Personal-Microwave/dp/B002Q4V62E/"]Amazon.com: iWavecube IW600SIL 600-Watt Personal Desktop Microwave Oven, Silver: Kitchen & Dining[/ame]


BUT, if you look at the users manual on the iWavecube site, you see this:

"Rated Input Power (Microwave): 600 Watts
Rated Output Power (Microwave): 350Watts"

http://iwavecube.com/files/IW600SIL-IM0508.html

So that "600w" unit apparently draws 600w, but only has a 350w magnetron and either Amazon's data entry monkey has inadvertently mixed up the input/output specs - or their marketing monkey has done it deliberately.

Caveat emptor.



EDIT: HOLY CRAP! Just noticed this in the iWavecube manual:

"WARNING: Handling the cord of the iWavecube™ will expose you to lead, a chemical known to the state of California to cause cancer, and birth defect or reproductive harm. Wash hands after handling the cord."

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

In the past I have had problems running digital microwaves off an inverter. Once I switched to an anolog microwave I was trouble free. How are you guy with working digital units powering them?

 

[McZippie]

I should be able to power it from the inverter in my truck if I'm not hooked to shore power. .

What brand and wattage is your inverter?

I joke that:

Our Rig has $3,000 of electrical upgrades, so we can quickly 'nuke' a bag of popcorn in a $50 microwave.

...and it not really that far from the truth!

Our 1000 watt microwave draws 110+ amps from the batteries, while powered from the inverter. Peukert's law requires a beefy system to power and sustain that level of current drain.

 

[haven]

McZippie, how right you are! You definitely need a seriously large deep cycle battery and a DC to AC converter that can handle high current to use a microwave. Or you need to run your rig's generator.

There are plenty of reports of rv fires caused by microwave ovens. The causes include insufficient venting of the microwave, and faulty wiring.

Almost all foods can be prepared without the help of a microwave oven. It only takes a few minutes longer.

 

[dwh]

In the past I have had problems running digital microwaves off an inverter. Once I switched to an anolog microwave I was trouble free. How are you guy with working digital units powering them?

That was probably the MSW (Modified Square Wave) vs. PSW (Pure Sine Wave) problem rearing it's ugly head. Most things will work fine on an MSW interverter - but a few won't. Seems like microwaves are one thing that often has problems with MSW.

 

[McZippie]

That was probably the MSW (Modified Square Wave) vs. PSW (Pure Sine Wave) problem rearing it's ugly head. Most things will work fine on an MSW interverter - but a few won't. Seems like microwaves are one thing that often has problems with MSW.

I actually did some testing on the difference between a MSW vs PSW inverter powering microwave.

The test compared heating water in a microwave powered by either a MSW or PSW inverter, for a set period of time and measuring the temperature.

The results:

A MSW inverter will power a Microwave exactly the same as PSW inverter, only when the the 12 volt battery bank is near fully charged.

Or in other words, a PSW inverter will power a microwave adequately from a somewhat depleted 12 volt battery bank, better than a MSW inverter.

In the Real World:

A microwave draw a lot of amps and powering one for any more than a short period of time, with either a MSW or PSW inverter, using a only a 12 volt battery bank is impracticable.
If shore power or a generator is is unavailable, running the vehicle's engine to charge/boost the battery bank either a PSW or MSW inverter will adequately power a microwave.

For the above to work properly, the battery bank must be near full charge and the alternator should have an output capacity that exceeds the microwave/inverter amperage draw.... and of course OEM alternators don't output full amperage at idle, so a voltage sensitive fast idle controller is required, which could be a right foot applied to the gas pedal while the microwave is running.

 

[Scoutman]

The inverter is a hard mounted unit that I have under the seat of my truck. It's a Cobra 1500w/3000w peak unit. It is strong enough to power the AC unit on top of my TC with the truck running (tried this as a test, not on an actual outting).

Before I go any further I'll probably haul my home microwave out to the truck to make sure it will power a 1000w unit first before I buy a lighter/cheaper 7-800w unit for the camper.

Like I said, my biggest problem is finding the space to put it. I have an 8' slide in truck camper and while there are places to put it, finding one that it can be mounted and not be in the way is the challenge.

 

[Stan@FourWheel]

I have seen a few people put a small microwave in the FWC's.

I don't know if they were running them on 110/120V electricity, or through an inverter ?

If you were going to run the wicrowave through an inverter from a battery, I would think you are going to need at least one good deep cycle battery (if not 2 batteries), and a good inverter.

By the time you buy a good inverter, HD fuse, a second battery, etc, ... it might be cheaper to find a used 2000 generator and power the microwave with that.



Oh, but then you are going to have to lug around the loud, smelly generator.



I just it just depends on how many $$ you are willing to spend to make that popcorn in the microwave.


.


.

 

[Scoutman]

Well since I'm in a 1 ton Dodge Ram diesel I already have the battery and the inverter setup. For others that may be a problem.

I'd rather not have a generator to keep up with for the occasional use. The price tags are kinda high too.

 

[mhiscox]

You can, troublefree, run a microwave through an inverter connected to a very substantial battery bank, but as has been pointed out, you can spend a lot of money getting the popcorn popped. My Sprinter's three batteries are $600 each and they're running a $3000 inverter/charger. So all's well, but at a big cost.

If you're new to this, know that the general rule that you ideally only want to discharge somewhere between 30% (for flooded cells) and 50% (AGMs) of the battery bank's capacity. Already, a 100-amp-plus DC current draw for the microwave is looking like a problem, though microwaves (unlike, say, air conditioners) have the saving grace of often not being run for long periods of time.

But you also have to consider "Peukert Effect," which says that you have much less capacity available as you shorten the discharge period. Your battery bank is spec'd at the 20-amp discharge rate. Start with a 200 amp hour AGM battery bank, cut it to 100 amps to avoid life-cutting deep discharge, and discharge those 100 amps over 20 hours and you'll see 100% of your rated capacity. But discharge over 10 hours and only 87 amps are available due to Peukert Effect. More depressingly, though, shorten the discharge to one hour and only 40 amps are available. (Google "Peukert Effect" if you need detailed tables.)

The point being that battery banks that run microwaves have to be sized all out of proportion to what you might otherwise need, and even then, some--my friend and camper builder Darrin Fink, for one--will insist that everytime you use the microwave, you're ruining the life of your batteries because the discharge rate is too high. And he's right, although unlike him, I'm willing to cut a little off my AGMs life to have the convenience. But I started with 645 amp-hours, so I've got some flex. If you're starting with one or two Optimas or DieHard Platinums as the battery bank, you'll want to keep the microwaving sessions short. Think popcorn and leftovers versus standing rib roast.